Wiltshire Cricket enjoy experience of a lifetime in Sri Lanka!

A healing balm is about to spread across the land” stated Geoffrey Moorhouse in his seminal book 'The Best Loved Game', whilst discussing the start of a new cricket season. Such an evocative, hope springs eternal, phrase. 

In England, spring is in the air (possibly, days are getting longer and warmer (hopefully) and our minds turn to willow on leather, net practice, fielding drills and, most importantly, lovely cricket teas.

So as winter is finally looking to be on the back foot, and summer is about to jump out and play a lofted straight drive we, the Wiltshire under 15s Boys thought that we would get on our front foot, head out to a sunny isle, and get some pre-season practice and games in.

Sri Lanka welcomed us with open arms, just as we welcomed Sri Lanka. Flying through the night hardly prepared us for a training session, but that first afternoon we got a taste of the heat, the humidity, the sweat, the different playing surface and of course the sights sounds and smells of downtown Colombo. 

The practice was full of effort but draining and young bodies soon began to feel the strain, but we struggled on. It was bright, hot, sweaty and a gutsy practice. We had a match tomorrow and we needed to be ready.

First, we met Nalanda College, tied the scores in regulation play and then, given a super over by umpire Barry Aitken, won with ease. By then the watching parents had been put through the wringer and were exhausted, but we won!

Next up was Lumbini College - watch your nerves parents, it’s going to be a stressful ride again - and this time we won by 9 runs with 3 balls to spare. This game was memorable for George Wylie’s maiden century, a magical moment if ever there was one for one of the nice guys in Wiltshire u15 cricket.

There followed a real test of endurance - two T20s against Wadduwa College at the enormous Army Ordnance Corps ground. One T20 in these conditions is a test for any player, young or old: two played between 10 and 5 in 30+ degrees of heat is a serious test.  We played and struggled manfully however came second in both, but not before Will Miller had added another impressive score to his collection.

Bring on Thurstan College and Will M was at it again, hitting a quick fire 73 to help us win by 5 wickets in 22 overs.

Off to the final match at the private and impressive PUSA ground to play Malinda College and record a comfortable win by 60 runs. Played 6, won 4, lost 2 and had a lot of fun.

The batters had recorded some great scores and all of them had ‘pitched in’. Likewise the bowlers, whether fast or slow, had all been intimately involved in the success of the tour. It was a twelve man squad, a twelve man effort, and a twelve man success of which each one of our boys can be proud. Proud of their performance, proud ambassadors for Wiltshire cricket, and proud representatives of their schools and clubs.

That pride was even more evident on the day we all went to a local school to gift them cricket equipment collected from the Wiltshire clubs.

Thanks to Tom Morton and Josh May for being good shepherds and better coaches, and thanks to travelling umpire Barry Aitken for embodying the spirit of cricket so endearingly!