Mercantile cricket tournament set to resume

With the country inching towards normalcy after the viral outbreak, controlling bodies of sports are drawing plans to recommence their activities under strict medical advice.

The Mercantile Cricket Association (MCA) plans to resume its busy schedule of cricket in mid July with the continuation of the Mercantile ‘E’ division tournament which came to a halt on March 14.

The tournament got off to a start with a total of 24 teams playing in four groups comprising 75 matches. Before the Covid-19 upsurge hit the country, the top four divisions ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’ and ‘D’ divisions were completed and they are hoping to complete this year’s schedule starting from the ‘E’ division, according to the MCA media spokesman Tyronne Perera.

The ‘E’division came to a halt on March 14 after the completion of 42 matches. The honours of the tournament were headed by Sithira Fernando of Brandix Essentials who scored two centuries and UB Finance’s Mithun Jayawickrema and Nipuna Gamage who scored a century each.

The most outstanding bowling performance was by Geeth Sankalpa of MAS Trading with figures of 5-1-24-7. The highest team total was by Allianz Insurance (245/5) (25 overs) and the lowest was by Standard Chartered - 39 (15 overs).

The MCA is facing problems in staging the ‘F’ division as 30 teams confirmed their participation at the start but later 11 teams withdrew with 12 teams yet to confirm their participation. Only seven teams have confirmed their participation.

SQUASH

The squash federation is in discussions with their main sponsors, Ritzbury to restart their events. First the federation hopes to conduct a national level tournament in August as a dress rehearsal in preparation for the all important junior and senior nationals.

The federation is making arrangements to conduct the junior nationals in September-October while the national championship is to be held in December.

The Sri Lanka squash team were to take part in three international tournaments which were postponed indefinitely due to the epidemic. The federation is ready to conduct selection trials for the event once the world body confirms dates for the events to resume.

BEACH VOLLEYBALL

While cricket and squash are to commence shortly, the Sri Lanka Beach Volleyball Federation had gone a step further by nominating men’s and women’s squads for the Asian Beach Games to be held in China from November 28 to December 5.

Practices are already in progress at the National Youth Services Centre, Heiyanthuduwa.

Men’s squad: Y.H.S. Malintha Yapa, K.T.K. Indika Tyronne, P.K. Jayan Sanjaya and K.H. Roshan Samantha (all from SL Army), W.L. Sajeewa Chinthaka and Ashen Rashmika (Sri Lanka Air Force)

Head coach: Jude Mahesh Perera, Asst coach: Asanka Pradeep Kumara

Women’s squad: J.H. Dinesha Prasadini (SL Air Force), M.G. Deepika Bandara and Nirmani Sulochana Jayawardene (MAS Casualine), A. Kasuni Tharaka Lakshimi and W. Shehani Asanga (SL Navy), Madushani Weerasinghe (SL Army)

Pubudu Kumara Ekanayake (Head Coach), Thakshila Niranjali Gunasinghe (Asst Coach)