Making full use of the absence of enough international cricket, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has fitted in Provincial Tournaments consisting of all three formats – T-20s, One-Dayers and Four Day games bringing in all leading players in the country for the premier tournaments.

In the past few years, SLC has stressed a lot on the Provincial Tournament, but hasn’t been able to conduct all three formats due to various factors. But his year, they are in a position to conduct all three competitions and only the four day tournament will be affected due to the absence of leading players, who’ll be engaged in the IPL tournament in India.

"What the board is trying to do is to complete all three formats before April. The only problem we have is that the senior players won’t be available for the four day competition. But having said that, the entire concept is a good thing where we will have all the leading players competing against each other," Ashantha de Mel, Chairman of Cricket Selectors told ‘The Island’.

The four day tournament will be contested by Wayamba, Basnahira North, Basnahira South, Ruhuna while for the T-20 and One-Day competition, an SLC Combined team comprising Under-23 players, will participate.

Each squad comprises 18 players and for the IPL players, who will leave mid way through the tournament, the selectors are expected to name replacements.

The teams will be coached by Romesh Kaluwitharana (Basnahira South), Chandika Hathurusinghe (Basnahira North), Mahesh Weerasinghe (Ruhuna), Lanka de Silva (Wayamba), Avishka Gunawardene (Kandurata) and Naveed Nawaz (Combined XI).

Kumar Sangakkara (Kandurata), T.M. Dilshan (Basnahira North), Thilina Kandamby (Basnahira South), Jehan Mubarak (Wayamba), Upul Tharanga (Ruhuna) and Hans Fernando (SLC Combined XI) will captain the teams.

The five selectors will also manage the Provincial teams with national team manager Brendon Kuruppu coming in as Manager cum Selector for the SLC Combined XI.

One major complaint made against the domestic tournament in previous years is the absence of Tier ‘B’ players of the Inter-Club competition and the administrators have looked into the grievances of Tier B players as they have included some players of the lower division in the Provincial competition.

SLC has 74 contracted players currently and while most players got a nod in at least one of the squads, some were not included.

There’s a lot at stake as well in the tournament as the team that wins the T-20 competition will qualify to play in this year’s Champions League in India. The defending champions of the T-20 tournament are Jehan Mubarak’s Wayamba.

Thilina Kandamby (Capt), Angelo Mathews (Vice-Captain), Chaminda Vaas, Amal Athulathmudali, Dilshan Munaweera, Gayan Wijekoon, Sachithra Serasinghe, Kaushal Silva, Muthumudalige Pushpakumara, Shanuka Dissanayake, Nuwan Kulasekara, Dhammika Prasad, Nuwan Pradeep, Dimuth Karunaratne, Dinesh Darshanapriya, Roshen Silva, Sohan Borelassa and Angelo Perera.

Manager cum Selector: Anura Tennakoon. Coach: Chandika Hathurusinghe.

T.M Dilshan (Capt), Chamara Silva (Vice-Capt), Malintha Warnapura, Milinda Siriwardana, Hasantha Fernando, Gihan Rupasinghe, Prasanna Jayawardene, Nuwan Zoysa, Malinga Bandara, Suranga Lakmal, Janaka Gunaratne, Dilruwan Perera, Lahiru Thirimanna, Amila Prasad, Chinthaka Perera, Dinuk Hettiarachchi, Yohan de Silva and Ruchira Perera.

Manger cum Selector: Ashantha de Mel. Coach: Romesh Kaluwitharana.

Upul Tharanga (Capt), Dinesh Chandimal (Vice-Captain), Sanath Jayasuriya, Indika de Seram, T.M Sampath, Dilhara Lokuhettige, Kosala Kulasekara, Tharanga Lakshitha, Lasith Malinga, Sujeewa de Silva, N. G. H. Cooray, Sachithra Senanayaka, Ashan Priyanjana, Gihan de Silva, Sajeewa Weerakoon, Lasith Fernando, Geeth Alwis and Umesh Karunaratne.

Manager cum Selector: Don Anurasiri. Coach: Mahesh Weerasinghe.

Jehan Mubarak (Capt), Mahela Udawatte ( Vice-Captain), Mahela Jayawardene, Jeewantha Kulatunga, Farveez Maharoof, Tissara Perera, Sameera Soysa, Ajantha Mendis, Shalika Karunanayaka, Isuru Udana, Rakitha Wimaladharma, Chanaka Welagedara, Rangana Herath, Kaushal Lokuarachchi, Michal Van Dort, Madura Lakmal, Damith Hunukumbura and Kushal Janith Perera.

Manager cum Selector: Vinothan John. Coach: Lanka de Silva.

Kumar Sangakkara (Capt), Muttiah Muralitharan (Vice-Captain), Chamara Kapugedara, Suraj Randiv, Kanchana Gunawardena, Sanjaya Gangodawila, Jeewan Mendis, Tharanga Paranavithana, Kaushal Weeraratne, Chinthaka Jayasinghe, Thilina Thushara Mirando, Nadeera Nawela, Chaminda Vidhanapathirana, Kanishka Elvitigala, Sekkuge Prasanna, Thilan Samaraweera, Sachith Pathirana and Suresh Niroshan.

Manager cum Selector: Chaminda Mendis. Coach: Avishka Gunawardene.

Hans Fernando (Capt), Banuka Rajapaksha (Vice-Captain), Kithruwan Vidanage, Udara Jayasundara, Romesh Buddika, W. A. Eranga, J. R. G. Namal, Sanjaya Fernando, Imesh Udayanga, Malinga Pushpakumara, Andre Berenjer, Charith Jayampathi, Lahiru Gamage, Arosh Janoda and Nilanka Premaratne,

Manager cum Selector: Brendon Kuruppu

Coach: Naveed Nawaz.