LAST MINUTE DECISION TO CHANGE AGE LIMIT UNFAIR – THOMIAN COACH
Following a last minute decision to change the age limit for schools 1st XI cricket tournaments S. Thomas’ College coach Dinesh Kumarasinghe was critical of the officials of Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association (SLSCA), saying certain individuals have taken positions at the association solely to push their personal agendas.
“It’s a sad state of affairs as most of them don’t have any previous experience or have played cricket even with a rubber ball and the ultimate result is that the standard of cricket, which has a strong following, is deteriorating” said a concerned Kumarasinghe.
SLSCA officials, in early March, sent letters to all principals around the island informing them that the present school U19 tournament was going to be changed to U20 but has now made a U-turn putting some of the schoolboy cricketers in a tricky situation.
Consequent to the letter sent by the SLSCA officials in March some of the boys had taken the decision of not sitting for GCE ‘A’ level examination and they had not signed for it having postponed to sit for the examination next year.
The letter sent in March had stated that the cutoff date will be changed from the present September 1 to January 1, but another letter sent on July 25 it stated If the other sports like rugby, boxing and athletics are conducted in the U20 age groups why can’t they do this to cricket there won’t be any change.the cutoff date in both the U15 and U17 tournaments is January so why not do this to the senior category too?
Dinesh said that the present September 1 date has a hiccup and that if two boys in the same class are born on August 31 and September 1 the former would not be able to play for his school team.
Dinesh speaking of the present structure under which the SLSCA is conducting the U19 cricket tournament does not suit the requirements and the best option is an U20 tournament.
“Two years back the school cricket season comprised of 16 matches which includes the traditional and tournament games,” Dinesh said, adding,“the present structure is now too strenuous for the boys.the school cricket season starts in September and in all, with the league, traditional matches, limited over and T20 tournaments the number of matches the boys have to play amounts to 37 matches.”
“There is no logic in this and it affects their studies and added to that once the U19 tournament is finished some of the boys have also to play in the U17 cricket tournaments so just think of how the boy is going to cope with this burden,” Dinesh queried.
“If the other sports like rugby, boxing and athletics are conducted in the U20 age groups why can’t they do this to cricket? Even in England the junior cricket tournament is conducted at U20 level,” he said.
“Just see the improvement of the Afghanistan side at junior level and how they performed in the recently concluded U19 World Cup, the reason for that is they have a good plan and structure.”
He also lambasted the SLSCA saying, “it is disheartening to see some of the responsible officials holding important posts are from schools that are playing in the division three category so how could we expect any development of school cricket in the island? It’s pathetic.”