Spokesman for Bloomfield C&AC

As we all know currently there are no tournaments happening, but the Under-23 competition is on the cards. It's a good sign as three-day matches will be played because that's the bridge from the schools to the next level. With a packed international calendar in 2022, Sri Lanka will have no openings to conduct any important domestic competitions.

The upcoming NSL is good move, but there are lapses those concerned conducting the tournament should look upon to. The lists of teams show that it's almost a list of young players with only a handful of 'proper' seniors. It's not only the fitness, form and consistency that they should focus on, these players need the guidance on the field.

For this these youngsters should play alongside 'proper' seniors who can impart their experience with the next generation of cricketers. Back during our days, as seniors we played at least three seasons of Division III cricket, where we had to play with cricketers straight out from school started their club careers. That practice paid dividends in the long run to the national stream.

Nowadays there are no matured players in the circle. Most players tend to leave the country to play in other leagues. We must have a certain plan to keep players here.

NSL is good, but the question is does it really serve the purpose. The selection criteria is the biggest question, because without the seniors within the setup, we cannot expect player development. That's a dilution.