Schools face player release dilemma
View(s):Under 19 inter-provincial cricket tournament in January
By Naushad Amit
The Under-19 Inter-Provincial cricket tournament organised by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) could not get off due to bad weather, prompting the organisers to postpone the competition. The tournament was scheduled to begin on Tuesday (18) but was postponed indefinitely. However, after an emergency meeting among the tournament committee members and other officials, the SLC has
Tharindu Kaushal was a discovery that came out from the SLC Under-19 Provincial tournament.
decided to go ahead with the tournament from the first week of January 2013, and with a deadline drawn on January 15.
This means this tournament is going intervene with the first term inter-school cricket season.
The organisers have also decided to take off the restriction on players who are facing the G.C.E. Ordinary Level examination with the rescheduling of the competition. But the tournament faces a new snag with most schools expressing their displeasure on holding a competition with the first term of the Inter-School first XI season resuming from this weekend. Earlier certain factions of school cricket lamented that the SLC were conducting the Inter-Provincial tournament at an inappropriate period where very little purpose is served of its intentions.
Sri Lanka Under-19 coach, Naveed Nawaz last week explained to the Sunday Times that the purpose of this tournament is to pick potential players to form a youth squad of 30 members to prepare for the upcoming tour to Bangladesh in April 2013. Yesterday commenting after the meeting Nawaz stated that the purpose stands the same.
“The only obstruction for the Provincial tournament will be clash with the first XI competition. But the decision is taken and schools will have to support by releasing its respective players who are selected in the process,” Nawaz said.
The tournament will include 10 sides covering the entire island and the Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association (SLSCA) who are conducting the first XI competition are in two minds but they have decided to support the SLC cause.
“We know schools will find it very difficult to support this tournament with the recommencement of the first XI season after the vacation. Since it’s a national cause we at SLSCA are of the view that SLC should be given the due backing,” Dilshan de Silva, the secretary of SLSCA said.
“There are two sides of the story if you take in terms of the SLC and the schools. We cannot commit or disagree to any party as postponing the Provincial tournament till March 2013 will not help SLC in their preparations for the Youth Bangladesh tour. At the same time schools too will find it difficult to cope without their key players. We have informed all schools while making a formal request and releasing the players for the competition will be at the discretion of the relevant school officials,” he added.
The Provincial tournament which was not held last year as it clashed with the ICC Youth World Cup will now be played within a duration of seven days prior to January 15, 2013. The SLC Under-19 Inter-Provincial cricket tournament will feature 10 teams where five each are grouped into two. Western North Outer, Western South Outer, Central, Eastern and Western North provinces will play in Group A while Group B includes North Central, Uva, Southern, Western South and Northern provinces. Earlier matches were scheduled to be played at Surrey Village Maggona, BOI Katunayake, Rangiri Dambulla and Welagedara stadiums but depending on the weather conditions, the venues will subject to change. The new dates of the tournament will be released within the next few days by the SLC according to a tournament committee official.
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