SLC to hold EGM in April with new playing conditions for domestic competition as key agenda: Report
New Delhi, March 27
Sri Lanka Cricket will hold an Extraordinary General Meeting on April 6, with a set of resolutions set to be tabled before members for approval, said a report.
According to SLC Secretary Bandula Dissanayake, a few tweaks to the constitution will be up for discussion at the EGM. The headline item on the agenda will be the introduction of new playing conditions for SLC-conducted domestic tournaments.
At present, promotion and relegation in the top two domestic competitions are decided purely on performances in the three-day format. But SLC is now looking to level the playing field, aiming to give all three formats equal relevance.
"We want to make white-ball cricket more competitive," Dissanayake told Telecom Asia Sport. "What we have seen is teams loading up for the three-day competition and then taking their foot off the pedal when the one-day tournament comes around. By June, several players head to England for league cricket, which leaves the white-ball competitions short-changed."
"This is part of a long-term blueprint to ensure we are producing players who can hold their own in white-ball cricket," he added.
Under the proposed system, performances across all three formats will count towards promotion and relegation, rather than just the red-ball game.
However, the longer format will still carry the most weight (51 per cent), while the one-day competition will account for 25 per cent and T20s for 24 per cent.
In white-ball tournaments, where knockout stages come into play, quarter-finalists and semi-finalists will earn equal points - a move aimed at rewarding consistency and reducing format bias.
At the business end, the side finishing with the lowest tally will be relegated. In the event of a tie on points, three-day performances will serve as the tie-breaker, underlining the continued importance of the traditional format.
SLC has been actively working to streamline domestic cricket in recent years. The First-Class scene resembled an overcrowded outfield, with 24 teams holding status. The introduction of a relegation system has since reduced the number of teams, with underperforming sides losing First-Class status.
Even traditional heavyweights like SSC, boasting a squad full of Sri Lanka internationals, found themselves relegated last season. However, they bounced back immediately to regain their First-Class status.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Interesting read. The 51-25-24 split seems carefully calculated. It acknowledges the primacy of first-class cricket while forcing teams to take limited-overs seriously. The player drain to English leagues is a real issue many boards face. Good to see a concrete plan.
Finally! Teams loading up for just the three-day games and ignoring ODIs/T20s was making their domestic cricket lopsided. As a cricket fan, I want to see strong SL teams again. Their decline has been sad. Maybe this structural fix is what they need. All the best to our neighbours.
While the intent is good, I'm not fully convinced. Making red-ball cricket the tie-breaker again shows where the real priority lies. Will this actually stop players from rushing to England? The financial pull of county leagues is huge. This might be just a half-measure.
The relegation of SSC, a team full of internationals, last season shows the system has teeth! That must have sent a shockwave. Healthy for the sport. India's domestic cricket could also benefit from such a strict promotion-relegation model to keep big teams on their toes.
Streamlining from 24 teams was the first good step. Now this points-based format integration is the logical next phase. Building a robust domestic structure is a marathon, not a sprint. Hope this yields results for Sri Lankan cricket in a few years' time.
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