Under 15 stage is the best age group to develop a cricketer - Ranatunga

By Ranjan ANANDAPPA

CRICKET: Arjuna Ranatunga, the Interim Committee Chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket, stressed on the importance of having the Provincial Cricket Tournament as the main tournament in the domestic structure. He was also keen in having a short-term plan in selecting a team in view of the Cricket World Cup to be held in the sub - continent in 2011 and a long term plan for the future.

Ranatunga, was addressing the media at the Sri Lanka Cricket monthly press briefing at a SLC Headquarters.

He said that nearly 300 players from various clubs leave for England annually to play in minor counties. Playing at least five first class matches in Sri Lanka is the criteria in qualifying to represent their respective clubs in the UK. A further delay in conducting the domestic tournament will jeopardise the cricketers chances in doing so and thus deprive them from a lucrative financial gain which is the livelihood of most of this players.

"As a long term plan we intend building up three teams, mainly for Test, ODI's and Twenty20 cricket. There are specialised cricketers in these categories. The players who excelled in the last provincial tournament were included in the Twenty20 side. Our main focus should be the provincial tournament which will help to develop cricketers and uplift the standard. Our main policy is to form a team for the next World Cup" said Ranatunga.

Ranatunga was also keen in having the under 15 teams back in action. This tourney was scrapped from the schools tourney schedule. He also stressed the need in having the under 15 team at training as it is a sound 'factor' to under 19 as it will be a good base of young talent.

"We felt that some of the under 19 players who go for the Under 19 World Cup do not have enough training as they have been picked only about three months prior to the tournament and merely go. The players are unaware of what international cricket is all about.

So we want to prepare them from the age of 15 so that they will be well equipped for the challenges at under 19 level" Ranatunga stressed.