Twenty four teams for Nuwara Eliya sixes

S M Jiffrey Abdeen -Kandy Sports Correspondent

Twenty four cricket teams are expected to be in the fray at the Nuwara District inter club six-a-side cricket tournament for the "C B Ratnayake Challenge Shield organised by the Nuwara Eliya District Cricket Association which will be worked off at the beautiful Darrawela grounds, the home of Dickoya Maskeliya Cricket Club at Dickoya on Saturday and Sunday (December 15 and 16) with play expected to start at 9 am each day.

The Honorary Secretary of the Nuwara Eliya District Cricket Association Jagath Jayasundera said that last year too this tournament was held at Dickoya and the selection of this venue is due to its central location and is easily reachable for the clubs from the far flung areas of this district which extends from Udapussellawa to Ginigathena and in between lies Nuwara Eliya, Hanguranketha, Walapane, Talawakelle, Kotagala, Hatton, Maskeliya, Bogawantalawa and many other areas.

The defending champions of this tournament are Ginigathena Cricket Club but they will receive stiff challenges from clubs like Trout SC, Silver Orchids SC, Dickoya Maskeliya CC, Dimbula C & AC, Poramadulla SC, Maskeliya CC, and Grand Hotel Sports Club.

The trophies for this championship is presented by the Minister for Private Transport and former Minister of Sports C B Ratnayake. Cricket materials will also be presented to the winning team.

The weather up at Dickoya has been keeping fine with hardly any rain and the Darrawela grounds is in trim condition due to the efforts of its President Dushan Ratwatte and his staff who have been doing a fine job. Darrawela is one of the beautiful grounds in the hill country with the century old club house on one side and a stream running on the far side surrounded by red cotton trees.

Legendary England cricketer Sir Jack Hobbs played here before the Second World War and was so enchanted with its beauty and when he went back home, he named his house "Darrawela". There is a huge picture of Sir Jack Hobbs hanging at the club house of Darrawela. This club also had a golf course in the good old days.