Bad weather forces TC to hold quarter-final round for first time

SLC Major Club T20 tournament

Wednesday, 11 June 2025 00:52 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Matches to commence at 2 p.m. instead of morning
Two quarter-final matches today

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

The Tournament Committee under Chairman Nalin Aponso has decided for the first time to have a quarter-final round in the SLC Major Club T20 tournament in order to get more cricket due to several matches being washed out in the group stage due to the recent bad weather.

They have also taken a decision to commence all four quarter-final matches in the afternoon from 2 p.m. The group stage was worked out in two categories of 3 matches commencing in the morning at 9.45 and the second set of 3 matches in the afternoon from 2 p.m.

However, the tournament committee is of the view the early start is disadvantageous to the side batting first with overnight rain and the drying wickets not bringing out the best cricket from the teams. Thus, instead of the quarter finals being played on one single day it will be played over two days.

“We played the tournament up to the group stage with matches starting at 9.45 a.m. Normally, a T20 game is not played in the morning because of the wickets having moisture and being slow. The tournament committee discussed this with the national team Head Coach Sanath Jayasuriya and with the Sri Lanka Cricket President Shammi Silva who said that it would be better if the quarter-final matches began at 2 p.m.,” said Aponso.

“If we play in the morning there could be a slight disadvantage to the team losing the toss. To reduce this drawback only we have taken this decision to commence the quarter-final matches at 2 p.m. In the past, there were no quarter-finals, for after the group stage we straight away went into the semi-finals. We brought in a quarter-final to get more cricket in. We played this tournament with an eye on the weather and kept on postponing matches to get as much cricket as possible. Actually, the period we are playing these matches is not suitable because it rains.”

The first two quarter-final matches will take place today between NCC and Tamil Union at the CCC grounds and BRC and CCC at the P Sara Oval. Tomorrow, the third and fourth quarter finals will be played between Moors SC and Bloomfield at the P Sara Oval and Colts and Panadura SC at the NCC grounds.

The semi-finals on 13 June and the final on 15 June will take place under lights at the CCC grounds.

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