Grand fare for MCA ‘Centenary Year’ celebrations

The MCA ‘Centenary Year’ 2011 celebrations will culminate with the Invitational T+20 Super Tournament, scheduled to be held from 21 through 25 September (both days inclusive)

The tournament is jointly sponsored by Elephant KiK – Cola, Singer Sri Lanka PLC & Samsung. It is Co-sponsored by D. Samson & Sons (Pvt) Ltd./Avi Cricket.

The eight invited teams will play in two groups, as follows:

Group “A”: Sampath Bank (2011 Premier League Winner), Unichela (2011 Premier League K-O Runners-up), Combined Defence Services XI & Sri Lanka Cricket Development Squad U-20 XI.

Group “B”: Seylan Bank (2011 Premier League Knock-out winner), HNB (Pemier League 3rd placed & Premier League KO losing Semi-finalist) Edirisinghe Trust Investments (2011 Division “B” winner) & Sri Lanka Cricket Development Squad U-19 XI.

The tournament will be played with all the paraphernalia used for an ICC T+20 International, i.e.: Rules, White Ball, Players & Umpires attired in coloured clothing, black sight-screens, coloured stumps, etc.

The 12 league stage matches and four K-O stage matches will be worked off, as follows.

Day 01: Wednesday, 21 September

Thurstan/Morning: Sampath Vs. SLC U-20

Thurstan/Afternoon: Unichela Vs. Defence Services

Bloomfield /Morning: Seylan Vs. SLC U-19

Bloomfield/Afternoon: HNB Vs. ETI

Day 02: Thursday, 22 September

Bloomfield/Morning: Unichela Vs. Sampath

Bloomfield/Afternoon: Defence Services Vs. SLC U-20

Thurstan/Morning: Seylan Vs. HNB

Thurstan/Afternoon: SLC U-19 Vs. ETI

Day 03: Friday, 23 September

Colts/Morning: Sampath Vs. Defence Services

Colts/Afternoon: SLC U-20 Vs. Unichela

Bloomfield/Morning: Seylan Vs. ETI

Bloomfield/Afternoon: SLC U-19 Vs. HNB

At the completion of the round-robin matches, the first two teams of each group will advance to the crisscross Semi-Finals.

Day 04: Saturday, 24 September

Colts/Morning: 1st Semi-final, A/1 Vs. B2

Colts /Afternoon: 2nd Semi-final, B/1 Vs. A/2

Day 05: Sunday, 25 September

Colts/Morning: Play-off for the 3rd place

Colts/Afternoon: Final

All morning matches on all days will commence at 10 a.m. and the afternoon matches at 2 p.m.

The entire tournament (16 matches including the two finals) will be supervised by a MCA appointed Match Referee. The four handpicked Match Referees are: Nalliah Devarajan, K.H. Nandasena, Mahesh Jayasekera and Upali Warnapura.

The officiating umpires will be from the Association of Professional Cricket Umpires – Sri Lanka.



Awards on offer

The winner will receive the MCA Centenary Trophy and a cash award of Rs. 300,000; The Runners-up will receive a trophy and a Cash award of Rs. 200,000; The 3rd Placed team will receive a trophy and a cash award of Rs. 100,000; The only Special Award on offer is for the Man-of-the-final (a trophy and a cash award of Rs. 40,000)

The Official Sponsorship Presentation ceremony, coinciding with the Official Draw and Media Conference was held on Thursday, 15 September 2011, at the MCA Lawn, 6.30 p.m.

Seated at the Head Table were: H.K. Chang, Vice President/Country Head, Samsung India (Pvt) Ltd. (Sri Lanka Branch); Nasser Majeed, Maketing Director, Singer Sri Lanka PLC; Chandima Perera, Vice President/ Head of Beverage, CCS Elephant House; Ravi Jayasekera, Director/ General Manager, Information & Technology, D.Samson & Sons (Pvt) Ltd.; Mahesh Wijewardene, President; Ashley Ratnayake, Senior Vice President and Chairman of the Sponsorship Committee; and Wasanthalal Fernando, Chairman, Tournament Committee (all from MCA).



