MCA “E” Division 30-Over League Tournament kicks off on Saturday

The 14th David Pieris Group of Companies sponsored MCA “E” Division 30-Over League Tournament 2016, contested for “DPGC” Challenge Trophy, the second longest running sponsorship in MCA history, will get underway this weekend (5 and 6 March) with a card of 14 matches.

David Pieris Motor Co. Ltd., initiated the sponsorship in 2002, offering the “Bajaj” challenge Trophy.

Neil Perera from David Pieris Motor Co. Ltd. was the MCA President from 2008-2010 and Rohana Dissanayake from DPMC, who was the former MCA General Secretary. The DPGC Challenge Trophy which was offered in 2015 for the first time (replacing the Bajaj Trophy) was won by EWIS.

This time the following 36 teams in six groups will contest for the “DPGC” Challenge Trophy.

Group “A”: Assetline Leasing, Astron Lanka, DFCC Bank, Hilton Colombo, Singer Sri Lanka PLC “B” & UB Finance

Group “B”: Bimputh Finance, Dialog Axiata “B”, LOLC, Mercantile Investments, Noyon Lanka and Virtusa

Group “C”: Ancel Lanka, Commercial Bank “B”, AIA Insurance, MAS Silueta “B”, Mast Far East and Unilever Sri Lanka

Group “D”: Brandix Essentials, Eagle Logistics, John Keells “C”, MAS Active Trading “B”, Trelleborg Lanka and Softlogic Finance

Group “E”: Citizens Development Bank, Ceylon Tobacco Co., Emerchemie NB, Finlays Colombo PLC, Regnis Lanka and Union Assurance PLC

Group “F”: Amana Takaful Insurance, Lankem Ceylon, Amana Bank, Gestetner Ceylon, Nawaloka Group and Toll Global

The League Stage, consisting 90 matches, will commence this weekend and will conclude on 3 April.

At the conclusion, the two top teams, along with the four best third-placed teams out of the six groups (16 teams) will qualify for the elimination round.

The selected venues are MCA, Veyangoda Central, De Mazenod Kandana, Army Mattegoda, Wesley College, St. Benedict’s Kotahena, St. John’s Panadura, Thurstan College, D.S. Senanayake and St. Sebastian’s, Moratuwa.

The knockout stage, consisting 15 matches including the Final, will be staged on 9 April (pre-quarter finals), 23 April (quarter finals), 30 April (semifinal) and the Final on 07 May at the MCA Grounds. 

The fours special awards on offer are for the best batsman, best bowler, man of the final and man of the series.

The tournament ball for all 105 matches is the “Grays Avenger” engraved with the MCA Logo and directly imported from Pakistan.

All 15 matches in the elimination round will be supervised by a MCA appointed match referee. The officiating umpires will be assigned by the Association of Professional Cricket Umpires Sri Lanka (APCU) and the scorers from the Sri Lanka Scorers Association, who will have their hands full, as they have to undergo 120 overs per day, with just 35-minute breaks between matches.

The official sponsorship handing over along with the media conference was held on 2 March at the MCA Pavilion Lounge.

The sponsor David Pieris Group of Companies was represented by Assetline Leasing Co. Ltd. Director/CEO, Sales and Marketing Ananda Seneviratne and David Pieris Motor Co. Ltd. Chief Communication Officer Corporate Communications Romany Parakrama. The MCA was represented by President Niran Mahawatte, Vice President H.U.U. Buddhima and Chairman Tournament Committee Sujeewa de Silva.