MCA Premier League to commence today

It will be a battle between experience and youth at the 26th Singer –MCA Premier League 2019, which is due to kick off today.

The experience of Sri Lanka players in the caliber of T.M. Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Lasith Malinga and Kaushal Silva will be up against the young guns, such as Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Nisala Tharaka, Sahan Wijeratne, Maduranga Soysa, Lakshan Rodrigo and Buddhika Sanjeewa.

After an extensive discussion, the MCA Tournament Committee had managed to get a window from Sri Lanka Cricket to conduct its “league”, the “knock-out” & the “T+20” during the months of September and October. The SLC will not hold any of their tournaments during this period, thus making room for all the Premier Club Players to play for their firms without any hindrance.

Sri Lanka Cricket, whilst extending their blessings to the MCA, has gone the extra mile by donating 240 white balls (Grays of Cambridge Pakistan “Cavalier”) towards the “league” stage matches, thus giving the participating teams a considerable relief.

The league stage, consisting 45 matches will get underway today and will conclude on October 7.

At the conclusion, the top team in the table of points will be the “League” Winner.

The “Knock-out” that will follow with the same teams, consisting of nine matches that will take place between October 10 – 20 (Final).

Finally, the T+20 knock-outs, consisting of nine matches that will take place between October 23 – 28 (Final).

The following teams will participate, including MAS Intimates Silueta who will be making their debut in the big league. Unfortunately, the notable absentee after 25 years is HNB.

1. MAS Intimates Unichela (2018 League

& T+20 Winner) led by T.M. Dilshan 2.Tee-jay Lanka (formally Textured Jersey) (Knock out Runners-up & T+20 Winner) led by Lasith Malinga 3.Commercial Credit & Finance PLC,

led by Upul Tharanga 4.Sampath Bank, led by Kaushal Silva 5.John Keells Group, led by Bhanuka

Rajapaksa

6.DIMO, led by Nisala Tharaka 7.Kanrich Finance, led by Sahan

Wijerathne

8.Hayleys Group, led by Maduranga

Soysa

9.LB Finance, led by Lakshan Rodrigo

After an extensive discussion, the MCA Tournament Committee had managed to get a window from Sri Lanka Cricket to conduct its “league”, the “knock-out” & the “T+20” during the months of September and October. The SLC will not hold any of their tournaments during this period, thus making room for all the Premier Club Players to play for their firms without any hindrance

10.MAS Intimates Silueta (“B” Division Runners-up 2018), led by Buddhika Sanjeewa

Special Awards:

Best Batsman, Best Bowler, Man of the Series and the Emerging Player for the “league” segment.

Man of the Match for the “Knock-out” segment.

Best Batsman, Best Bowler, Man of the Final for the T+20 segment.

The League player of the Series will receive the traditional Singer 32 inch LED Colour TV (since 2000).

The Player Control Team (PCT)

All three will be supervised by the MCA top panel of Match Referees headed by Chief Match Referee, Basil Perera. The Umpires will be assigned by the Association of Professional Cricket Umpires of Sri Lanka (PCU). The scorers will be assigned by Sri Lanka Scorers Association who will be in charge of the D&L Method.

The “Emerging Player”, who will be picked by the Match Referees recommendations after each league game, will receive the MCA two weeks, all inclusive scholarship to a reputed overseas Cricket Academy.

The player selected for overseas training will be subjected to being qualified to the criteria specified by the MCA.

The three previous winners of this innovative award were – Dimuth Karunaratne (2013) from John Keells, Chathuranga de Silva (2014) from Commercial Credit & Finance and Lahiru Milantha (2015) from John Keells.