Sri Lanka Cricket to Revamp Domestic Structure with New Format Weightage

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