The Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association, at loggerheads with elite cricket playing schools, retaliated to their boycott attempt at the forthcoming Under-19 two day tournament, saying that their protest would not hamper the tournament.

"It is a futile attempt. We will promote teams from the lower divisions to fill the vacuum created by their absence," said Dilshan de Silva, the secretary of the SLSCA speaking to ‘The Island’ on his return after a holiday in Bangkok, yesterday.

"From nearly 150 cricket playing schools, over 130 schools showed their willingness to accept the new format. Only four schools were against the format at the fixture meeting held recently. We are going to go ahead with it as it has been approved by a majority," he said when ‘The Island’ queried about the SLSCA’s stance on the imminent boycott by top schools.

Representatives from over 12 leading cricket playing schools unanimously decided on Saturday to boycott the forthcoming Under-19 two-day tournament, stating that the new format introduced by the SLSCA would disturb the peaceful functioning of the traditional fixtures.

A representative from the breakaway schools said that their heads of schools will write to the SLSCA about their withdrawal from the tournament within the course of this week. "Schools withdrawing from the tournament will inform the SLSCA about it within the course of this week," a spokesperson for the schools said.

Asked whether they would like to reach a consensus with the SLSCA, he said that the there is no such possibility as the SLSCA has acted stubbornly.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education, the patron of the SLSCA, is yet to be informed about the differences between the two groups. "We have not been informed about the problems. We have not received any complaints. As such we cannot intervene," said L.K. Jayaweera, the Director of Sports of the Ministry of Education.

The SLSCA introduced a new format for the forthcoming Inter School Under-19 two-day tournament. According to the new format, 32 top cricket playing schools will play a league of seven matches in four groups before the best teams advance to a knockout out stage. The champion team of the two day tournament will be decided in a grand final. Four teams earning the lowest points will be demoted to the lower division. Other schools will play in similar lower divisions and the top four teams there will advance to the higher division.

Given below is the draw for the forthcoming Under-19 two-day tournament.

Division I:

Group A: St. Joseph’s, St. Sebastian’s, St. Benedict’s, Wesley, Ananda, Lumbini, Mahinda, Royal

Group B: DSS, Isipatana, Nalanda, St. Sylvester’s, President’s (Rajagiriya), Trinity, Dharmaraja, Dharmapala

Group C: St. Anne’s (Kurunegala), S. Thomas’ (Mount), Kingswood, Richmond, Dharmasoka, Thurstan, Prince of Wales, St. Anthony’s (Kandy)

Group D: St. Aloysius’ (Galle), Maris Stella, Revata, Kalutara Vidyalaya, Joseph Vas, Maliyadeva, St. Peter’s, De Mazenod

Division II:

Group A: Ananda Sastralaya (Kotte), Asoka Vidyalaya, Moratu Vidyalaya, Karandeniya Central, Gurukula, St. Thomas’(Matale), Tissa Central, Sri Rahula (Katugastota)

Group B: St. John’s (Nugegoda), Sri Jayawardenepura MV, Mahanama, Carey, Vidyartha, St. Anthony’s (Wattala), Ibbagamuwa Central, St. Mary’s (Kegalle)

Group C: Taxila (Horana), Zahira (Colombo), Sri Sumangala (Panadura), Devananda, Royal (Panadura), Dharmaloka, Bandaranaike (Gampaha), St. Servatius’,