Giants CCC confront Bloomfield in Premier league
Chris Dhambarage
The Sri Lanka Cricket organized Premier Trophy four day inter club
Tier A league tournament will get underway today with a card of five
matches down for decision in Colombo.
The tournament will be worked off until the end of March and the team
that finishes on top of the points table will receive a cash award of Rs.
1.5 million. The runners up are entitled for a cash award of Rs. one
million.
In addition the Best Batsman and the Best Bowler of the tournament
will receive a cash award of Rs. 150,000 each. The Man of the Match of
each game will be presented a cash award of Rs. 7500.
SLC will also present a luxurious car worth Rs. two million for the
player of the tournament. All rounder Anil Rideegammanagedera carried
away this award for his heroics during the concluded season while
representing Moors Sports Club.
However this time the award will be presented exclusively for the
players who excel during the four day league tournament. The Premier
Trophy Tier B tournament will also be conducted simultaneously with the
champions receiving a cash award of Rs. 750,000.
The Premier Trophy Tier A tournament of course will be conducted sans
the star players as the Sri Lanka team are set to take wing to Australia
on January 24 for the Tri Series limited overs tournament featuring the
host nation and India.
However some of the Test players have been granted permission to
represent their respective clubs during the matches which will be worked
off during the opening weekend of the competition.
The clash between the two heavyweights Bloomfield and Colts CC should
turn out to be an interesting contest with a host of national players in
action at Reid Avenue.
Incidentally the two teams met in the Premier Trophy limited overs
tournament too, some time back at Havelock Park with Bloomfield winning
that contest thanks to a sparkling century from Tillekeratne Dilshan.
Bloomfield will be depending on Dilshan once again with dashing
opener Sanath Jayasuriya also set to open the batting. Both teams of
course did not fare well in the recently concluded Premier Trophy
limited overs tournament and will be determined to get off to a good
start.
Colts CC will have a new captain in Malintha Warnapura for the league
tournament replacing Shantha Kalawitigoda but will miss the services of
veteran Chaminda Vaas who has being asked to rest.
Meanwhile the defending champions CCC will also have a tough
assignment when they take on Moors Sports Club in their fixture at
Braybooke Place. Moors SC are fresh after a successful campaign in the
shorter version of the game having emerged runners up to SSC in the
final..
SSC who have already bagged two titles this season will start their
campaign for the Premier Trophy with a fixture against Ragama CC on
their home grounds at Maitland Place. SSC are hit by injuries with their
two premier fast bowlers Nuwan Zoysa and Dhammika Prasad both ruled out
for the opening game.
The odds will be heavily lay against the Ragama outfit but they
certainly have a good bowling attack which will be spearheaded by
veteran leg spinner Malinga Mandara who was unfortunately left out of
the squad for the Australian tour.
In addition promising schoolboy Nilushan Nonis from De Mazenod
College, Kandana is set to make his first class debut as a middle order
batsman in this game.KK
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