P Jayawardene - Most Outstanding under-17 player (May 6 1997)

Tuesday 06, May 1997

P Jayawardene - Most Outstanding under-17 player

By RANJAN ANANDAPPA

PRASANNA JAYAWARDENE of St.Sebastian's College, Moratuwa was judged the outstanding schools under-17 cricketer at the award ceremony held at the Kularatne Hall,Ananda College yesterday.

The tournament was sponsored by Singer Sri Lanka Ltd for the first time.

St.Sebastian's College Moratuwa and D.S.Senanayake College were joint champions in the `A' Division while Maris Stella, Negombo won the Division Two title and Moratu Vidyalaya finished second. In Division Three, President's College, Maharagama won the title and Sri Sumangala won the runner up position.

Gamini Abeysuriya, Marketing Director of Singer, Sri Lanka who was the chief guest said that Singer is glad to sponsor the under 17 tournament for another three or four years and later, on long term basis as junior cricket is the cradle for future Test cricketers. He further said that Singer has been operating for the past 125 years and has been dedicated to the needs of the people and even concerned of the quality of entertainment in even sponsoring dramas. However, cricket has been their main beneficiary said Gamini Abeysuriya.

The Warden of S.Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia Mr.Neville de Alwis who is also the president of the Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association said that Singer made history by sponsoring the tournament for the first time. " We were keen in getting Singer as sponsors since they were involved in cricket and many good things happened and they are genuinely keen in promoting the game". He also dispelled allegations made by certain people that the present school cricket set are destroying spinners.He said instead that there are many emerging spinners in the country and brought to the notice of Muthiah Muralitheran's important role in the Sri Lanka side.

Source :: Daily News (https://www.lanka.net)