MCA Cricket: Division ‘E’ 30-Over League gets underway

The 14th David Pieris Group of Companies sponsored, MCA ‘E’ Division 30-Over League Tournament 2016, contested for ‘DPGC’ Challenge Trophy, the second longest running sponsorship in the MCA history, will get underway this weekend with a card of 14 matches. 

David Pieris Motor Co. Ltd., initiated the sponsorship in 2002, offering the ‘Bajaj’ Challenge Trophy.

Neil Perera from David Pieris Motor Co. Ltd., was the MCA President in 2008 – 2010 and Rohana Dissanayake from DPMC, who was the former MCA General Secretary, currently one of the Vice Presidents.

The glittering DPGC Challenge Trophy which was offered in 2015 for the first time (replacing the Bajaj Trophy) was won by EWIS. 

This time the following 36 teams in six groups will contest for ‘DPGC’ Challenge Trophy.

The League Stage, consisting 90 matches will commence this weekend, and will conclude on April 3.

At the conclusion, the two top teams, along with the four best third placed teams out of the six groups (16 teams) will qualify for the elimination round.

The selected venues are MCA, Veyangoda Central, De Mazenod Kandana, Army Mattegoda, Wesley College, St. Benedict’s Kotahena, St. John’s Panadura, Thurstan College, D.S. Senanayake and St. Sebastian’s Moratuwa.   

The Knockout stage consisting 15 matches, including the final, will be staged on April 9. 

Pre-quarter-finals will be played on April 23 followed by the quarter-finals on April 30 and the semi-finals.

The final will be played on May 7 at the MCA ground.

The fours special awards on offer are for the best batsman, best bowler, man of the final and man of the series. 

The tournament ball for all 105 matches is the ‘Grays Avenger’ engraved with the MCA Logo is directly imported MCA from Pakistan.

All 15 matches in the elimination round will be supervised by a MCA appointed Match Referee.

The officiating umpires will be assigned by the Association of Professional Cricket Umpires, Sri Lanka (APCU) and the scorers from Sri Lanka Scorers Association, who will have their hands full, as they have to undergo 120-overs per day, with just 35 minutes break between matches. 

The official sponsorship handing over along with the media conference was held on March 2 at the MCA Pavilion Lounge.

Group ‘A’: Assetline Leasing, Astron Lanka, DFCC Bank, Hilton Colombo, Singer Sri Lanka ‘B’, UB Finance

Group ‘B’: Bimputh Finance, Dialog Axiata ‘B’, LOLC, Mercantile Investments, Noyon Lanka, Virtusa

Group ‘C’: Ancel Lanka, Commercial Bank ‘B’, AIA Insurance, MAS Silueta ‘B’,  Mast Far East, Unilever Sri Lanka

Group ‘D’: Brandix Essentials, Eagle Logistics, John Keells ‘C’, MAS Active Trading ‘B’, Trelleborg Lanka, Softlogic Finance 

Group ‘E’: Citizens Development Bank, Ceylon Tobacco Co., Emerchemie NB, Finlays Colombo, Regnis Lanka, Union Assurance 

Group ‘F’: Amana Takaful Insurance, Lankem Ceylon, Amana Bank, Gestetner Ceylon, Nawaloka Group, Toll Global