Eight equally balanced teams are set to clash for supremacy in the Mercantile Cricket Association (MCA) ‘Centenary Year’ 2011 Invitational Twenty20 Super Tournament which begins on September 21.
The eight teams set to compete in the one-of-a-kind Twenty20 tournament are Sampath Bank, Seylan Bank, Unichela, Hatton National Bank (HNB), Edirisinghe Trust Investments (ETI), SLC Development U-20, SLC development U-19 and a Combined Defence Service team. The teams will be divided into two groups where each team will take on each other on league basis for three continuous days from September 21.
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The teams comprise Sri Lanka’s cream of cricketers and the future national prospects as each match promises to be filled with excitement. Cricketers in the ranks of national level blended with the experienced and the youth have been included to the teams which make them evenly balanced at time of face off. Apart from the two youth teams exposed by Sri Lanka Cricket, the remaining six teams include at least a couple of national cricketers.
Among the strongest contenders to lift the Centenary Year T20 title is Sampath Bank, the league winners for this year as well as former winners at three occasions. The team is led by the dynamic wicketkeeper/batsman Kaushal Silva and includes Thilina Kandamby, Jeewan Mendis, Rangana Herath, Hasantha Fernando and Dilhara Lokuhettige. Seylan Bank, this year’s knockout winners will be captained by Chanaka Wijesinghe. The side who has won the league title for three years also includes Thilan Samaraweera, Tharanga Paranavitana and Nuwan Kulasekera.
Unichela, an impressive side in the MCA circuit is led by former St. Peter’s cricketer Malin Silva and has the services of Malinga Bandara, Chamara Silva, Kusal Janith Perera, Chathura Peiris, Malinda Warnapura, Gayan Wijekoon, Prasanna Jayawardene, Ishara Amarasinghe and Farveez Maharoof. The 2011 league and knockout runners-up is one of the strongest sides of the competition and is tipped to be the favourites.
Chinthaka Jayasinghe will captain HNB which also includes veteran Saman Jayantha, Sajeewa Weerakoon, Hemantha Boteju and Kosala Kulasekera. HNB was placed third in the league and was one of the losing semifinalists in the knockout tournament. MCA Division ‘B’ champions ETI includes young blood in its team apart from the experienced Indika de Saram. The team is led by Dinesh de Silva.
Among the three invited teams, the Combined Defence team captained by national spinner Ajantha Mendis will be the dark horse of the tournament with the inclusion of Seekuge Prasanna in the side. The team comprises six players from the Army, four from the Navy and five from Air Force.
The remaining two teams; both development youth sides from the SLC harnesses the emerging talents in a group. The Under-20 side will be captained by the former Royal College skipper Ramith Rambukwella. Former Trinity College captain Akila Jayasundera will lead the SLC U-19 team.
The group matches will be played at two venues, in the mornings and afternoons, at Thurstan Sports Complex and Bloomfield ground before the top two finishers of each group advance to semi-finals scheduled for September 24 at Colts ground. The final will be played on September 25 afternoon after the third place playoff which is scheduled for the morning.
The morning games have been scheduled for 10.00 a.m. while the afternoon matches will commence at 2.00 p.m.According to the organizers the matches will be conducted to the specifications of the International Cricket Council (ICC). All 16 matches will be administered by panel of expert match referees appointed by the MCA. Cash prizes will be on offer in addition to trophies for the winners. |
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