Textured Jersey, DIMO to make Singer-MCA Premier League debut

Textured Jersey and DIMO will be making their debuts in the MCA’s big league when the 24th Singer-MCA Premier League 2017 gets underway this weekend.

Textured Jersey earned their promotion after winning the ‘B’ Division last season. They are led by Sri Lanka fast bowler Dhammika Prasad. Textured Jersey will play their first game on 10 September against Sampath Bank at Surrey Village. 

DIMO was promoted after they emerged as the ‘B’ Division runners-up last season. They are led by young Matheesha Perera. DIMO too will play on the opening day against defending champions MAS Active Trading at the FTZ Grounds in Katunayake. 

On Sunday, MAS Unichela will take on HNB at the P. Sara Oval and Commercial Credit & Finance will meet John Keells at the Moratuwa Stadium.

The league stage, which consists of 28 matches, will end on 1 October 2016.

The teams 

MAS Active Trading ‘A’ (2016 winners of the league and knockout competitions) are led by 35-year-old national player Jehan Mubarak.

Commercial Credit & Finance ‘A’ (2016 knockout runners-up) are led by 32-year-old national player W. Upul Tharanga. 

MAS Intimate Unichela ‘A’ (2016 T20 winners) are led by 37-year-old national player Chamara Silva.

Sampath Bank (2016 T20 runners-up) are led by 33-year-old national player Jeevan Mendis. 

HNB ‘A’ are led by 28-year-old Sri Lanka ‘A’ player Madawa Warnapura. 

John Keells Group ‘A’ are led by 25-year-old Sri Lanka ‘A’ player Bhanuka Rajapaksa.

Textured Jersey (playing for the first time, 2016 ‘B’ Division winner) are led by 33-year-old national player Dhammika Prasad. 

DIMO (playing for the first time, the 2016 ‘B’ Division runners-up) are led by 25-year-old club player Matheesha Perera.

The league stage will feature eight teams playing in a single group on a round robin basis consisting of 28 matches played from 10 September-1 October 2016

Upon the completion of the round robin stage, the group leader will be the league winner.

The knockout stage will see eight teams slotted into the draw according to their placing in the league points table. The tournament, consisting of seven matches including the finals, will be held on 8 October (quarterfinals). The semi-finals will be held on 15 and 16 October while the finals will be played on 23 October.

A new draw will be held for the T20 tournament, which will be conducted in a knockout format consisting of seven matches scheduled for 26 October (quarterfinals), 28 October (semi-finals) and 30 October (finals). 

Special awards

Best Batsman, Best Bowler, Man of the Tournament (awarded a Singer TV) and Emerging Player (awarded a two-week coaching scholarship at the Darren Lehmann Cricket Academy, South Australia) all based on performances in the league stage. Man of the Match in the knockout final and Best Batsman, Best Bowler and Man of the Final for the T20.

All three segments will be supervised by an MCA-appointed match referee.

The match referee panel: Basil Perera (Chairman), Upali Warnapura, Mahesh Jayasekera, Nalliah Devarajan, K.H. Nandasena, Pemlal Fernando, Chandana Mahesh and T.H. Wijewardena. 

Past winners 

The league (23 tournaments): 1994 – ACW Insurance; 1995 – Sampath Bank and Nawaloka Group joint winners; 1996 – HNB; 1997 – Seylan Bank; 1998 - HNB; 1999 – HNB; 2000 – HNB; 2001 - Seylan Bank; 2002 – HNB; 2003 - Seylan Bank; 2004 – East West Marketing; 2005 – East West Marketing; 2006 - HNB; 2007 - Sampath Bank; 2008 - Sampath Bank; 2009 - East West Marketing; 2010 - Sampath Bank; 2011 – Sampath Bank; 2012 – MAS Active Trading; 2013 - MAS Active Trading; 2014 – MAS Unichela; 2015 – MAS Unichela; 2016 – MAS Active Trading.

The knockout (16 tournaments): 2001 - HNB; 2002 - HNB; 2003 - HNB; 2004 - Sampath Bank; 2005 - HNB; 2006 - HNB and Sampath Joint Winners; 2007 – Sampath Bank; 2008 - Ceylinco SC; 2009 - Sampath Bank; 2010 - Janashakthi Insurance; 2011 – Seylan Bank; 2012 – MAS Unichela; 2013 – MAS Active Trading; 2014 – MAS Unichela; 2015 - MAS Active Trading; 2016 – MAS Active Trading. 

The T20 competition (five tournaments): 2004 - HNB; 2010 – Sampath Bank; 2013 – Sampath Bank; 2014 – MAS Unichela; 2016 - MAS Unichela. 

The official sponsorship handing over ceremony together with the media conference took place on Wednesday 7 August, at the MCA’s fine dining restaurant ‘The Pitch’, at 6.30 p.m. 

The sponsorship package was handed over by Singer Sri Lanka Plc Marketing Director Kumar Samarasinghe to Mercantile Cricket Association President Niran Mahawatte. 

Others present at the occasion were Asantha Karunartne – Senior Manager Merchandise, Singer Sri Lanka Plc, K.D.S. Kanishka – Senior Manager Promotions Singer Sri Lanka Plc, Nalin Wickremasinghe – General Secretary, Mercantile Cricket Association and Sujeewa De Silva - Chairman Tournament Committee, Mercantile Cricket Association.