Sri Lanka: Leicester here for triangular next year (16 October 1998)

16 October 1998

Sri Lanka: Leicester here for triangular next year

by Sa'adi Thawfeeq

Sri Lanka will be involved in a one-day triangular tournament with English county champions Leicestershire before they leave for England to defend the World Cup next year.

Leicestershire have confirmed their tour to Sri Lanka which will be from around March 29 to April 15. During this period they will participate in a one-day triangular tournament with the Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka 'A' sides.

The tournament of fifty overs each, will comprise seven matches including the final and will serve as a prelude to the Sri Lanka team which will leave for England shortly afterwards for the World Cup.

Sri Lanka will pick a squad of 15 players for the tournament. Due to the 1999 World Cup having more matches upto the final (10 than the previous eight), each of the 12 countries are allowed to nominate 15 players. The standard squad for one-day tournaments is 14 players.

Leicestershire were one of the counties Sri Lanka beat during their recently concluded tour of England. The county has players in the calibre of England left-arm fast bowler Alan Mullaly, and all-rounder Chris Lewis, who led them to the county championships this year, and batsman Darren Maddy, who had a successful tour of Sri Lanka with the England 'A' side last year.

Sri Lanka will also play in the Asia Cup tournament in Bangladesh prior to the World Cup.

At the recently concluded Asian Cricket Council meeting held in Nepal, it was decided to bring forward the Asia Cup tournament from November 1999 to March. It was also decided to give Bangladesh the opportunity to host it as they are the ACC associate champions and qualify as the fourth team in the Asia Cup with holders Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan.

The proposed inaugural Asian Test cricket championships scheduled for February/March will depend on whether arch rivals India and Pakistan resume Test ties. A five-Test series between the two countries is scheduled during this period of time. The ACC are expected to make a final decision on this matter by December 15.

The ACC at the special general meeting in Nepal, unanimously approved to change its constitution and bring it in line with the International Cricket Council (ICC).

ACC president Thilanga Sumathipala said that a Sri Lankan law firm will be given the task of finalising the documents before December 31.

The new constitution, according to Sumathipala will come into effect from June 1999, at the next annual general meeting of the ACC in London.

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