MCA Cricket: Mercantile Division ‘D’ Tournament begins

The Mercantile Cricket Association (MCA) Division ‘D’ 40-Over League Tournament 2016 got off to a start on Saturday (16) with a card of eight matches.

A total of 21 teams will compete in this edition and are pooled into three groups to be played in two stages consisting 70 matches from the following groups.

Group ‘A’: Hemas Group, Kanrich Finance ‘B’, United Tobacco Industries, Softlogic Holdings, Commercial Leasing Co. Ltd., Dialog Axiata and NDB Bank.

Group ‘B’: Brumby’s International, Bodyline (Pvt) Ltd., Central Finance Co. PLC,  Delmage Group,  Expolanka Group, Hilton Colombo Residencies and Commercial Credit and Finance PLC ‘B’.
 
Group ‘C’: Aitken Spence PLC,  Asian Alliance Insurance PLC, Ceylinco Insurance PLC, David Pieris Motor Co., Vallibel Finance PLC, Nations Trust Bank ‘B’ and Associated Motorways Ltd.

The round -robin stage, consisting 63 matches will go on till February 28 and at the completion, the first two teams of each group along with the best two teams from the three groups will make up the knockout quarter-finalists. 

The quarter-finals are scheduled to be played on March 5 and 6 and the semi-finals on March 13 and 14 and the finals to be staged on March 19.

The selected venues for the matches to be played are MCA, Thurstan College, Malay CC, Slave Island, St. John’s College, Panadura, Army Grounds Mattegoda, De Mazanod College Kandana, D.S. Senanayake College, Veyangoda Central College, St. Benedict’s Kotahena, Wesley College and NSCA Ratmalana. 

The Special awards on offer are for the best batsman, bowler, man of the Series and man of the final. 

All matches will be under the supervision of a MCA appointed Match Referee.