NCC, Sebastanites favorites for youth trophy

The first innings of the domestic season for the year 2000/2001 of the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka (BCCSL) will get under way on Saturday 2nd September when the Under 23 Youth Champions Trophy begins.

While the Defending champions Tamil Union will be looking forward to some improving performances, CCC and Sebastianites have been rated favourites for the tournament and NCC and SCC are expected to mount a serious challenge.

CCC is comprised of Nisitha Weerasinghe, Dimuthu Hunukumbura and Indika Gallage, while Sebastianites is led by Nimesh Perera along with Prasanna Jayawardena, Milanka Peiris and two Fernando's, Dinusha and Laknath.

NCC is euipped with up and coming Kumara Sangakkara as captain while the services of leg breaker Malinga Bandara, Ishara Amarasinghe would play a big role. The SSC too is comprised of a formidable pace attack led by Nuwan Zoysa, Randi Dilhara Fernando and Suresh Perera with Upeka Fernando and Shantha Kalavitagoda in the batting line-up.

Many a leading clubs are waiting to grab the services of Under 19 cricketers who are expected to arrive back in the country on 12th of September after their successful tour of England.

The tournament is the biggest of its kind ever with 20 teams in Division I and 32 teams each in Division II and III being invited to play in the tournament. The 20 teams in Division I will contest in four groups of five, while there will be four groups of eight in Division II and III.

The teams will be seeded into groups by the Tournament Committee of the BCCSL, based on their performances in the previous years' tournament and/or on a draw. Preliminary round matches shall be of two-day duration and the semi-finals and finals will be three-day matches.

Matches in the preliminary-round shall be played on a league basis with each team in a group playing against all other teams in the same group once while the final round will be on Knockout basis.

CricInfo will have a comprehensive coverage of the U-23 Youth Tournament's Division I segment with end of the match reports and full scorecards throught the tournament.

Under 23 Youth Tournament Division 1, 2000-01

02-03 Sep Singhalesee Sport Club v Galle Cricket Club Singhalese Sport Club Ground 02-03 Sep Sebastanites Cricket & Athletic Club v Police Sport Club De Soysa Stadium 02-03 Sep Nondiscripet Cricket Club v Berger Recreation Club Nondiscripet Cricket Club Ground 02-03 Sep Tamil Union Cricket & Athletic Club vs Antonians Sport Club P Sara Stadium 02-03 Sep Matara Sport Club vs Panadura Sport Club Uyanwatta Stadium 02-03 Sep Bloomfield Cricket & Athletic Club vs Kurunegala Young Cricket Club Bloomfield Cricket & Athletic Club Ground 02-03 Sep Colombo Colts Cricket Club vs Colombo Cricket Club Colombo Colts Cricket Club Ground 02-03 Sep Moors Sport Club vs Singha Sport Club Moors Sport Club Ground