The CCC School of Cricket is set to stage another cricketing banquet when the curtain goes up on the 9th Under 14 International Invitational Cricket Tournament, which will see top cricketing schools and academies battling it out for the Nelson Mendis Challenge Trophy from December 10 to 21. The matches will be played at 11 [...]

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CCC SC to serve another cricketing feast

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The CCC School of Cricket is set to stage another cricketing banquet when the curtain goes up on the 9th Under 14 International

Sponsors and Committee members of the CCC SC at the press conference.

Invitational Cricket Tournament, which will see top cricketing schools and academies battling it out for the Nelson Mendis Challenge Trophy from December 10 to 21.

The matches will be played at 11 venues with the tournament breaking new ground with games being taken to Kandy, Ambalangoda, Hikkaduwa and Rathgama for the first time.

This year, the tournament has attracted 36 teams, which will be divided into six groups with each consisting of a like number of teams. Last year’s champions, Lucky Rogers CA, have been drawn into Group ‘A’.

Ranganath CA, Frank Anthony Public School, Herons CA, Bangalore Youth CA, St. Joseph’s Boys High School, Shanthinnagar CA all from India and the Maldives CA will add a foreign flavour to the tournament, while for the first time a school from behind the palmyrah curtain, Jaffna College CA, will be participating in the competition .

A total of 102 matches, which will include the preliminaries, semi finals and finals are on the cards. During its opening stages, the tournament will be conducted on a league basis. The winners and runners-up of each group will then move up to the Super Twelve, with the 12 teams divided into four groups with each containing three teams. The winners of each group will then battle it out in the semifinals, while the winners will confront each other in the grand final to be played on Friday, December 21 at the Thurstan College ground.

Harsha Peiris the Chief Executive Office of the CCC School of Cricket addresses the media

The teams making their debut in the tournament are the Brendon School of Cricket, BDM Cricket Academy, Pelawatte CA, Uplai Kodikara CA, Galle, Zonal CA, Ambalangoda and Jaffna College.

The champions will be awarded the handsome Nelson Mendis Challenge Trophy, while the runner-up team will carry away the CCC Runners-Up Trophy. Furthermore, the Best Batsman, Best Bowler, Best Fielder, Best Keeper and Player of the Tournament will be the proud owners of special trophies, medals, certificates and other valuable gifts and prizes. Man of the Match awards will be awarded at all Super Twelve, semi finals and final matches. All 540 players participating in the tournament will receive a smart ‘T’ shirt in which they will be attired at all matches.

A special trophy sponsored by the Association of Professional Cricket Umpires will be awarded to the ‘Best Disciplined’ team. Umpires officiating in the matches will select the winner in consultation with other officials.

Players of the champion and runner-up teams will also receive gold and silver medals, while the third place winners will receive bronze medals.

The CCC School of Cricket was conceived by Senior Cricket Coach, Nelson Mendis in 1988, while the tournament which was only a tiny nut has grown into a mighty oak within a short period of nine years.

The school has participated in many international tournaments held in India and Malaysia, while dominating the major local

Nelson Mendis Senior Coach and Chairman of the CCC School of Cricket briefs the media at the press conference.

championships.

Several talented cricketers who have participated in tournaments conducted by the CCC School of Cricket, have gone onto represent the National Junior teams at the under 15, 17 and 19 levels, whilst five of them have gone onto represent the country in the under 19 ‘A’ team.

This year for the first time, the CCC School of Cricket produced two cricketers who wore their Lanka ‘caps’ with pride. Dilshan Munaweera, who represented Sri Lanka in the T/20 World Cup in which the country ended as runners-up and Madhuri Samuddhika, who represented the women’s team in the T/20 World Cup when the tournament was played in the West Indies last year. The dots are certainly on the cricketing horizon of Sri Lanka when many more will don the country’s ‘cap’.

Speaking to the media at the Sovereign Hotel in Rajagiriya recently, Nelson Mendis said, “The primary objectives of the tournament is to give exposure to up and coming cricketers of the numerous coaching schools and academies who do not have a quality and competitive tournament to showcase their talents. To provide opportunities for our youngsters to play against foreign teams and gain valuable experience by matching their skills against such opposition and help our youngsters to develop and strengthen cordial and friendly relationships and nurture a spirit of sportsmanship between the local as well as foreign teams, which will stand in good stead for them in the future.”

Ranjan Madugalle, the former Sri Lanka skipper and present match referee of the ICC, will grace the awards night as the chief guest at the Bishop’s College Auditorium, Colombo 7 from 7.00 p.m. onwards on Friday, December 21. -Bruce Maurice




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