School cricket awaits completion of knockout phase
The Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association (SLSCA) are in a quandary as to when they will be able to complete the remaining matches of the 2019/20 season.
The main event of the SLSCA, the Singer Under-19 Premier Tournament is played in three segments – Division I, II and III. Thirty-six teams competed in four groups in the Division I with nine teams in each group.
At the time of the early shutdown of schools, St. Joseph’s College, Colombo, D.S. Senanayake College, Colombo, De Mazenod College, Kandana and Royal College, Colombo were occupying the first four places in the Group I while St. Anthony’s College, Katugastota, Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda, S. Thomas’ College, Mt. Lavinia and St. Anne’s College, Kurunegala are among the top four in Group II.
Nalanda College, Colombo, Mahanama College, Colombo, Maliyadeva College, Kurunegala and Gurukula College, Kelaniya are the four leading sides in Group III while Trinity College, Kandy, Richmond College, Galle, St. Sebastian’s College, Moratuwa and St. Thomas’ College, Matara occupy the top four places in Group IV.
According to Kamal Indrajith, Secretary of SLSCA, only the quarter-finals in Divisions I and II are to be played while in Division III pre-quarter final matches have to be completed along with the limited over tournament. The SLSCA are not in a position to take any decision about the recommencement of the tournament till the schools are reopened.
“Even if the schools are reopened, the association will have to observe closely the attendance of students and the turnout at practices,” added Indrajith.
Many schoolboy cricketers came into the limelight in the 2019/20 season with the bat dominating over the ball. Navod Paranavithana, the Mahinda College skipper became the first schoolboy to score quadruple centuries when he scored a massive 409 runs off 327 balls with 39 boundaries and 19 sixes. Dhammika Vaas of Maris Stella College scoring 310 against St. Peter’s College, Negombo, while Nalanda skipper Avishka Perera completed his second consecutive 1,000 runs in 2020.
Other batsmen who enjoyed a fruitful season with the bat were D.S. Senanayake College skipper Muditha Lakshan who achieved the 1,000-run milestone along with Muditha Premadasa (Maliyadeva College, Kurunegala) 1,022 runs, Dunith Jayatunga (St. Sebastian’s College) 1,092 from Division I; Sandaruwan Chinthaka (GCC) 1,248, Samith Alkoduwa (Karandeniya Central) 1,224 and B.D. Ashan Dilhara (St. John’s) 1,094 from Division II. Bowlers had little luck this season as hot and dry weather played a major role in favour of batsmen.