Under 15 Inter-District cricket tourney starts Sept. 10

By A. C. de SILVA

CRICKET: School cricket gets a shot-in-the-arm when Sri Lanka Cricket in association with the Prima Group gives young cricketers a chance of displaying their talent with the Under 15 Inter-District Cricket Tournament to be played from September 10 to 25.

A total of 21 district teams will participate and there will be 34 matches, comprising of preliminary round held in seven locations islandwide with the final to be held in Colombo.

A comforting fact is that teams as far as Vavuniya, Trincomalee, Ampara and Monaragala are also playing in the tournament.

Group "A": North Central Province: Matale vs Polonnaruwa on 10th September at Welagedara Stadium; 11th Sept: Kurunegala vs A'pura at Welagedara Stadium; 15th Sept: Matale vs Kurunegala at Welagedara Stadium; 16th Sept: Polonnaruwa vs A'pura at Welagedara Stadium; 17th Sept: Polonnaruwa vs Kurunegala at Welagedara Stadium; 18th Sept: Matale vs Anuradhapura at Welagedara Stadium.

Group "B"/"G": WP City North and South: CMB - 10th Sept: CMB - South "A" vs North "A" at Ananda College; 11th Sept: CMB - South "B" vs North "B" at Wesley College; 15th Sept: CMB South "A" vs South "B" at Moratu Vidyalaya; 15th Sept: CMB North "A" vs North "B" at Wesley College; 17th Sept: CMB South "A" vs North "B" at St. Benedict's College; 18th Sept: CMB South "B" vs North "A" at Wesley College.

Group "C": Southern Province: Galle vs Matara - 10th Sept. at Galle Esplande; Galle vs Hambantota on Sept. 11th at Galle Esplanade; Matara vs Hambantota on Sept. 12 at Galle Esplanade.

Group "D": North/East Province: Vavuniya vs Trinco - 10th Sept. at Dambulla; Sept. 11th: Trinco vs Batticaloa at Dambulla; Sept. 12th: Vavuniya vs Batticaloa at Dambulla.

Group "E": Central Province: Kandy vs Kegalle at Pallekela Prison Gds on 10th Sept: on Sept 11: Kandy vs Nuwara Eliya at Pallekele Prison Grounds; Sept. 12: Kegalle vs Nuwara Eliya at Pallekele Prison Grounds.

Group "F": Colombo North Outer/Outer South: 15th Sept: Gampaha vs Puttalam at Kadirana; 15th Sept: Ratnapura vs Kalutara at FTZ Grounds; 16th Sept: Ratnapura vs Gampaha at Kadirana; Sept 16th: Kalutara vs Puttalam at FTZ Grounds; 17th Sept: Gampaha vs Kalutara at Kadirana; 17th Sept: Puttalam vs Ratnapura at FTZ Grounds.

Group "G": Uva Province: Uva vs Ampara on Sept. 10 at Badulla Esplanade; Sept. 11: Ampara vs Monaragala at Badulla Esplanade; Sept. 12: Badulla vs Monaragala at Badulla Esplanade.

Quarter-Finals: Group "F" vs Group "G" winners on Oct. 21 at De Mazenod College grounds; Group "D" winners vs Group "E" winners 21st Oct. at Kandy Police Grounds; Oct. 21st Group "A" winners and Group "C" winners at Khettarama Stadium.

Semi-Finals: Winner of Group "F" and "G" vs Winner of Group 'D' and 'E' Match at Ananda College grounds on 23rd Oct. and Winner of Group 'A' and 'C' vs Winner of Group 'B' on 23rd Oct. at Khettarama Stadium.

Final: on 25th October, 2008 at Khettarama Stadium.