Premier second division to go concurrently with main tournament
In one of the most progressive steps towards enriching the local Premier League tournament and help Lankan cricket tournaments bridge the gap between it and international cricket, the Lankan hierarchy is going to play the Premier League second division concurrently with the division one tournament.
This means there will be the second sides of all teams playing in the Premier league tournament would engage in a separate tournament, akin to the practice that prevailed sometime ago.
A very senior spokesman of Sri Lanka Cricket Interim Committee told the Sunday Times “When we were playing national and club cricket, we had this same practice where we had the division two and the division three sides being very active. I remember this helped to preserve the quality of the top grade tournament, as well as have a very strong bench who are also active during the same period. At the same time any cricketer who goes through slump in his form during the season could go down play while rectifying his prob- lem and at the same if there is a bench cricketer who is performing well also could break into the first division side mid-season.
“Upto now most of the top division sides have consented to toe the line and are already preparing themselves for the task. The only aspect that we have to look at is the cost. But, it is imperative that we should begin at some point”.
The Premier League tournament would begin in December.
The spokesman also said that initially the tournament would be played for the duration of two days and once it is on the road and seek the possibilities of making that also a threeday tournament.
Meanwhile after an inquiry into the Pallekele Test defeat and how a request by the selectors to produce a lively wicket turned into a damp squib, it has been decided that all such requests would be written and not verbal. “There were some miscommunications about the preparation for the third Test match and now we have decided that chief selector would discuss matters with SLC’s Head of Cricket Operations and he in turn would communicate with the respective curators.