SSC led by Sachithra Senanayake will look for a repeat performance
Sri Lanka Cricket has finalised all arrangements to conduct the first top division domestic cricket tournament the Premier League tournament which is scheduled to get underway from December 1 with six matches being scheduled to be played in venues around the metropolis.
With the cream of cricketers bound to represent the top playing clubs there is no doubt that competition will be fierce due to the fact that some of the players will be vying to show off their talent and catch the eye of the selectors for selection to the national team. However some of the clubs will find it tough as they will be sans their top players who are on national duty against India which is in progress now.
Some of the teams will be led by players who have represented the national team in the past and present, the coaches steering the side are too well experience campaigners in the cricket fraternity. So let’s take a glance at the players who have been selected to lead the side and the coaches involved.
SSC the defending champions has not appointed a official coach yet but will be led by allrounder and top spinner Sachithra Senanayake who has a load of experience behind him having represented the national team at various stages and he will no doubt with his team mates will be seeking to retain the title for another year.
Chilaw Marians who ended as the second best team coached by Sarath Jayawardena will be captained by another allrounder in Malinda Pushpakumara. The left arm spinner has been the leading bowler in the premier domestic tournament for several seasons who received the national cap too late.
Ragama CC will be coached by the experience Mahesh Weerasinghe who most probably has the record of having won the number of championship titles in the school and club arena. Ragama CC has appointed Sri Lanka player Lahiru Thirimanne to lead the side but his unavailability due to the Indian tour will see Sameera Soyza deputising him till his return.
Colts CC coached by Muthumudalige Pushpakumara will see Sri Lanka player and allrounder Dilruwan Perera who is presently with the national team leading the side. According to coach Dilruwan will be available for the first match.
CCC under the guidance of Tharanga Dhammika will see Sri Lanka player Ashan Priyanjan leading the side. Ashan too has represented the national side at various stages but he will seek to keep up his form to regain his spot in the national side.
Moors SC coached by former allrounder Gayan Wijekoon will see one of the most experience player Chamara Silva who has crossed over from Panadura SC after the controversial match fixing incident that involved Panadura SC and Kalutara PCC in which he unfairly became the scapegoat and was slapped with a ban which the SLC officials was forced to lift.
Bloomfield coached by ex Sri Lanka player Jehan Mubarak will be led by left hand batsman Nipun Karunanayake. Nipun who has represented the Sri Lanka ‘A’ side against West Indies will have a tough job in his hands as the side comprises a lot of new faces.
Tamil Union under Kapila Weerasinghe will be led by hard hitter Kithuruwan Vithanage who will be leading the side for the second successive year. The experience left hand batsman has played in all three formats for the national side.
Saracens SC is coached by Dinesh Weerasinghe with Harsha Cooray leading the side who will also be leading the side for the second successive year. Harsha who has been in the club cricket arena for nearly one a half decades is an experience allrounder.
Badureliya CC under the guidance of former Sri Lanka player Ruwan Kalpage will be led by Alankara Asanka another player who will leading the side for the second successive year.
NCC coached by Ruvin Peiris will see former Sri Lanka player Angelo Perera spearheading the side. Angelo is fortunate to have some top cricketers in the side and will be seeking to steer NCC to regain the title which they won a few years back.
Army SC a team that came into the limelight in the recent past is coached by Pasan Wanasinghe with Sri Lanka player and allrounder Seekkuge Prasanna leading the side who will be aiming to guide the side to success.
Sri Lanka Ports Authority SC (SLPA CC) coached by Omesh Wijesiriwardena will have hard hitter and Gihan Rupasinghe as their captain. With SLPA CC coming in to the top division after their promotion allrounder Gihan has a big responsibility to steer the side to retain the spot.
BRC another side that came into the top division two years ago is coached by Indika de Saram and led by T.M. Sampath who will be under pressure to keep up the standard and quality of cricket that is being played at this level.
The matches scheduled to be played in the first week – SSC vs Moors SC, Ragama CC vs Bloomfield, Saracens SC vs CCC, SLPA CC vs Chilaw Marians, NCC vs Badureliya CC and BRC vs Army SC.