Red Bull Campus Cricket set to open Sri Lankan innings

Monday, 17 February 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Cricketers from 10 local universities and private higher educational institutes will begin battling for a prized berth at the third Red Bull Campus Cricket 2014 World Finals – which will feature teams from every prominent cricketing nation, when local qualifiers take centre-stage in Colombo from 14-27February. The qualifying matches will see the participation of players from the American National College, Business Management School, General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, Informatics Institute of Technology, Royal Institute of Colombo, South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine, International College of Business and Technology, Asia Pacific Institute of Information technology and National Institute of Business Management. Last year’s Red Bull Campus Cricket World Finals, which were held in Colombo, saw India’s D.A.V College from Chandigarh march to victory after thwarting opposition from Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India, the UK, Australia and Bangladesh. Sri Lanka was represented by the University of Moratuwa after they beat the University of Sri Jayawardenapura in the finals of the local qualifiers.

However, the latest incarnation of the World Finals will be even bigger than its predecessor, with the inclusion of teams from international heavyweights South Africa and the West Indies.

chedule – Red Bull Campus Cricket:
12th February – 1st round – Malay ground, 8:30am
14th February – 1st round – Malay ground, 8:30am
25th February – Quarter Finals – Malay ground, 8:30am
26th February – Semi Finals – Malay ground, 8:30am
27th February – Finals (Championship game) – SSC Ground, 2:00pm

Sri Lanka’s former swashbuckling opening batsman and wicketkeeper Romesh Kaluwitharana said that this effectively hands heightened exposure to talented, emerging cricketers from countries like Sri Lanka by placing them on a larger global cricket platform. “Over the last two years Red Bull Campus Cricket has been a premier competition for young talented cricketers looking to demonstrate their skills to a global audience. With South Africa and the West Indies coming in this year, this audience has grown and as a result players will be able to create larger international interest.” This will also mark the first occasion on which the Red Bull Campus Cricket World Finals will be played in the United Kingdom, with action concluding at the prestigious KIA Oval in London, an international Test venue which has accommodated top rung international cricket since 1882. All action will be played out in line with the accepted Twenty20 format of first class and international cricket; providing scouts, who will be present at the grounds, with a credible view of the talent on display. The atmosphere at the Red Bull Campus Cricket World Finals also promises to be as pulsating as any major world cricketing spectacle as university students and fans from across the United Kingdom will be invited to attend and vociferously cheer on the two finalists. For more information visit www.redbullcampuscricket.com.