Six matches down for decision on first week
The Under-23 Division I cricket tournament conducted by Sri Lanka Cricket will get underway next week with six matches down for decision scheduled to be played in venues around the metropolis.
Fourteen teams are in the fray for the title which has been divided into two groups of seven teams in each.
Defending champions Tamil Union is in Group ‘B’ along with Bloomfield, Ragama CC, Negombo CC, Air Force SC, Navy SC and SSC. The teams in Group ‘A’ are Moors SC, CCC, Colts CC, Moratuwa SC, NCC, Army SC and SLPA SC. Tamil Union who are the winners of the tournament for the last three years will begin their campaign with a game against Navy SC.
Negombo CC will be the new team in the top division having earned a promotion. The SLC has made compulsory for every team to field two U-19 and U-20 players in all the matches that they will be playing.
Moors SC will be led by Shehan Jayasuriya, NCC Sandun Weerakkody, Colts Bhanuka Rajapaksa, CCC Maduka Liyanapathiranage and Ragama CC Dhananjaya de Silva. Some of the teams have not selected their captain yet.
There is definitely going to be fierce competition as all the teams will comprise the cream of young players who have just left the school and looking forward to gain experience to showcase their talent.
The added feature in this year’s tournament will be according to sources is that four young Australian players will be turning out for four different clubs. They are Ashton Agar (Tamil Union), William Bosisto (NCC), Matthew Short (CCC) and James Muirhead (Moors SC).
Meanwhile 22 teams will contest in the Division II tournament with the teams being divided into three groups. Group ‘A’ and ‘B’ comprise seven teams each and Group ‘C’ has eight teams.
The teams in Group ‘A’ are Chilaw Marians, Saracens SC, BRC, Sebastianites SC, Kalutara TC, Old Moratu Vidyala SC and Matugama CC. Group ‘B’ consists of Kelaniya CC, Police SC, Old Dharmapalians SC, Old Vidyalaya SC, Kurunegala Youth CC, Panadura SC and Singha SC Ambalangoda.
The teams in Group ‘C’ are Old Anandians SC, Custom SC, Kandy CC, Leo CC, Antonians SC, Galle CC, Kurunegala SC and Wennappuwa CC.
The matches scheduled to be played:
Moors SC vs Army SC at Braybrooke Place, NCC vs CCC at NCC, Navy SC vs Tamil Union at Welisara, Air Force vs Bloomfield at Katunayake, Negombo CC vs Ragama CC at Kadirana and Moratuwa SC vs Colts (venue to be confirmed).