Premier Trophy to go professional

By S.R.Pathiravithana

The 2006/07 new look Premier league tournament will get underway on Wednesday with the advent of the Tier A Limited overs tournament at six venues.

Though there will be fourteen teams taking part in Tier A this year, only the top four from each group will be assured of berths in the final line up for next year. The two bottom halves of the two groups will be joined by the winners and the runners up of tier ‘B’ who hence will play another qualifying round and the winners of that will fill in the two final slots in tier ‘A’ from next season onwards.

In Tier ‘A’ the seven teams are Bloomfield C and AC, BRC, CCC, Tamil Union, Sebastianites, Panadura Sports Club and Ramaga Cricket Club. Tier ‘A’ Group ‘B’ comprises NCC, SSC, Chilaw Marians, Colts, Moors, Badureliya SC and Saracens Sports Club.

In the Tier “B’ the teams which are vying for top slots are Army, Air Force, Police, Galle CC, Lankan CC, Kurunegala CC , and Sinha SC.

According to the vice president of the SLC Interim Committee K. Mathivanan this system is to be gazetted and entered into the Sports Law so that it will remain intact for the future. Besides this, from this season every cricketer who will take part in the Premier trophy will be assured of a fee and make it a professional tournament in time to come.

All limited overs matches will be played during week days while the Premier league three/four day tournament will begin on 10, 11 and 12 November on the same basis.

The opening matches are :-- ( Nov 1) Sebastianites vs Bloomfield C and AC, at Reid Avenue, Ragama CC vs BRC at BRC grounds, Panadura SC vs CCC at Panadura, NCC vs Moors at NCC, SSC vs Badureliya SC at SSC, Saracens SC vs Chilaw Marians at Colombo University grounds.

The first week’s three/four day tournament (10, 11, 12 November). SSC vs Panadura SC at Maitland Place, Chilaw Marians vs Badureliya CC to be confirmed, Saracens vs BRC at BRC grounds,Sebastanites vs Tamil Union at the P. Sara Stadium, Bloomfield vs Ragama CC at Reid Avenue, CCC vs Colts at Colts grounds