The 2018–19 Premier League Tournament was the 31st season of first-class cricket in Sri Lanka's Premier Trophy. The tournament started on 30 November 2018 and concluded on 10 February 2019. Fourteen teams took part in Tier A of the competition, split into two groups of seven. Bloomfield Cricket and Athletic Club finished in last place in the previous tournament, and were relegated to Tier B for this season. Negombo Cricket Club replaced them for this years' competition after they won the 2017–18 Premier League Tournament Tier B title. Chilaw Marians Cricket Club were the defending champions.
In January 2019, during the round six match between Colombo Cricket Club and Saracens Sports Club, Colombo's Malinda Pushpakumara took all ten wickets in the second innings of the match. Pushpakumara became the second Sri Lankan bowler to take all ten wickets in an innings. It was also the first ten-wicket haul in an innings in first-class cricket since 2009, and the best figures since 1995.
Following the conclusion of the group stage, Chilaw Marians Cricket Club, Colombo Cricket Club, Colts Cricket Club, Nondescripts Cricket Club, Saracens Sports Club, Sinhalese Sports Club, Sri Lanka Army Sports Club and Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club had all progressed to the Super Eight section of the tournament. Meanwhile, Badureliya Sports Club, Burgher Recreation Club, Moors Sports Club, Negombo Cricket Club, Ragama Cricket Club and Sri Lanka Ports Authority Cricket Club were all moved to the Plate League phase, with the bottom team being relegated for the next season.
In the penultimate round of the Super Eight fixtures, Nondescripts captain Angelo Perera scored a double-century in each innings. This had only been done once before in first-class cricket, by Arthur Fagg for Kent against Essex in the 1938 County Championship in England.
Colombo Cricket Club won the tournament, after finishing top of the Super Eight table, ahead of Saracens Sports Club. In the Plate League, Sri Lanka Ports Authority Cricket Club lost their final match, against Burgher Recreation Club, therefore being relegated to Tier B.
Teams The following teams competed:
Group A Chilaw Marians Cricket Club Moors Sports Club Nondescripts Cricket Club Ragama Cricket Club Sri Lanka Army Sports Club Sri Lanka Ports Authority Cricket Club Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club
Group B Badureliya Sports Club Burgher Recreation Club Colombo Cricket Club Colts Cricket Club Negombo Cricket Club Saracens Sports Club Sinhalese Sports Club
Points table
Group A TeamNondescripts Cricket Club6 2 0 4 0 78.96 Chilaw Marians Cricket Club6 2 0 4 0 70.18Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club6 0 0 6 0 65.23 Sri Lanka Army Sports Club6 1 0 5 0 50.67Ragama Cricket Club6 0 0 6 0 40.45Sri Lanka Ports Authority Cricket Club6 2 0 4 0 32.18 Moors Sports Club6 3 0 3 0 30.92 Team qualified for the Super Eight
Group B TeamColombo Cricket Club6 3 1 2 0 85.92 Sinhalese Sports Club6 3 0 3 0 82.44Saracens Sports Club6 1 1 4 0 51.68 Colts Cricket Club6 0 1 5 0 48.94Badureliya Sports Club6 0 0 6 0 38.07Burgher Recreation Club6 0 2 4 0 32.73 Negombo Cricket Club6 0 2 4 0 30.63 Team qualified for the Super Eight
Super Eight TeamColombo Cricket Club7 4 2 1 0 88.32 Saracens Sports Club7 1 1 5 0 75.20Chilaw Marians Cricket Club7 2 0 5 0 74.52 Colts Cricket Club7 2 1 4 0 74.45Sinhalese Sports Club7 2 2 3 0 72.87Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club7 1 0 6 0 70.38 Nondescripts Cricket Club7 0 3 4 0 61.31 Sri Lanka Army Sports Club7 0 3 4 0 28.61 Champions
Plate League TeamBurgher Recreation Club5 1 0 4 0 53.11 Ragama Cricket Club5 0 0 5 0 45.24Badureliya Sports Club5 0 0 5 0 44.47 Moors Sports Club5 0 0 5 0 35.92Negombo Cricket Club5 0 0 5 0 35.83Sri Lanka Ports Authority Cricket Club5 0 1 4 0 26.62 Relegated to Tier B
Group stage Group A Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
Round 6
Round 7
Group B Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
Round 6
Round 7
Plate League
Super Eight
See also 2018–19 Premier League Tournament Tier B
References
External links Series home at ESPN Cricinfo