Super 20 Inter-Provincial tourney begins on Oct. 18

Ranjan ANANDAPPA

Sirasa FM's Sports 1st in their quest of discovering more Super Stars as they have done in the past in the Music and dancing field will launch their latest concept. The Sri Lanka Super 20' an Under 19 Inter Provincial Cricket Tournament which is scheduled to get under way from October 18, 2008.

The tournament has the blessings of the Ministry of Education and the Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association.

The district-wise preliminary round will begin on October 18, and the Super 20 final round will take place on November 8. The final will be a day/night affair at the R. Premadasa Stadium, Khettarama on November 29.

The provinces have been divided into 7 groups. In group 'A' (North Central Province) Matale, Kurunegala, Anuradhapura, and Polonnaruwa. In group 'B' G (Western Province City, North, and South) Colombo South 'A', Colombo South 'B', Colombo North 'A' and Colombo North 'B'. In group 'C' (Southern Province) Galle, Matara and Hambantota. In group 'D' (North/East Province). Vavuniya, Batticaloa, Trincomalee.

In group 'E' (Central Province). Kandy, Kegalle, Nuwara Eliya. In group 'F' (Colombo North Outer/Outer South). Gampaha, Puttalam, Kalutara, Ratnapura. Group 'G' (Uva Province). Badulla, Ampara, Monaragala.

At a press briefing held with regard to the tournament at the Jaic Hilton Ballroom the Chief Executive of SLC Duleep Mendis while thanking the sponsor said that over the years the trend for cricket has changed.

"A few years back the traditional game was Test Cricket and the interest was fading off and the ICC decided to have the Prudential World Cup in 1975 starting with 60 overs. Then they realised it was too long and reduced it to 55 overs and still found it was long and reduced it to 50 overs and still the spectator interest was founding lacking.

So the Twenty20 was introduced. At the beginning we were not quiet sure how successful it will be. But in some countries it was very successful.

India was one of the countries who was against this concept, but they ultimately won the inaugural tournament. Whether we like it or not T20 is the trend right now and it has come to stay though we may not like it," said the SLC CEO.

The Chairman of the SLC Interim Committee Arjuna Ranatunga while thanking Sirasa Sports 1st for joining hands with Sri Lanka Cricket in sponsoring the tournament said, that he was personally not in favour of Twenty20 and believed that the concept of real cricket is firmly rooted in the more conventional type of Test or one dayers.