Speaking at a Press Conference at the Trans Asia Hotel on July 27 the Chairman of the Tournament Committee, Gampaha District Cricket Association and former Saracens and Colts cricketer Mr. Balasubramaniam, said that this year 28 clubs would be participating and that the Gampaha DCA would provide balls for every match. An exgratia payment of Rs. 750 would be made to each participant. The Tournament would be conducted at seven grounds, namely, St. Anthony's Wattala, De Mazenod, Kandana, Maris Stella, Negombo, Bandaranayake MV, Gampaha, Christ the King College, Ja-Ela, Kelaniya University and the Mirigama Ground.
``The first round consist of 14 matches, and the second round seven matches, while there will be three quarter-finals and one team would be given a bye. The semi-finals would most probably be played on August 23 and the finals would be either in the first or second week in September in a probable location in Colombo. All matches except the finals will be played in the Gampaha District. Last year's winners were Anthonians SC with Gampaha CC being the runners-up'', concluded Mr. Balasubramaniam.
Mr. Jayasiri Yapa, Territory Manager of Mead Johnson, speaking on behalf of the sponsors, said that Bonnie Wijesinghe, one of their cricket enthusiasts could not grace the occasion so on behalf of the sponsors he acknowledged the great effort put in by the Gampaha DCA to uplift the game of cricket in the district. ``We have to start at the grass root level and find new talent and produce cricketers of high calibre to represent the country,'' said Mr. Yapa in conclusion.
Thilanga Sumathipala, the dynamic President of the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka, speaking on the occasion said that he remembered that last year they had a press conference at the Galadari Hotel and that the sponsors promised to sponsor the tournament for three years. ``It is very difficult to find genuine sponsors at grass root level. This tournament would produce outstanding talent and we are grateful to the sponsors for coming forward. This kind of sponsorship is really going to help us. Money is always going to be a problem in conducting a tournament. We have to improve the standard at the domestic level and as such even the Board has plans to improve the infrastructure of the game and take it to places like Dambulla etc. I wish all the participants good luck and a healthy Tournament'' said the Board President.
The winners will receive Rs. 15,000 plus the Sustagen Trophy and cricket equipment amounting to Rs. 10,000 while the runners-up will receive Rs. 7,500 plus cricket equipment to the value of Rs. 5,000. In addition there will be an award for the man of the match, best bowler and batsman and man of the series. This tournament is unique to the Gampaha District.
Also associated at the Press Briefing was Prasanna Ranatunga Gampaha DCA, Dhammika Ranatunga, Chief Executive BCCSL, Anura Weerasinghe, Regional Sec. GDCA, Carlton Bernadus, Chairman Tournament Committee BCCSL, Representatives of the Sponsors and B. M. N. Jurangpathy