The New Year sees it taking on yet another new title. From the Sara trophy tournament (Segment 'A') last season it will henceforth be known as the Premier Championships.
Whatever title it assumes, for the 16 participating clubs, the new season which begins today with a card of eight matches is of paramount importance.
Apart from trying to win the championship, all of them will be trying to finish within the first 12 in the final standings. The tournament will revert back to the league stage once again with all clubs playing each other once, after it was run in two groups last season.
The last four clubs will be demoted to play in the Sara trophy (formerly Segment 'B') because from next season, the tournament committee has decided to reduce the Premier championships to just a dozen clubs to make it more competitive. Whatsmore, there will be no promotion or relegation of clubs to or from the Premier championships for the first three seasons.
Defending champions SSC, who contribute half the Sri Lanka team that is currently touring Australia are the worst hit of the clubs. However, they have so many young and talented players in their ranks, who helped them win the Under 23 title recently, the club may be able to cushion their losses.
In Arjuna Ranatunga's absence, left-hander Hemantha Wickremaratne will lead the champions who host BRC at Maitland Place.
Bloomfield, Colts, Tamil Union and NCC, the other clubs who contribute players to the national team are less affected than SSC. Each of them have lost two players, losses which are unlikely to have a major influence on their performances.
Last season's runner-up Bloomfield meet NCC at Maitland Place. Both clubs go into the game minus their appointed captains - Sanath Jayasuriya and Hashan Tillekeratne respectively. Apart from missing Jayasuriya and Roshan Mahanama, Bloomfield will have to fill the vacancies created by all-rounder Ruwan Kalpage and top order batsman Naveed Nawaz, who have crossed over to NCC. In Jayasuriya's absence, Bloomfield will be led by Kumara Dharmasena.
NCC are unlikely to feel the absence of their captain and Aravinda de Silva, who has hardly appeared for them in domestic cricket for quite some time. The presence of Kalpage and Nawaz will amply compensate for their losses. Russel Arnold will lead them.
Colts minus skipper Chaminda Vaas and in-form wicket-keeper/batsman Romesh Kaluwitharana, will face a full strength Moors SC at Braybrooke Place. Colts are fresh from bagging their first ever one-day title beating SSC in the Premier limited overs final and will be looking to extend their successful run in the longer game as well. Two former Sri Lanka openers will lead the respective sides - Dulip Samaraweera and Chandika Hathurusingha.
Tamil Union are minus both captain (Muthiah Muralitharan) and vice-captain (Upul Chandana) to the national team along with some key players who have crossed over to Galle CC. They will be hardpressed to come up with performances to be within the first 12. Left-arm spinner Niroshan Bandaratilake will captain Tamil Union in their opening game against CCC at Maitland Crescent.
CCC have also had their share of problems. They were forced to dispose off their captain Chaminda Handunettige towards the latter stages of the Premier limited overs tournament due to lack of commitment, and replace him with Bradman Ediriweera. The team according to former CCC stalwart Kumar Boralessa is ``full of young blood expected to deliver the goods in another season or two''. The young charges are under former Sri Lanka wicket-keeper/batsman Hemantha Devapriya.
Galle CC return to play in the premier tournament on the strength of becoming Segment 'B' champs last season. Duminda Wickremasinghe, who took them to the title, will continue to lead them. They host Singha SC at Galle.
Antonian SC who travel to Matara are another club trying to recover from defections. They lost eight of their players due to indifference with The Management.
A keenly fought out game could be expected at De Soysa Stadium where Panadura SC, who reached the semi-finals of the Premier limited overs competition and Sebastianites meet. The other match for the weekend is between Kurunegala YCC and Police SC at the Welagedera Stadium.
The Captains For 1998/99
Antonian SC - Thushara Kodikara
Bloomfield C&AC - Sanath Jayasuriya
Burgher RC - Deepal Madurapperuma
Colombo CC - Bradman Ediriweera
Colombo Colts CC - Chaminda Vaas
Galle CC - Duminda Wickremasinghe
Kurunegala YCC - Ajit Ekanayake
Matara SC - Jagath Nandakumara
Moors SC - Chandika Hathurusingha
Nondescripts CC - Hashan Tillekeratne
Panadura SC - Kapila de Silva
Police SC - Nihal Soysa
Sebastianites SC - S.K. Silva
Singha SC - Saman Jayantha
Singhalese SC - Arjuna Ranatunga
Tamil Union C&AC - Muthiah Muralitharan