March « 2012 « Sportsholic

The official ticket launch for the 4th ICC World T20 tournament which is to be held in Sri Lanka later this year was staged clad with a colourful and dazzling ceremony under the night sky at the Galle Face Green, Colombo on March 24.

After opening segments of the show, the intro for the ICC World T20 2012 was unveiled through the BOC tower that confronts the Galle Face Green and the official logo was displayed through the night.

Tickets will go on sale from tomorrow onwards (for Sri Lanka only), from one of the three official ticket outlets or 34 Moneygram retail outlets countrywide and can be snapped up via online from March 30 (www.icc-cricket.com). The three official locations are

Colombo: Thurstan College cricket grounds, No 299, Prof. Stanley Wijesundhara Mw, Colombo 7

Kandy: Level 1-7, Kandy City Centre, No 5, Dalada Veediya, Kandy

Hambantota: Asoka stores, No 103, Tissa Road, Hambantota.

ICC World T20 Logo at BOC Tower

With malpractices and failures proving to be one of the constant themes in the handling of tickets during the last year’s showpiece event held in Asia-ICC World Cup 2011- it didn’t take long for SLC president Upali Dharmadasa to answer the barrage of questions leveled at, that would it be more of the same tune this time or a rectifying mission. “We have put in measures that would ensure the transparency of ticket sales and enabling the access to tickets without hassle” the SLC head said during the press conference at Samudra Ballroom, Taj Samudra Hotel, Colombo before the launch.

He was less optimistic about the plight of the tickets after it had been brought, though. “There is a limit for the amount of tickets one person can purchase. It’s six for the group stage and four tickets afterwards. So if the buyers go and takes advantage of the tickets they bought, it is out of our hand,” he further added.

Haroon Lorgat, ICC Chief Executive also speaking at the event stressed that the same anti-corruption methods that they have implemented in the proceeding tournaments will be used to combat any misgivings.

Lastly, Lorgat had one advice for the host’s fans. “Buy the tickets early and show the confidence in your team to avoid unnecessary tension and distress during the latter stages of the tournament.”

ICC World T20 2012 Trophy

Groups-Men

Group A-England, India,Afghanistan

Group B-Australia, West Indies,Ireland

Group C-Sri Lanka, South Africa, Zimbabwe

Group D-Pakistan, New Zealand, Bangladesh

Groups-Women

Group A-Australia, India, England, Pakistan

Group B-New Zealand, West Indies, Sri Lanka, South Africa.

