Sri Lanka - 11 teams for Kurunegala SC six-a-side tournament (6 Sep 1997)

Saturday 06, September 1997

11 teams for Kurunegala SC six-a-side tournament

by SA'ADI THAWFEEQ

A six-a-side cricket tournament started by Kurunegala Sports Club two years ago for its very existence, has now turned out to be one of the most popular of its kind listed in the domestic cricket calendar.

The third successive tournament of its kind, conducted by the Kurunegala SC takes place at the Welagedera Stadium tomorrow with cricketers from 11 division one clubs, some of them who have donned the Sri Lanka cap, in action.

NCC, who emerged champions last year and Bloomfield, the runner-up are seeded one and two to take the Coca Cola trophy for which nine other clubs are also competing.

The draw for the Kurunegala Sixes is: NCC (bye) v. winner of Matara SC v Kurunegala SC, Colts (bye) v winner of Kurunegala YCC v BRC, Tamil Union (bye) v winner of Police SC v SSC, CCC v Bloomfield.

The criteria for selection of the teams were the first eight teams in the division one Segment `A', the champion team of Segment `B', CCC and Kurunegala SC as the host club.

CCC's inclusion may surprise many. But an organising committee spokesman said although CCC were debarred from taking part in the 1996-97 Sara trophy tournament, the Sixes organising committee took into consideration that they were the 1995-96 Sara Trophy champs and that they had participated in the two previous Sixes tournaments.

The sixes, the brainchild of the Kurunegala SC president Irwin Jayawardena, who is also a member of the Sri Lanka Cricket Board Ex-Co, began on a wet note in 1995 with rain ruining the sole intention of holding a competition of this nature - to multiply virtually empty coffers.

Last year, the `Sixes' turned out to be so successful that the club made a profit of Rs. 125,000 with a capacity 15,000 crowd in attendance.

In keeping with their short term objective to develop cricket in the province, part of the proceeds were distributed to the schools and clubs by way of cricket materials and cash.

"Our long term objective is to play an active role in developing Welagedera Stadium. The stadium has one of the best cricket grounds in the island, except that the available infrastructure facility is not up to international standard,'' said S.T. Jayanaga, a senior vice-president of the Kurunegala SC at a press conference held in connection with the tournament at the BRC pavilion on Thursday.

Jayanaga was deputising for Jayawardena, who has been medically advised to rest following a brief illness.

"In keeping with the development of the city, where new hotels and a supermarket have been constructed, and modern telephone lines laid, our aim is to develop the stadium at the same time,'' said Jayanaga.

The Welagedera Stadium is one of six cricket grounds of excellence earmarked by the Sri Lanka Cricket Board for development into international venues.

The popularity of the Kurunegala Sixes tournament could be guaged by the fact that the club has found sponsorship worth Rs. 300,000 in addition to the grant of Rs. 50,000 offered by the main sponsor of the event, Commercial Bank and, Rs. 25,000 from co-sponsor Janaka Bogollagama and Company.

Four of Sri Lanka's top international umpires, K.T. Francis, B.C. Cooray, Peter Manuel and T.M. Samarasinghe will be officiating the matches. A musical fiesta at the open air theatre adjoining the stadium will conclude the day's events.

One of the salient features of the press convocation was the presence of the present Sri Lanka Cricket Board president Upali Dharmadasa and former president Ana Punchihewa. Commercial Bank Human Resources manager Nimal Lakshman, marketing manager Richard Rodrigo, Kurunegala SC secretary Bede Perera and Cricket Board vice-president Jayantha Paranathala were also present.

Source :: Daily News (https://www.lanka.net)