U-19 Cricket: School tournament to be played in new format

The Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association (SLSCA) has decided to conduct the forthcoming Under-19 Inter-School cricket tournament by introducing a new format which they had been striving to introduce for the last few years.   Hence the executive committee of the SLSCA will be introducing the knockout tournament after the completion of the two day league tournament.   For the first time in the schools cricket a three-day tournament will be played, from the semi-finals onwards of the knockout stage.   The knockout which was to be introduced earlier had objections from some leading cricket-playing schools citing it would be hindrance and would affect their traditional big matches.   According to sources there were no objections from anyone in the introduction of the new format.   As in the past the league tournament will be two days duration with 36 teams divided into four groups in the fray.   The top four teams from the four groups will contest in the knockout stage with pre-quarter-finals and quarter-finals being played over two days.   The semi-finals and final will be played over three days.   Trinity College, the champions of last year is slotted in Group ‘A’ while runner-up Thurstan College is in Group ‘B’.   There will be no change in the limited overs tournament which will be as usual where 48 teams will contest with 28 teams from Division I, 16 teams from Division II and four teams from the Division III categories.   The teams:   Group ‘A’: Trinity, Ananda, De Mazenod Kandana, Dharmaraja Kandy, Maliyadeva, St. Aloysius’ Galle, St. Anthony’s Wattala, St. Benedict’s and Bandaranaike College, Gampaha.   Group ‘B’: Thurstan, Royal Colombo, Mahanama Colombo, Mahinda Galle, Maris Stella Negombo, Prince of Wales, Royal Panadura, Zahira Colombo and St. Joseph’s.   Group ‘C’: Lumbini MV, Anuradhapura Central, Dharmasoka MV Ambalangoda, Gurukula MV Kelaniya, Holy Cross Kalutara, Isipathana, Moratu MV, Richmond Galle and St. Servatius’ Matara.   Group ‘D’: St. Peter’s Bambalapitiya, D.S. Senanayake College, Dharmapala Pannipitiya, Nalanda, President’s Rajagiriya, S. Thomas’ Mt. Lavinia, St. Sebastian’s Moratuwa, St. Sylvester’s Kandy and St. Joseph Vaz Wennappuwa.