Inter Provincial Twenty20:

Domestic T20 to create new dimension

Chris DHAMBARAGE

The Inter Provincial Twenty20 cricket tournament is set to create a new dimension in the local domestic scene as the country look forward towards building up a new combination for the future.

The 2011 tournament is underway and it is promising to be an exciting contest between the up and coming stars and those who have already established themselves in the national team.

In fact it was Sri Lanka’s new sensation Dinesh Chandimal who has struck early form by guiding his team Ruhuna Province to a morale boosting 40 runs victory over the more fancied Kandurata Province in the opening encounter.

Ruhuna is of course captained by another promising opening batsman Mahela Udawatte who will be keen to regain his form with a good batting performance. He will have the privilege of opening the batting along with veteran Sanath Jayasuriya.

Kandurata Province after their early setback will be determined to bounce back and make it to the semi finals once again. The team is of course studded with a number of top international stars former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara leading the way.

However Kandurata Province will be captained by Chamara Kapugedera who will be keen to regain his place in the Sri Lanka team for the upcoming home series against Australia which begins on August 6.

Meanwhile, new Sri Lanka captain Tillekeratne Dilshan will be the key player for Basnahira Province who have already lost their opening fixture against Wayamba Province in the bowl out after their game was washed out due to overnight rain.

The Basnahira team will be captained by Sri Lanka’s number one wicket keeper Prasanna Jayawardena and the other senior players in the line up are Lasith Malinga, Jeewantha Kulatunga, Rangana Herath and Saman Jayantha.

Wayamba Provinve will be depending on their experienced players to make an impact with skipper Thilina Kandamby, Chamara Silva, Mahela Jayawardena, Thisara Perera and Malinga Bandara set to play a dominant role.

The newcomers to the tournament are the Combined Province team which will be captained by Sri Lanka’s promising all rounder Jeewan Mendis who had a excellent series against England recently.

He will have Sri Lanka’s opening bowler Nuwan Kulasekera as the vice captain and the other senior players in the team are Angelo Mathews, Isuru Udana, Ajantha Mendis and Sachith Pathirana.

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[REMAINING MATCHES OF THE TOURNAMENT]

July 23

Kandurata v Combined Province

Wayamba v Ruhuna

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July 24

Wayamba v Kandurata

Basnahira v Combined Province

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July 26

Basnahira v Kandurata

Ruhuna v Combined Province

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July 27

Basnahira v Ruhuna

Combined Province v Wayamba

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July 30

Semifinals

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July 31

Final

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[WAYAMBA PROVINCE]

Thilina Kandamby (captain),

Chamara Silva (vice captain),

Mahela Jayawardena,

Michael van Dort,

Romesh Buddhika,

Sameera Zoysa,

Thisara Perera,

Kaushal Lokuarachchi,

Malinga Bandara,

Indika de Saram,

Thushara Mirando,

Madura Lakmal,

Thilan Samaraweera,

Sohan Boralessa,

Lasith Fernando,

Kaushalya Weeraratne,

Rushan Jaleel.

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[RUHUNA PROVINCE]

Mahela Udawatte

(captain),

Suraj Randiv

(vice captain),

Sanath Jayasuriya,

Dinesh Chandimal,

Janaka Gunaratne,

Milinda Siriwardena,

Yasoda Lanka,

Tillekeratne Sampath,

Shalika Karunanayake,

Chinthaka Perera,

Chanaka Welagedera,

Amal Athulathmudali,

A. S. Silva,

Arosha Janoda,

Omesh Wijesiriwardena,

Shihan Kamileen.

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[BASNAHIRA PROVINCE]

Prasanna Jayawardena (captain),

Rangana Herath (vice captain),

Tillekeratne Dilshan,

Dilshan Munaweera,

Jeewantha Kulatunga,

Saman Jayantha,

Chinthaka Jayasinghe,

Dilruwan Perera,

Ramith Rambukwella,

Lasith Malinga,

Dhammika Prasad,

Ishara Amarasinghe,

Chatura Peiris,

Ishan Jayaratne,

Sanjaya Gangodawila,

Nimesh Perera,

Nadeera Nawala,

Tyronne Gamage.

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[COMBINED PROVINCES]

Jeewan Mendis (captain)

Nuwan Kulasekera (vice captain)

Gihan de Silva

Dhanushka Gunatilleke

Ashan Priyanjana

Kithruwan Vithanage

Angelo Mathews

Sachith Pathirana

Isuru Udana

Hinesh Silva

Ajantha Mendis

Gihan Rupasinghe

Ashen Silva

Chaminda Vidanapathirana

Dilhara Lokuhettige

Chaturanga de Silva

Charith Jayampathy

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[KANDURATA PROVINCE]

Chamara Kapugedera (captain),

Tharanga Paranavithana

(vice captain),

Yohan de Silva,

Kumar Sangakkara,

Jehan Mubarak,

Shehan Jayasuriya,

Farveez Maharoof,

Angelo Perera,

Akalanka Ganegama,

Muttiah Muralitharan,

Hasantha Fernando,

Chanaka Wijesinghe,

Sanitha de Mel,

S. Jeewantha,

Rajiv Weerasinghe,

Kasun Madushanka,

Dilhara Fernando,

Denuwan Rajakaruna,

Udara Jayasundera.