SLC to re-introduce Tier B in domestic cricket

• 12 teams to participate in first year

The membership of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) at an Emergency General Meeting (EGM) held last Friday gave the green light for the re-introduction of the Tier B tournament in domestic cricket.

Tier B was last played from January-April 2020 but was not completed due to the outbreak of Covid.

The tournament rules for the Major Club 3-day League was that at the end of the season the four teams that are relegated would play in the Governor’s Cup tournament which is a one-day affair. However SLC was of the view that the four relegated teams from the Major Club 3-day League playing in the Governor’s Cup tournament will not serve any purpose as they will not get strong opposition and that the matches are of one-day duration.

On that basis the ExCo decided to re-introduce the Tier B tournament for the relegated clubs and the resolution was passed at an EGM. The number of teams playing in the first year of Tier B will be 12 and the matches will be of 3-day duration but without any first-class status.

The participating teams will be the four sides relegated from last season’s Major Club 3-day – Kalutara TC, Lankan CC, Saracens SC and Navy SC who will be joined by eight other clubs from the Governor’s Cup - Malay CC, Leo CC, Old Dharmapalians SC, United Southern SC, Moratuwa SC, Kandy CC, Ambalangoda Rio, and Singha SC Ambalangoda.

A decision on the tournament dates, the composition of the tournament whether it will be played in one group or two groups and the number of teams that will be relegated to the Governor’s Cup will be taken up at the SLC Executive Committee meeting on 27 June. (ST)