Draw announced for Under-19 cricket tourney pending Education Ministry approval

The SLSCA tournament committee has divided the 36 teams in Division I Under-19 tournament into two Tiers for the upcoming limited overs tournament.

by Reemus Fernando

The top teams of the last league tournament are set to compete in an 18-team Tier ‘A’ tourney when Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association ends a year-long hiatus due to the outbreak of Covid 19 pandemic with an Inter School Under-19 Limited Overs tournament next month.

Trinity College, Kandy who topped the league points table, Group ‘A’ leaders and the second highest point scorers, St. Joseph’s, Darley Road, Group ‘B’ champions, St. Anthony’s, Katugastota and Group ‘C’ winners, Nalanda are drawn in Tier ‘A’ alongside the highest placed teams of the 2019/2020 league tournament. The tournament will start after the SLSCA receives the approval of the Ministry of Education.

Generally 36 teams compete in the Division I league tournament (innings format) from September to February followed by a knockout tournament and a limited overs tournament. The 2019/2020 tournament was stopped at the quarter-final stage in March due to the outbreak of the Covid 19 pandemic. Inter school cricket tournaments were not played since then. The SLSCA made several attempts to recommence schools cricket late last year but could not proceed after the Ministry of Education refused permission taking into consideration the pandemic situation.

The SLSCA tournament committee has divided the 36 teams in Division I to two Tiers according to their standings of the last league tournament. Similarly the Division II tournament too will be played in two Tiers.

According to the draw published yesterday the teams playing Division I Tier ‘A’ and ‘B’ are as follows:

Teams in Division I Tier ‘A’

Group X: Trinity, Kandy, D.S. Senanayake, Colombo, De Mezenod, Kandana, Gurukula, Kelaniya and Wesley, Colombo.

Group Y: St. Joseph’s, Darley Road, Mahanama, Colombo, St. Thomas’, Matara, St. Sebastian’s, Moratuwa, St. Benedict’s, Kotahena and St. Anne’s, Kurunegala.

Group Z: St. Anthony’s, Kandy, Nalanda, Colombo, S. Thomas’, Mt. Lavinia, Richmond, Galle, Maliyadeva, Kurunegala and Prince of Wales, Moratuwa.

Teams in Division I Tier ‘B’ are:

Group X: Thurstan, Colombo, Mahinda, Galle, St. Peter’s, Bambalapitiya, Dharmaraja, Kandy, St. Aloysius’, Galle and Moratu Vidyalaya.

Group Y: St. Joseph Vaz, Wennappuwa, Isipatana, Colombo, Ananda, Colombo, Zahira, Colombo, Dharmapala, Pannipitiya, Maris Stella, Negombo.

Group Z: Dharmashoka, Ambalangoda, St. Servatius’, Matara, Devapathiraja, Rathgama, St. Anthony’s, Wattala, Lumbini, Colombo and St. Sylvester’s, Kandy.