Sri Lanka unveils new domestic cricket structure

Colombo: After weeks of protests and deliberations, Sri Lanka Cricket and its premier clubs have structured a new formula for its domestic first-class games, SLC said on Saturday.

The new premier tournament involving three-day games will be the only first-class event in the island. There will be a four-day final between the top teams of respective tiers. The new format was struck after clubs protested vehemently against a move to restrict the tournament to just 10 teams. The new domestic structure will come in to effect from the current season with a phased out implementation of the structure. It is aimed at bridging the gap between international cricket and domestic cricket. In the new format the Tier A/B clubs will be amalgamated with a total of 20 teams participating. The 20 teams will be divided into two groups according to the points earned in the preceding year`s tournament. The top teams from each group will play the final. There will be a relegation for the three bottom teams from each group, who will play in the tournament for emerging teams, which would be also a three-day event. PTI