SSC, Police SC virtually assured of spot in SLC Major Club 4-day final

• Crucial weekend for clubs facing relegation

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

The 2023 SLC Major Club 3-day tournament enters its final weekend of matches in the league stage today with SSC and Police SC poised to qualify and meet in the 4-day final on 7 December at the NCC grounds. It is also a crucial weekend for clubs at the bottom of the table trying to avoid relegation.

Both teams are topping their respective groups, SSC (Group A) and Police SC (Group B). A first innings points win in their final league matches would suffice for them to retain their top positions in the group. What is in favour of SSC is that their match against fourth placed BRC is being played on their home turf at the SSC grounds. What is not in favour is that four of their key players Dasun Shanaka, Kusal Mendis, Avishka Fernando and Charith Asalanka are not available this week as they are playing in the Abu Dhabi T10. Police SC are also at a slight disadvantage as their fixture against ninth placed Kurunegala YCC has been moved from their home turf Police Park to Hambantota due to the unavailability of their ground.

BRC suffered a two-wicket loss to Panadura SC last week despite gaining a handy first innings lead of 152. Kurunegala YCC had a free weekend. SSC and Police SC had to be content with first innings points last weekend, but it was enough for them to keep their opponents at bay.

SSC hold onto a useful 14-point lead over their nearest rivals Colts who have a tough task of displacing them as they front-up with third placed Ragama CC at Thurstan College grounds. NCC became the new challengers to Police SC from Group B following their four-wicket win over Air Force SC last weekend and Ace Capital CC’s 148-run loss to Tamil Union. NCC trail Police SC by seven points and need to get maximum points from Bloomfield at Bloomfield grounds if they are to have any chance of getting closer. At the same time they will need Police SC to lose to Kurunegala YCC.

The final weekend’s matches will also be the last opportunity for teams languishing at the bottom of the table to try to avoid relegation to Tier B at the end of the season. The bottom two teams from each group will be relegated as the Tournament Committee strives to reduce the number of teams playing in the Major Club 3-day league to 15 over a period of three years. Last year four teams were relegated and after this year a further four. At the end of next year a further three clubs will get relegated to bring the total number of clubs playing in the Major Club 3-day league down to 15.

However, the ultimate goal of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is to prune the clubs down to 10. For that to happen, the Tournament Committee would need to hold an EGM and get the approval from its membership.

“If we want to improve the quality of cricket in the club system and Sri Lanka cricket overall, we need to make it ten clubs competing in the Major Club 3-day league,” said Tournament Committee chairman, Samantha Dodanwela.

Currently, Air Force SC who have completed all their league games are certain of relegation as they occupy 10th position in Group B. Sebastianites who occupy the last position in this group will need to beat sixth placed Moors SC in their final match at Army grounds, Dombagoda to escape relegation.

Group A finds four teams fighting to avoid relegation. Bottom placed Galle CC takes on eighth placed Nugegoda SWC at the Galle Cricket Stadium, ninth placed Army SC meets Negombo CC at FTZ grounds, Katunayake, and ninth placed Panadura SC confronts CCC at Panadura. The fate of these clubs would be decided by the weekend.

Other matches starting today are Tamil Union v Badureliya SC at P Sara Oval and Ace Capital CC v Chilaw Marians CC at Pallekele.