SLC rain to douse cricket drought
View(s):Sri Lanka’s bid to fill the void created by Zimbabwe’s pull-out with another series has come a crop.
The Lankan cricket management tried to entice the West Indies, New Zealand, Australia, England or South Africa for a series of matches, but the response has been largely negative.
Both England and Australia are making preparations for the year-end Ashes return, while the West Indies have agreed to play India in a short Test series, during which hopefully the Indian living legend Sachin Tendulkar would play his 200th Test match. Thereafter, the Windies will move to New Zealand in November for their FTP series.
New Zealand who are due in Sri Lanka for a Limited Overs match series in November also have declined to play Sri Lanka prior to that engagment.
Sri Lanka hosted South Africa last month but will sans international assignments for the next four months. - File pic
The only positive response came from the South African management, but by the end of last week that bid had also fallen apart.
In the fall-back plan Sri Lanka Cricket now has drawn up a series of four-day matches and two Limited Overs matches for the Lankan cricketers.
The tournament is yet to be named.
A senior SLC official revealed to the Sunday Times yesterday: “There will be three teams drawn up from the top contracted players. We also have made sure that all contracted players have to be available for this tournament and it is compulsory. The contracted players would be segmented into three groups of fourteen players.”
He also added: “There are about 10-12 players who would be engaged in the Bangladesh T-20 tournament and they have been given the cut-off date of October 6.”
For the three four-day matches the venues will be the SSC, Colts and the Tamil Union.
The first match will be played from October 8-11 at the Tamil Union grounds, the second match will be played from 17-20 at the Colts ground while the last match which will be akin to a final will be played at the SSC from 24 to 27 October.
Subjected to ratification from the Sri Lanka Cricket’s executive committee there would be some attractive prizes on offer.
The winning team of the three-cornered tournament will receive prize money worth one million rupees while the man-of-the-series would receive Rs 200,000.
Besides, the best bowler, best batsman and the best fielder of each match would receive Rs. 25,000 each.
Only two teams would be involved in the limited overs series. The first match will be played at Colts Grounds on November 1 and the second match will be played on November 3. This will also act as a warm-up and a chance for the selectors to have a look at the players prior to the series against New Zealand.
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