Bharthi Airtel joins hands with MCA
The Mercantile Cricket Association’s Super T20 tournaments 2014 sponsorship by Bharthi Airtel Lanka was disclosed at a Press Conference held at the MCA Pavilion on Thursday evening.
Addressing the conference Ashley Ratnayake, President of the Mercantile Cricket Association thanked the media personnel and the others for their presence amidst bad weather. Making a special word of thanks to the Management of Bharthi Airtel Lanka he said that this tournament will be held in two segments enabling lesser known cricketers to show their capabilities which would help them to be in the spotlight when selecting national pools for future T20 international tournaments as the national selectors will be focusing their attention on this tournament.
MCA is keen to help young cricketers to find employment in their member establishments – a practice in which they have been involved for a very long time. Ratnayake requested the cricketers to pay special attention where discipline is concerned and play the game in the highest traditions for the success of the tournament.
Ratnayake requested the media to give maximum publicity to this event. He also mentioned the annual awarding of a scholarship to the Darrel Lehmann Academy and said that he was happy to state that their last nominee Chaturanga de Silva is member of the present national team. Ratnayake also thanked his office-bearers and members of the Bharthi Airtel staff for working tirelessly to launching this event.
Suren Goonewardene, CEO/MD. Of Bharthi Airtel Lanka in his speech thanked the Mercantile Cricket Association for giving this opportunity to sponsor this Super T20 tournament. He recalled the days when he was a cricketer and the connections he had with the MCA made his task easy to sponsor this tournament.
Basil Perera, Chief Match Referee and Adjudicator and Lyndon Hanibel from the Professional Umpires Association addressed the participating team captains on important points in the rules of the tournament.
The draw for the Tier A Quarter Final fixtures as follows:
First Quarter Final – HNB vs NTB
Second Quarter Final – Mobitel vs MAS Active Trading
Third Quarter Final _ Texas Jersey vs. Unichela
Fourth Quarter Final_ Com. Credit vs Sampath Bank
The Quarter Final games will be played at the MCA and Bloomfield Grounds on May 2.
The Semi Finals will be on May 3 with the Finals scheduled to be played at the MCA on May 4.