Sri Lanka Cricket slashes top-tier clubs to 10 and extends first-class season to four days in sweeping reform

Sri Lanka Cricket embarks on radical domestic overhaul

Sri Lanka Cricket's Transformation Committee has unveiled a sweeping package of reforms, cutting the number of top-tier domestic clubs from 14 to 10 and extending the country's premier first-class tournament from three days to four. The changes form part of a broader restructuring laid out weeks after the board was stripped of hosting rights for the inaugural Women's Champions Trophy.

The committee, appointed by the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs in April, said in a September 21 statement that it had drafted a new SLC constitution within two months of its formation and submitted it to the government, which is now working towards tabling it in Parliament.

New constitution at the heart of reforms

The draft constitution is central to the committee's vision. The ICC's board, at its July meeting in Edinburgh, noted progress on the constitution but said Sri Lanka would "continue to be unable to be represented at ICC Board meetings for the time being" until elections are held.

"The Committee believes the proposed Constitution, which has been developed to reflect the requirements of the modern game, will provide a stable foundation for the future development of Sri Lanka Cricket," the release said. "It is also expected to provide a framework that is acceptable to all key stakeholders, including the International Cricket Council (ICC), the Sri Lankan public, and cricket fans."

Domestic structure reshaped

The domestic reforms go further. Twelve clubs will be retained in a second tier, while the top tier is reduced to concentrate the country's best players in a more competitive flight. The longer format, the committee argues, better prepares players for Test cricket.

"The reduction in the number of Tier 'A' clubs is intended to ensure that the country's best players compete in the highest-level domestic tournament. The Committee is of the view that a more competitive domestic structure will raise the overall standard of domestic cricket and strengthen the feeder pathway to the national teams," the release said.

A more structured calendar with built-in rest periods and a revamp of schools cricket are also part of the plan.

Specialist appointments across the board

The committee has moved to professionalise every layer of the game. Andy Atkinson, the ICC's former head curator, led the hiring of a new national curator, and all curators at international venues have been brought under SLC's direct employment. Ashley Ross has been brought in to help restructure coaching, including a review of the High Performance Centre, while former ICC umpires Lyndon Hannibal and Ruchira Palliyaguruge have been appointed to lift umpiring standards from school level up.

Dr Alex Kountouris, a physiotherapist with Sri Lanka's 1996 World Cup-winning team, is overseeing a reorganisation of sports medicine, and a sports psychologist has joined the men's team setup. The women's game also gets a push, with media and communication training rolled out as part of a wider professional development effort.

Cost-cutting and redress

The board has trimmed costs by exiting unnecessary legal battles, cutting consultants and paring back an "excessively large" coaching structure. "The Committee believes these measures will help reduce financial wastage and enable more resources to be directed towards player development and cricket infrastructure."

The committee also said it was addressing past grievances, offering "redress" to employees and clubs it believes were "unfairly penalised."

Fallout from the Women's Champions Trophy loss

Sri Lanka's loss of the Women's Champions Trophy, due in February 2027, has been attributed to government interference in the SLC board. The tournament has since been moved to India as a result. It is the second ICC event pulled from Sri Lanka in recent years after the 2024 men's Under-19 World Cup.

"Further measures will be introduced as the transformation process progresses," the release concluded.