Tier A Preview: SSC

I have been long since intending to do a domestic preview. Living away from home doesn't help this cause. Having next to no access to match information is another.

Since many of you are probably alien to the domestic set up in SL, I will make an analogy to your teams to a county or state team in Australia so that you get the general idea of how that team is perceived back home.

Our system is much like the English county system, with two 'Tiers A, B'. One team gets relegated and another promoted at the end of the season.

Of course this may not happen this year since some fuckers decided the relegated team wont be demoted. No one knows why.

Understandably the other teams aren't happy about this. 18 of the 20 teams are threatening to boycott. So these previews might end up being the most useless time Ive spent blogging.

Any who, Tier A is where all the shit goes down and like Division 2 in England , no one gives a stuff about Tier B.

Profile
SSC are the undisputed King of the jungle when it comes to Sri Lankan domestic cricket. A whole heap of National starts are bred on this infamous club.

They are what NSW is to Australia. Half the national team is from the SSC and which is extremely annoying.


Leadership.
Last year the reins weren't exactly stable. Avishka Gunewardene was the captain for the season, he later joined the ICL so SLC dint really like that too much.

Then Sri Lankans very own Probot extraordinaire, Thilan Samaraweera got the nod, but he too left for international duty and more probotting around the world.

The keg fell to Tharanga Paranavitana, and he led the team to Tier A victory as they regained the Tier A championship from Colombo Cricket Club.

This year though, Id like to see the captaincy go to Thilina Kandamby, who has led the A team with distinction and is proving himself to be a strong candidate for the job.

Batting
Strong.

The top 2 run scorers for last season came from SSC.

In Paranavitana and Jeewan Mendis they have strong opening pair. The middle order is solid with players like Kandamby, Kaushal Silva coming into their own in the A team in recent times.

Big numbers are on the cards.

Bowling
Strong.

23 year old off spinner Sachithra Senanayake was the only bowler to get 50 wickets in Tier A. A repeat of the same dose is expected.

Backed up by current internationals Thilal Thushara and Dammika Prasad, SSC can expect a few early wickets on a consistent basis. Prasads big made and fires it at a quick pace, and Thusharas in your face attitude and left armers add great variety.

Kaushal Lokkuarrachi offers the leg spin option.

SSCs got all the bases covered.

Right of Passage
In Shalika Karunanayake, SSC has a player who has come up through the ranks. A star in the U-19 team this will the season he takes things by the balls.

At 21 hes still plying his trade. A genuine medium pacer and a strong batsmen I expect consistent and dominant performances from the kid all season as he grows his pubes and enters into manhood.

Sachithra Sennayake was a sensation last season with 50 wickets. More of the same pls Sachithra.

Prediction
Tier A- 1st or 2nd.

The Two Tier System- A review

A year ago we saw the birth of the much debated Premier league tournament. The gist of the structure was that a two- tier system was to be implemented, with the last team in tier A are relegated to the lower tier B and the winner of tier B gets promoted to compete with the creme de le creme of Sri Lankan club cricket.

The league which split up the 20 clubs that currently play cricket in Sri Lanka, was devised to increase the competition between the clubs. Thus ensuring that the standard of the game increased, the gap between club and the intense international game was narrowed and Sri Lanka were well on their way to world domination.

But is it really working?

Last year Tier A was won by unquestionably the dynasty of Sri Lankan club cricket, SSC. There was stiff competition from Moors and Tamil Union but SSC prevailed to win a memorable treble. All the headlines naturally focus on Tier A as most of the best cricketers in the country are playing in that particular league.

In much of the same as Div 2 in the English county game, no one, except the teams playing in the lower league, actually care about the Tier B. Performances are often scuffed upon due to allegations and perceptions of a lower grade of cricket being played.

So then is it fair that only 1 team from the Tier B gets the chance to show their wares in Tier A every year?

Current Tier B champions, Sri Lanka Army, will definitely be upsetting the comfortably numb balance in Tier A this year. They won more games than SSC , they had more points than SSC and looking a major title challenger this year. Led by spin duo, Ajantha Mendis and Seekkuge Prasanna, the Armys strong point is in their bowling. Sadly now it seems that Mendis might miss most of the season due to international engagement. One thing is for certain, the Army boys will be chomping at the bit to have a go at their more prestigious colleagues.

What of the Panadura lads, who pipped at as a healthy runner up in Tier B. Once again with more points than Tier A no2, Moors. It seems almost unfair that a team that did not loose a game the whole season, who have out gunned, at least in terms of points their counter parts in Tier A, and clearly a better side than some of the teams hanging on in Tier A at the bottom, do not get a their chance.

Teams like Bloomfield, Ragama, Nondescript won less games than Panadura yet remain safely in Tier A, and more importantly within the peripheral vision of the selectors. It would come as no surprise that NON of the centrally contracted players for Sri Lanka come from a team outside Tier A. Mendis doesn’t have a central contract as yet. Once he does he might make a move to one of the Tier A teams in case he is forgotten.

So what does it all mean ?

Simple, more teams from Tier B need to get into Tier A.

Will they survive in the deep end? Maybe not.

Do they deserve their shot ? Sure as hell they do. Without a question.

Ideally at least 2 teams should get relegated or promoted. Maybe even 3 with a play off scenario. That is to say the 3^rd and 4^th from bottom in Tier A enter a end of season play off. The loser gets relegated. Winner stays on.

Similarly the 3^rd and 4^th teams in Tier B enter a play off. I suspect you can do the math from there.

This would ensure that Tier B teams would get a prime opportunity to engage in some real cricket, that people and selectors care about. The standard of Tier A will improve. The gap we talked about earlier will reduce.