Mangaluru: The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) Mangaluru Zone will likely organise a school cricket tournament from Aug 6. It is being organised by the KSCA after nearly a decade.KSCA Mangaluru Zone chairman Dr Shrikanth Rai said that around 30 school teams from Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Kodagu have registered for the tournament. The matches will be held across multiple venues, including NMPT Ground, Nehru Maidan, MGM College Grounds, a ground in Karkala, and possibly Father Muller Grounds in Mangaluru, he said.According to Dr Rai, the tournament will follow a league-cum-knockout format, with matches played as 30-over contests, and students up to class X are eligible to participate.
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He said that the association will provide match infrastructure such as grounds and equipment, while participating teams will have to manage their travel.Keeping in mind the monsoon, he said that the association has kept two reserve days for each match. If matches are washed out even after that, points will be shared. He said the event will begin in the first week of Aug, depending on weather conditions and school schedules. These events aim to encourage more students from the region to play, he said.He also noted that participation from Kodagu is comparatively less. The association aims to expand participation to over 50 teams next year, and is working to strengthen school-level cricket by encouraging regular tournaments. “We want schools to build and sustain their cricket teams, instead of playing just one tournament a year,” he said.KSCA is also exploring the possibility of adding engagement activities during matches in collaboration with Coastal Kings. The association plans to make the tournament a full-fledged annual event from next year, by including it in the zonal calendar alongside league competitions.
