Having decided to participate only in one-day competitions leading upto the World Cup, the Sri Lanka Cricket Board have lined up only English county champions Leicestershire for a visit here to give our cricketers competition after the tour of Australia.
The Kent Young Cricketers' tour has the blessings of the Cricket Board, but it has been arranged by former Sri Lanka umpire and tour promoter Errol Seneviratne.
``With the exception of Kandy, all the matches and venues have been finalised,'' said Seneviratne.
``It is very disappointing to note that Malcolm Perera who took the responsibility to organise the matches in Kandy has not made any reservations with the regional secretary Janaka Pathirana before going abroad,'' he said.
The Kandy matches are scheduled for December 30 and 31 against Kandy Young Cricketers.
Seneviratne said if Kandy is unable to host the matches he would try to paly them in Kurunegala.
The rest of the fixtures comprise:
December 15 v Colombo North under 18 District XI in Colombo
December 16 v Colombo South under 18 District XI in Colombo
December 18-19 v Gampaha District under 18 XI at Negombo
December 21 v Sri Lanka Cricket Foundation XI at Colts Grounds
December 23-24 v Moratuwa Combined Schools at De Soysa Stadium
December 26-27 v Matara Combined Schools at Uyanwatte Stadium
The tour is sponsored by Ceylinco Insurance who will host the team for a reception and dinner at a five-star hotel on December 19.
The Kent Young Cricketers team consists of boys under the age of 17 years and is managed by Maurice Thunder, who is a member of the Kent Cricket Board and Chairman of the Board's Youth Committee and treasurer of Kent Schools CA. He has been involved in schools cricket for 30 years.
The tour party comprises:
Daniel Turkell, Gareth Honor, James Lincoln, Nicholas Bluett, Mark Calnan, Sam Dabin, Robert Owen, Simon King, Martin Purdy, Lewis Jenkins, Ben Davies, Lawrence Bill, Justin Aylward, Paul Edmonds, Ian Playfoot, James Tredwell.
Manager - Maurice Thunder
Manager/Coach - Bill Burton
Coach - Peter Robinson
Physio - Margaret Robinson