The participating teams

SAMPATH BANK: Kaushal Silva( Captain) , Thilina Kandambi, Jeewan Mendis, Rangana Herath, Hasantha Fernando, Dilhara Lokuhettige, Charith Sylvester, Charitha Buddhika, Suwanji Madanayake, Malinga Surappulige, Sameen Kandanaarachchi, Chamara De Zoysa, Nuwan Perera, L.D.S.A. Perera, Shantha Kalavitigoda, Tasitha Chamara (official), Primosh Perera (Official)

SEYLAN BANK: Chanaka Wijesinghe (Captain), Thilan Samaraweera, Tharanga Paranawithana, Nuwan Shiroman, Ian Daniel, Gayan Sirisoma, Nuwan Kulasekara, Kanchana Gunawardene, Lasith Fernando, Sahan Wijerathne, Dhammika Perera, Damith Indika, Chamil Sumathipala, Asela Umayangana, Tharaka Kottehewa, Harsha Withana (Official), Thushara Ekanayake (Official)

UNI-CHELA (PVT) LTD: Malin Silva (Captain), Malinga Bandara, Nadeera Nawala, Chamara Silva, Kushal Janith, Dunel Abeydeera, Chathura Peiris, Madura Lakmal, Sohan Boralassa, Malinda Warnapura, Gayan Wijekoon, Prasanna Jayawardena, Ishara Amarasinghe, Lassana Perera, Farveez Maharoof, Ajith Siyambalapitiya (Official), Lahiru Silva (Official)

HNB: Chinthaka Jayasinghe (Captain), Saman Jayantha, Sajeewa Weerakoon, Nimesh Perera, Damitha Hunukumbura, Sajeewa Silva, Ranil Dhammika, Duncan Arnolda, Hemantha Boteju, Kosala Kulasekara, Heshan Gunathilake, Madawa Warnapura, Dinuk Jayasinghe, Ashen Fernando, Suranga Pinto, Lasantha Fernando (official), Anush Perera (Official)

EDIRISINGHE TRUST INVESTMENTS (ETI): Dinesh de Silva (Captain), Udara Jayasundara, Gayan de Silva, Demintha Dahanayake, D.K. Ranaweera, Damith Mapa, Eranga Gangoda, Roshan Laksiri, Charitha Jayanpathi, Amal Athulathmudali, Gihan Dilruk, Ishan Rathnayake, Charith Bandara, Indika de Seram, Sachith Pathirana, P.N. Pathirana (Official)

COMBINED DEFENCE SERVICES XI: Ajantha. Mendis (Captain), S. Prasanna, L.P.N.K. Liyanapathirana, D.K.R.C. Jayathissa, M.T.M. Feshal, H.H. Rishan Kavinga, T.R. Rasanga, D.M.D.K. Mendis, S. Chamika, L.A.D.C. Ruwansiri, P.N.A. P.N.A. Karunaratne, B.M.R.M.B. Rathnayake, W.K.A. Eranga, N.J.R. Peiris, A.B. Emmanuwel, Sanjaya Dissanayake (Coach), Lt. Col. Shiran Abeysekera (Official)  

SRI LANKA CRICKET DEVELOPMENT SQUAD U- 20 XI: Ramitha Rambukwella (Captain), Shean Jayasuriya, Kaushalya Gajasinghe , Dhananjaya de Silva, Hiran Wickramasinghe , Oshadha Fernando , Deshan Dias (w/k), Nuwan Kavinda , Lahiru Jayarathne ,Ruvinda Shamen, Maduka Liyanapathirana, Danushka Premasinghe, Matheesha Perera, Chathuranga Kumara, Roshan Danushka, J.C Gamage (Coach), Niroshan Bandarathilake (Manager)

SRI LANKA CRICKET DEVELOPMENT SQUAD U-19 XI: Akila Jayasundara (Captain), Gihan Nimsara, Geshan Wimaladherma, Imraz Rafi, Nimna Karunaratne, Manoj Sarathchandra, Umesh Mayurakantha, Pasindu Madushanka, Ishan Rangana, Uddaka Nirmana, Lakshan De Silva, Sanka Ramesh, Shehan Anuruddika, Akila Dananjaya, Supun Madushanka, Roger Wijesuriya ( Coach ), Duminda Wickramasinghe (Manager)

If weather turns good, five days of explosive, spectator worthy cricket is on the cards, as a good crop of national players and top club players will be turning out for their firms with the national players free after the Australian tour of Sri Lanka and the club players having returned to the island after playing professional cricket overseas.