Great opportunity for junior cricketers
Chris Dhambarage
Sri Lanka Cricket in another major step towards the development of
junior cricket in the country have decided to field two schools teams in
the forthcoming SLC under 23 two day tournament.
The under 20 Development Squad will compete in the Tier 'A'
tournament and the Schools Under 17 team will participate in the Tier
'B' tournament which is scheduled to start shortly.
This was another idea mooted by former Sri Lanka leg spinner and
Advisor and Consultant to the President on Schools Cricket D.
Somachandra de Silva whose proposals have been recommended by President
Mahinda Rajapaksa.
De Silva's proposals were highly commended by President Rajapaksa,
Minister of Sports and Recreation Gamini Lokuge and Chairman Sri Lanka
Cricket (SLC) Arjuna Ranatunga.
As a first step towards the development of junior cricket in the
country the SLC earlier fielded the schools under 19 team in the
inaugural Inter Provincial Twenty20 limited overs tournament which was
concluded recently.
The under 19 team had instant success recording a stunning victory
against the Basnahira South team in their opening fixture of the
tournament. Although they failed to make it to the final round there
were some outstanding performances which would augur well for the
future.
The idea to field a schools team in the SLC under 23 tournament was
welcomed by the Sri Lanka Under 19 coach Roger Wijesuriya who was also
in charge of the team that participated in the International Cricket
Council (ICC) Youth World Cup staged in Malaysia recently.
Wijesuriya said that fielding an under 17 team in this tournament is
quite significant because this squad will be earmarked as the probable
squad that will represent the country at the next ICC Youth World Cup in
Kenya.
He further said that the under 20 players will have another
opportunity of proving themselves which will put them in contention for
a place in the Academy squad or in the Sri Lanka 'A' squad.
Meanwhile Chairman SLC Interim Committee Arjuna Ranatunga presented
cricket equipment to 21 needy schools at a ceremony held at the SLC
headquarters in Maitland Place yesterday.
Among the schools that benefited were Malwattawala MMV, Wellawaya in
Moneragala, Kantale MMV Trincomalee, St. Xavier's College Marawila,
Wayamba Royal College Kurunegala, Anuradhapura Central, Batemulla
National School Imaduwa, Telijjawila MMV Matara and Nugawela MMV Kandy.
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