Pix courtesy of Sajith Jayasekara

The Island Link-ICC World T20 Sri Lanka 2012-Tickets Launched

Ticket Prices

It was South Africa vs England at the Benson and Hedges World cup 92 revisited in a proverbial time machine. The conflict in the rules regarding the use of Duckworth and Lewis method not only scuppered a gripping match, it provided the backdrop for a turbulent and utterly confusing finish. Amidst the chaos, the tradition of southpaw centuries continued as St. Thomas College regained the Mustangs trophy after three years defeating Royal College by 113 runs via the Duckworth Lewis system at SSC grounds yesterday.
In the last two years it was two Royalists-Chalaka Bogoda and Ramith Ramukwella-who had brought victories but this time St. Thomas opener Devin Jayasinghe took upon himself to reverse the trend. While he was the sole attraction in the morning, it took a turn for the worse in the afternoon. Royal was 130/4 in 29 overs when the rain intervened around 4.15 and according to the D/L calculations they had won the match by 2 runs.
Jubulent supporters swarmed the pitch pitching their trust in a heavy downpour but a passing shower later they had to be ejected since the match was about to start. And start it did and the target-259 runs in 35 overs.
Realising this was possible only on a ‘Ripley’s Believe It Or Not’ the two batsmen-Milan Abeysekara and Poorna Aluthge-batted out the 6 overs without any trumpet calls and they had themselves-in the form of organizers-to blame. The system the organizers used for the match was D/L system but normally in schools circuit Parabola system is the one that is in existence. The target became impracticable because although they legalized the D/L system, minutes deduction was done within the laws of Parabola. In D/L, 4.2 minutes are given for one over while 4.0 minutes are allocated for an over in Parabola.
The mixture of systems didn’t co-exist to say the least. Atleast a target of 129 in 6 overs said so. Royal who won the toss, was in early trouble in the pursuit as Sampath De Silva had to retire hurt due to cramps. Supun Subasinghe perished early but captain Imal Liyanage and Isuru Gunathilake set about resurrecting the chase. Liyanage hit six boundaries and monstrous six straight down the ground but was caught behind off Wijesinghe. Heshan Kumarasiri was in good touch but got himself to blame for his dismissal and when Abeysekara and Aluthge was in the crease did the lights begin to fade.
Earlier Jayasinghe carried the Thomian innings with a scintillating century where he shifted gears masterfully. After a cautious start in which Asiri Wickremanayake fell to Anupa Thilakartne, Jayasinghe went full throttle to wrestle the enterprise back and although Javed Bongso departed he found an able sidekick in his captain Sachin Peiris. They unified to add 107 runs for the third wicket and at 178/2 it seemed a target which could dispirit the Royalists were on the offing.
But it was a phase where the rate was tied down and Peiris lost his cool trying to break the shackles, to be caught at mid wicket off Kudahetty. Pathirana tried hard to excel at what his captain failed but he was castled by Kudahetty to give Royal a glimmer of hope. Thilaksha Sumanasiri found putting bat on ball rigorous task as the Thomians crumbled in the fag end of the innings. Samarasinghe was once on a hat trick when he sent Ravichandran and Mathangaweera to the pavilion in successive deliveries but last man Sahan Wijesinghe managed to derail the thrill.
Unreceptive to this was Jayasinghe who reached the century with a boundary which contained 12 flawless fours and a six but even he wouldn’t have, after setting St. Thomas up for a victory with the battalion of spinners to unleash, foreseen the parody that was to follow.
SCORECARD
St. Thomas College
Devin Jayasinghe                                                                                     b. Thilakaratne 101
Asiri Wickramanayake                             c. Samarasinghe            b. Thilakaratne     9
Javed Bongso                                               c. De Silva                        b. Samarasinghe 15
Sachin Peiris                                                 c. De Silva                        b. Kudahetty         53
Chamod Pathirana                                                                                  b. Kudahetty           7
Thilaksha Sumanasiri                                st. Abeysekara              b. Pathmanathan   5
Ramith Gunaratne                                       c. Abeysekara               b. Thilakaratne 1
Danush Peiris                                                                                             not out                      9
Madushan Ravichandrakumar                                                           b. Samarasinghe   8
Rishane Mathangaweera                                                             LBW b. Samarasinghe    0
Sahan Wijesinghe                                                                                     not out                        4
Extras (4 byes, 21 wides, 1 no ball) 26
Total (for 9 wickets) 238
Overs: 50
Fall of wickets: 1-21, 2-71, 3-178, 4-196, 5-204, 6-208, 7-213, 8-230, 9-230
Bowling: Kudahetty 9-1-54-2 Thilakaratne 9-0-39-3 Subasinghe 5-0-19-0 Samarasinghe 7-0-27-3 Aluthge 10-0-48-0 Pathmanathan 10-1-47-1
Royal College
Sampath De Silva retired hurt                                        2
Isuru Gunathilake                                    c. D. Peiris b. Mathangaweera                         41
Supun Subasinghe    c. S. Peiris   b. Pathirana                                       3
Imal Liyanage                                            c. S. Peiris   b. Wijesinghe                                  39
Heshan Kumarasiri                                  c. D. Peiris   b. Ravichandrakumar                26
Milan Abeysekara                                                             not out                                              15
Poorna Aluthge                                                                   not out                                               4
Extras: (1 bye, 1 leg bye, 13 wides) 15