Finally it seems the once failed Sri Lanka T20 Premier League Tournament (SLPL) will hit the scene in August.
The first ever SLPL T20 tournament was to be played from July 19 to August 4 2011 with the five inter-provincial teams which regularly feature in the local circuit along with two additional teams -- Nagenahira Nagas and Uthura Oryxes – vying for the big prize bag.
However, it was put off for this year amidst allegations of corruption with the Parliamentary Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) questioning some of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) deals, including the T20 agreement with Somerset Entertainment Ventures, a Singapore-based entertainment company.
During the past few weeks, the SLC, which had signed a five-year deal with this previously unheard of foreign-based company, has been trying to resolve the differences and get the much promised spectacle back on the road.
According to a senior SLC official, Sri Lanka Cricket has retained the services of top corporate lawyer Harsha Amerasekera to renegotiate the deal with Somerset, especially some of the clauses that came under scrutiny.
It is also learned that the SLC has made a presentation of the new format of the SLPL to COPE and got the clearance. The matter has now been referred to Attorney General’s Department for its observations.
The SLC official said: “The moment we get clearance from the AG’s Department we will go ahead with arrangements to make the SLPL a success.”
Another snag that hit the botched SLPL edition one last year was the Indian cricket board’s decision not to permit Indian players to take part in the Sri Lankan tournament on grounds that the tournament had connection with the controversial former IPL chief Lalith Modi.
In the edition one that was to be played last year, the teams and the respective captains were -- Basnahira Bears Western Province -- Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kandurata Kites Central Province -- Kumar Sangakkara, Nagenahira Nagas Eastern Province -- Shahid Afridi, Ruhuna Rhinos Southern Province -- Sanath Jayasuriya, Uthura Oryxes Northern Province -- Daniel Vettori, Uva Unicorns Uva -- Chaminda Vaas and Wayamba Wolves North Western Province -- Mahela Jayawardene .
With the ICC’s T-20 World Championships to be worked off a few days after the SLPL in Sri Lanka in September most of the cricket governing bodies may be interested in getting their players acclimatized to the Lankan conditions – slow, low turning wickets, heat and the high humidity. Ironically during this period only the cricketers from New Zealand will be free of an international engagement. The rest of the top cricketing brood will be involved in series such as West Indies vs Bangladesh, South Africa vs Zimbabwe, England vs India and Australia vs Pakistan.
The matches will be played at least in two venues, but the authorities may try to preserve the wickets at the R. Premadasa Stadium, Pallekele and the Hambantota Stadium owing to the preparations of the ICC spectacle. |
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