Thirty six teams for Division Three tourney

S M Jiffrey Abdeen Kandy Sports Correspondent

Thirty six teams will participate in the Division III Cricket Tournament organised by the Kandy District Cricket Association on behalf of Sri Lankan Cricket which will be worked off in several venues in the Kandy District at the end of this month.

This was disclosed by the Honorary Secretary of the Kandy District Cricket Association Roland Perera at a meeting of the participating clubs presided over by the Senior Vice President Janaka Pathirana and held at the office of the Central Province Cricket Association on Friday evening.

Roland Perera told the clubs present that Sri Lanka Cricket will take severe action on clubs which do not comply with the rules of the tournament which may even debar them from participation next season. There should be no walk overs or playing of unregistered players which gives rise to lot of problems.

He said that this year Sri Lanka Cricket has called for registration of players on a specified form in which all the details of every player must be given including a duly attested photograph. The clubs should also furnish the constitution, the list of office bearers and the minutes of the last annual general meeting. All score sheets will have to be signed by the two umpires who officiated in the match and submitted to the Tournament Committee within three days of the completion of the match.

All these details will be stored in computer and any forgery or impersonation could be easily traced and severely dealt with which will include suspension of the player concerned and also the officials.

He noted in the past, some players had signed for more than one club which is illegal and with the introduction of the registration of players supported by photographs will eliminate this. In addition to this the details of the national identity card too will have to be entered in the registration form.

Senior Vice President 'Janaka Pathirana said that the Kandy District Cricket Association is happy that such a large number of teams have entered this tournament and that five teams will be eligible to move into the second round. Last year's champions Customs Cricket Club are now playing in the Division II of the Tournament. The first stage of the tournament will be played on a league basis and each team will play three matches within their own group. Two months have been given to play the three matches. Therefore the excuse of no grounds for the postponement of the matches will not be entertained.

He said that the best option will be to play the matches early and wait for the knock out stage of the tournament without waiting till the last moment.

Handling the draw of this tournament were Mohammed Zarook and Chandra Mahawattege of the Tournament Committee.

The participating teams have been grouped as follows:

Group A: Jayaratne SC Gampola, Nawalapitiya CC, Gampola CC, Visuvious CC, Geli Oya.

Group B: Liverpool CC, Old Rajans CC, Kandy Doctors, Commercial Bank SC.

Group C: Zeylanicans CC, Kandy CC, Jayabima CC, Bank of Ceylon SC Kandy.

Group D: Silvestrians CC, Orient CC, Bloomfield CC, Galagedera CC.

Group E: Sutherland SC Kadugannawa, Black Eagle CC, Vinco CC, Ekamuthu CC Muruthalawa.

Group F: University of Peradeniya, Kandy Clowns, Blue Universal CC, Kandy Youths CC.

Group G: Old Antonians SC, Madawala CC, Onslaught SC, Saracens CC Kandy.

Group H: University Staff Cricket Association, Old Trinitians SC, Lihini SC, Prisons SC Kandy.

Group I: Kandy Academy, Galhinna CC, Kandy Municipal Sports Club, Old Zahirians SC Gampola.