Three teams will be taking part in the formation of veterans’ cricket in Sri Lanka, with the inaugural veterans’ Over 50s red ball cricket tournament being planned to start yesterday (31 August).
This 40 overs-a-side tournament will be played over three weeks on a league basis and the last match is scheduled to be played on 17 September at the P. Sara Oval Grounds in Colombo.
Ceylon Veterans Cricket (CVC) was reputable to act as an administrative wing of the Colombo Masters Cricket Association (CMCA) to help facilitate veterans’ cricket in Sri Lanka. Veterans’ cricket is played by more than 10 clubs and associations and 10 schools in a very informal manner at present.
CVC plans to organise 40-over cricket tournaments for teams in the 40, 50, and 60-plus age categories. This is expected to help those who love the game to participate in a series of matches during the year without having to depend on arranging matches based on the willingness of other teams and other obstacles such as ground bookings along the way.
The objectives of CVC include:
- Overseeing the interest of veterans’ cricket throughout Sri Lanka
- Recognising and establishing cricket structures across the country for veterans’ cricket
- Attracting and developing a quality pool of retired cricketers interested in becoming active once again and motivated enough to represent their country and/or the Sri Lanka team
- Encouraging and administering annual domestic and regional tournaments throughout Sri Lanka in a structured and organised manner
- Utilising these regional tournaments to select the very best veteran players to represent Sri Lanka on the international stage
- Actively encouraging players to use these tournaments to lead a healthier lifestyle as they will be competing to play for Sri Lanka at Over 40, Over 50, and/or Over 60 World Cup level
The CMCA has a history of organising over 150 matches with local and visiting foreign teams since 2016. CMCA President Mahes De Zoysa, founder of Sri Lanka’s first veterans’ registered association, started the first-ever Sri Lanka Masters T20 Cricket Tournament in 2018, which was held for the fifth time freshly with three registered associations. This task will now come under the wing of CVC.
The first edition of the CVC League for Over 50s, the 40-over red ball tournament, will start off with the Nationalised Services Cricket Association, the Mercantile Cricket Association, and the CMCA, while the State Services Cricket Association has withdrawn.
Match schedule
- 31 August: Nationalised Services vs. Colombo Masters at the Nationalised Services Ground, Ratmalana
- 1 September: Colombo Masters vs. Mercantile CA at the Bloomfield Ground, Colombo
- 7 September: Nationalised Services vs. Mercantile CA at the Bloomfield Ground, Colombo
- 8 September: Colombo Masters vs. Nationalised Services at P. Sara Oval Stadium, Colombo
- 15 September: Colombo Masters vs. Nationalised Services at P. Sara Oval Stadium, Colombo
- 16 September: Spare day for rain-affected game at Army Ground, Mattegoda
- 17 September: Mercantile CA vs. Colombo Masters at P. Sara Oval Stadium, Colombo
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