Inaugural Lanka Heritage ‘double wicket’ tourney on December 16 and 17
The inaugural ‘double wicket’ tournament, organised by Lanka Heritage Cricket Club, will take place on December 16 and 17 at the BOI ground in Katunayake. The first of its kind cricket tourney to be held among former cricket players who are over the age category of 50 and above will see 17 teams vie for the title, under four groups.
Teams were drafted following a draw held at the P. Sara Oval earlier this week and will include former national cricketers, including a few members from the 1996 World Cup winning team. The tournament will see the cream of former first class players and national cricketers in action, where teams will play each other on league basis before moving on to the knockout stage.
Teams have been drafted into three groups of four each and a group that includes five teams. The Group ‘A’ includes 96 World Cup team ‘A’, Chance Sports, Vintage CC ,Old Bens and Kurunegala Youth CC. Group ‘B’ includes Colombo Masters ‘A’, Moratuwa SC, Old Antonians and Old Joes while Group ‘C’ will feature Colombo Masters ‘B’, MCA, Old Nalandians and Olcott Sports Foundation. Group ‘D’ includes 96 World Cup team ‘B’, Kotte Masters, PCU and Singha SC, Ambalangoda.
Following the league stage, the four teams to top each group will advance into the semi-final stage, which will be followed by the grand final. Each team will feature two players, who will bat and bowl two overs with the organisers providing nine fielders from a pool of 25 designated fielders for all games.
“We formed Lanka Heritage CC couple of years back with the intention of gathering all former cricketers from both genders. Already we have a membership of around 60 male cricketers and 35 female cricketers, who had played the sport at the highest levels. The aim is to harness the expertise of these cricketers and educate youngsters from all regions of the country. We have with us over 10 cricket coaches with Level 4 certificate and we have already conducted a few training programmes educating youngsters from rural areas,” stated Jayantha Seneviratne, the President of Lanka Heritage CC.
The tournament will be conducted in accordance to the playing conditions of the International Cricket Council according to Basil Perera, the Tournament Committee Chairman.
“We have sought the services of umpires and scorers affiliated to
Sri Lanka Cricket, and the entire tournament will be conducted in a professional manner, as we plan to expand this initiative to the next level,” Perera told reporters.
The initiative, spearheaded by an idea of Basil Perera, a former cricketer and basketball player who turned out for St. Benedict’s College, is organised and conducted by Lanka Heritage CC, headed by former
Sri Lanka, Bloomfield and Nalanda College cricketer, turned cricket administrator, Jayantha Seneviratne, and his team including Shamila Jayah Kitchil as Secretary and Damian Fernando as Treasurer. The two-day competition is sponsored by Mclarens Group’s Mobil and 3M, KBSL Information Technologies, Singer Sri Lanka and Chance Sports.