Tournament Committee reschedules competition dates ahead of Asia Cup

 SSC the reigning Major inter-club T20 champions 

• LPL-3 starts on 28 July; Major inter-club T20 on 22 May

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

As the Asia Cup is due to be held in Sri Lanka from 27 August to 11 September, the Tournament Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket has decided to bring forward the third edition of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) to 28 July from its originally scheduled date of August.

Also brought forward is the Major inter-club T20 tournament by a week to 22 May in order to leave SLC with enough time to submit names of players for the LPL-3 Player Draft.

“We gave the Mercantile Cricket Association (MCA) the window from 26 April till 12 June to conduct their ‘A’ division 50-over and T20 tournaments. The MCA was supposed to commence their MCA T20 tournament soon after the fifty-overs on 22 May. 

“But I have informed them that I need the period given to them for their T20 tournament to start the Major inter-club T20 and have somewhat swapped the window,” said Tournament Committee Chairman Samantha Dodanwela.

Thus, the Major inter-club T20 will take place from 22 May till 3 June and the MCA will conduct their T20 tournament from 5-12 June.

SSC won the tournament last year beating Army SC by 29 runs in the final.

The groupings for the Major inter-club T20 tournament:

•Group A: CCC, SSC, Saracens SC, Air Force SC, Badureliya CC, Lankan CC, Ace Capital CC

•Group B: NCC, Ragama CC, BRC, Panadura SC, Chilaw Marians CC, Nugegoda SWC

•Group C: Tamil Union, Negombo CC, Colts, Police SC, Kandy Customs CC, Sebastianites

•Group D: Army SC, Kurunegala YCC, Moors SC, Galle CC, Bloomfield, Navy SC, Kalutara TC