Clubs query selection process
View(s):Inter-provincial limited overs tournament 2013
By Naushad Amit
With the completion of the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Inter-Club Premier Limited Overs cricket tournament, the local cricket governing body has swiftly taken measures to kick start its Inter-Provincial version from January 17.
The tournament which will run for two weeks however has brought dissatisfaction among many of its stakeholders the Sunday Times learns. One of the major issues which had cropped up with the announcement of the tournament was the transparency of the player selection process.
An insider told the Sunday Times that the selectors have neglected some of the prominent cricketers from the 20 clubs that competed in the concluded Inter-Club Premier competition. Many allege that the selection process has raised questions on weather SLC is serious of the future of the national One Day International team.
“The Provincial Limited Overs tournament is the ultimate platform to identify potential players for the future. But the way, the selectors have picked the sides their vision for the future remains a question,” an official who wished to be unnamed said.
The upcoming Provincial tournament, instead of its usual form which includes seven teams, will only have five sides this season. According to a media communiqué issued by SLC the five teams are Basnahira, Wayamba, Ruhuna and two combined sides of Uthura/Nagenahira and Kandurata/Uva. It is learnt that SLC coaching staff members Romesh Kaluwitharana, Roger Wijesuriya, Sumithra Warnakulasuriya, Piyal Wijetunga and Anusha Samaranayake will be the coaches of the five provincial sides but it has been not officially confirmed by the SLC.
Executive Committee member of SLC Roshan Iddamalgoda who is also a member of the tournament committee, explained on a query as to why SLC decided to go ahead with five teams in this years version.
Many cricket clubs allege that Sri Lanka’s cricketing future is in danger, unless SLC take correct decisions to see potential best players take up the mantel. - File pic.
“The Executive Committee recommended five teams for this competition on a couple of issues. One was, it is not feasible to conduct the Limited Overs tournament as the Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) which also had foreign players. We do not use the SLPL Twenty20 franchise names for this competition. Five teams will make the tournament more competitive,” he said.
“We presented the national selectors with a cluster for the tournament and they have done the needful with team selections. Moreover in the Inter-Club Premier tournament a minimum of 300 players representing 20 clubs took part. It is in a way not an easy task to pick 75 for five teams from that lot. We cannot raise questions on their duties,” he added.
With many of the key players on national duty in Australia, some clubs lament that deserving players who are knocking the doors of the national team have not been given due respect by the selectors available in Sri Lanka, namely Ashantha de Mel and Hemantha Wickremaratne.
Despite the fact that SLC is yet to release the team lists of the five provincial sides it is learnt that some of the leading cricketers’ names who excelled in the Inter-Club Premier tournament are not among the pruned-down list of 75.
“If you look at Australia, they fielded a young or rather a second string team against Sri Lanka in the first ODI in Melbourne and won the match comprehensively. It is clear that they are targeting the World Cup in 2015. But we are not clear what SLC is up to. Is Sri Lanka worried of its cricketing future, is the SLC making use of the best opportunity to see the potential of the best players,” a club official questioned.
The first round matches will be played at the SSC, Moors SC, R. Premadasa and P. Sara Oval grounds, with the tournament, which begins on January 17 will end on January 31, coming to an end with the final at the NCC ground in Colombo. Each provincial team will begin its practice sessions from tomorrow, just three days prior to the competition, while in contrast they will have less than a day to adjust themselves for the Inter-Club Premier 3-day tournament which begins on February 1.
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