Inter International schools cricket tourney starts

Bernard Perera

The sixth inter International schools cricket tourney commenced yesterday. This year’s tournament organised by Gateway International School will be played for the RIT Alles Challenge Trophy, these details were disclosed at a press briefing held at Otters Aquatic Club on Wednesday.

This year’s tourney will be competed by thirteen teams which are grouped into four - A,B,C and D. Group A is the only group consists of four teams, while the other three groups have three teams each. All matches are scheduled to be played at Shalika Ground and Health ground.

The first stage games will be of 30 over duration while the semi-finals and the final will be played for 40 overs per side. The tournament comes to an end after completion of 22 matches inclusive of the final.

Harsha Alles, the Managing Director of Gateway International school speaking said that the International schools in Sri Lanka were able to produce sportsmen and women to reach international level who have represented the country. The students in these schools are also Sri Lankans. Cricket is the only sport that the International schools have failed to produce any player to represent the country.

The intention of this tournament is to raise the standard of the players to reach national level. The only hindrance we are faced with is that the non participation of these schools in the national tournament. The Schools Cricket Association so far has not given the green light to compete though we had many discussions on this matter.

In fact Government’s higher authorities too have given the ok for this but still the SLSCA has not taken a decision to allow us to join the tourney. All International schools don’t have their own grounds, this is mainly due to non availability of land. But in the future we hope to fulfil this by constructing grounds in outstation branches, said Alles.

The tournament is sponsored by Nestle Lanka Ltd, the producers of ‘Milo’. Bandula Egodage, the General Manager - Sales and Promotions speaking said ‘Milo’ has been a leading sponsor for sporting activities in the country.

His company has been engaged in sponsoring school sports for the last two decades and want to continue with the same in the future too. He handed over the sponsorship cheque to Chairman of the Gateway College RIT Alles.

The teams participating are -

Group A: Gateway College, CIS Colombo, Ikra Is, Gateway College Kandy.

Group B: Lyceum Intl - Wattala, St Nicholas Intl School, Asian International school.

Group C: Lyceum Intl School – Nugegoda, Wycherly Intl School, CIS - Kandy.

Group D: Royal Institute - Leightton Park. British School - Colombo.