MCA ‘B’ begins September 27
Close on the heels of the Premier League is the MCA Division ‘B’ 50-Over League Tournament 2015, commencing during the weekend of September 27 and 28.
The tournament opens a new leaf as the Divisions ‘B’ and ‘C’ are amalgamated and the period being advanced.
The amalgamation and the advancement was taken in consideration of the players, as both tournaments played on turf wickets are loaded with club players.
In the past, these two top MCA divisions went head on with Sri Lanka Cricket tournaments, which severely inconvenienced the club players, who had to turn out for their firms, as well as their clubs.
After a discussion, Sri Lanka Cricket opened up an exclusive window to the MCA by not conducting any of their tournaments from end September to early November 2014.
The MCA Tournament Committee grabbed the opportunity with both hands and slotted in the Premier League and the Division ‘B’ during this period.
Last season, the Division ‘B’ which was conducted in February 2014 had seven teams and the Division ‘C’ conducted in January 2014 consisted ten teams.
The amalgamation of the two divisions gathered 16 teams, who will play in two groups as follows:
Group ‘A’: MAS Intimates Unichela ‘B’ (2014 Joint winner),Textured Jersey (2014 joint winner), Commercial Bank ‘A’ Raigam Marketing, Mobitel (Division ‘C’ runners-up), John Keells Group ‘B’ (Division ‘D’ winner), Union Bank (Division ‘D’ runner-up) and MAS Linea Aqua.
Group ‘B’: DIMO, LB Finance ‘A’, Singer Sri Lanka ‘A’, Hayleys Group RC, Kanrich Finance ‘A’, MAS Silueta, PABC Bank and Commercial Credit and Finance ‘B’.
The group stage, consisting 56 matches will go on till October 29 and the second stage, the Knockout, consisting seven matches, will be staged on November 1 and 2 (quarter–finals), November 8 and 9 (semi-finals) and November 15, the final at MCA.
The 63 matches are spread around 11 venues, namely; MCA, FTZ /Katunayake, Surrey in Maggona, Moratuwa Stadium, Bloomfield, Thurstan, Colts, Moors, BRC, P. Sara Oval and NCC.
The MCA appointed Match Referees Panel include: Basil Perera, Upali Warnapura, Mahesh Jayasekera, Nalliah Devarajan, Pemlal Fernando, KH Nandasena, USC Perera, Chandana Mahesh, Nalin Perera, A.J. Samarasekera, Manoj Perera, and Thusitha Karunaratne.