No promotions and demotions in schools cricket for 2020

SLSCA to go ahead with Tier ‘A’, ‘B’ plan

by Reemus Fernando

The Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association is compelled to cancel promotions and demotions and is considering using the Limited-Overs format to recommence Under-19 cricket next year after the Ministry of Education issued a fresh directive this month to cancel all sports tournaments which were halted due to the covid 19 pandemic in March.

The SLSCA, one of the leading schools sports associations affiliated to the Ministry of Education was waiting for Ministry of Education clearance to conclude the 2019/20 Under-19 Division I and II tournaments.

Both tournaments which commenced in September 2019 had only seven more matches- quarter finals, semi-finals and finals- remaining when all sports came to a halt in March due to the pandemic.

A circular issued by the Ministry of Education on August 7 informs all Provincial Directors of Sports and Principals that sports tournaments for the year 2020 has been cancelled due to the present health situation of the country.

“Sports tournaments organised by different branches of the Ministry of Education for school children will not be conducted in 2020. The tournaments which had already started will be canceled,” a communique signed by N.H.M Chithrananda, the secretary of education states.

The cancellation of the Division II means that there will not be any promotions to Division I this year.

“No promotions from Division II to Division I means that you will not be able to demote the lowest placed teams in Division I to Division II,” an official of the SLSCA told The Island.

The Under-19 cricket teams of Moratu Vidyalaya and Maris Stella College, Negombo will be the lucky beneficiaries as they will not be demoted to the lower Division despite being the lowest placed teams in the Division I tournament.

Meanwhile, former Division I teams, namely Kalutara Vidyalaya and Holy Cross College, Kalutara and emerging teams St. Peter’s, Negombo, St. Sebastian’s, Katuneriya, Rahula, Matara, Piyaratana MMV, Padukka. St. John’s, Panadura and Devananda, Ambalangoda who were waiting to clear just two crucial hurdles (quarter-final and semi-final) in the Division II tournament to earn places in the final and get promoted to the Division I tournament will feel hard done by.

The SLSCA was also planing to conduct the next Under-19 Division I tournament under a new format dividing the 36 teams in that division to Tier ‘A’ and ‘B’.

Will the cancellation of the remaining matches derail SLSCA’s plan?

“Our plan was to divide the Division I tournament to Tier ‘A’ and ‘B’ for the 2020/21 season. We are still considering implementing the same plan but with the Limited-Overs format. We will take a final decision at the Executive Committee meeting,” J.A.K.S. Indrajith told The Island.