The Cumbria Cricket tour to Sri Lanka is up and running!
Here’s the best from the first few days.
Friday 29th March
A day after landing, our two teams took to the field in their first matches.
You can read the match reports below
We arrived at the ground after a very nice breakfast at the hotel. The ground was really nice with a large pavilion including a balcony where we could sit and watch from. It also had an impressive other main pavilion where the parents were able to watch from. We had a short warm up in 30 degrees heat at 8.30am, in which we made use of the grass nets to have a hit on before the toss happend. The skipper won the toss and put Lumbini college u17s in to bat. After a fast start from them with the bat the spinners got us in the game with great spells for Dec, Stirlo and then Faizan who took 5 wickets. Sam bates also had a fantastic direct hit run out. Needing 96 to win openers Faizan and browny came out with intent. After losing Faizan early, the VC Browny produced a clinic in batting against spin, hitting numerous sixes out of the ground and finishing on 69 not out. He was backed up well by Oll Spedding who constructed a nice innings in support of him Also clearing the ropes to reach his 52 and completing a nine-wicket victory An all round great performance from the lads at a great venue.
Hear captain Josh Stirling’s views below.
Cumbria Girls’ first match took place at Thurstan College.
After warming up the toss tuck place which was lost and the outcome was to bowl first. The weather was hot and humid which continued to rise through the day. We started at about 10 o’clock where Maddie and Orla opened the bowling. The spirts were high as Maddie took the first wicket. The girls continued to fight through the heat and more wicket were taken after the first tough 20 overs. These wickets were taken by Kate,Lucy (2 wickets both caught by Jenny), Grace A and a final ball wicket wicket from Grace I, leaving the opposition with a score of 248-9
After teas the batting was opened by Lily and Lucy who starting the batting off strong taking the total over 60. The score gradually rose as batters came in and out. Another stand out batting performance was from Harriet who also got 25 runs who also stepped up to keep earlier in the day when fielding. The innings ended with the score of 151 all out.
Saturday 30th March
Today saw the players take time for a city tour of Colombo.
You can see photos from this fantastic trip below.
Sunday 31st March
Sunday was matchday two for our teams.
This time they each played two T20 matches.
See how they got on below.
It was our hottest day we have had so far in Colombo, we lost the toss and we got put into field and got off to a good start by keeping it tight in the field and picking up some early wickets through Dec and Zac. Throughout the middle overs it was still kept fairly tight, but the opposition had a good few overs towards the end of the innings, the standout perormance being Dec with 4 wickets off of his 4 overs.
We also got off to a good start with the bat with Greeners getting 28 and Speds getting 27. However, following their dismissals the wickets started to fall and we went from 80 for 4 to 96 all out. Then in the second game we lost the toss again and got put into field again, we got off to a poor start which lead to a few missed chances, the opposition capitalised and they ended up finishing on 174 off of their 20 overs. Browny and speds got us off to a half decent start, with speds finishing on 59, at the end of the 20 overs we finished on 165 with Callum and Mackie supporting Speds with Callum getting 44 and Mackie getting 27 but unfortunately we fell 10 runs short of the target.
Watch Grace Airey’s take on the game below.
Monday 1st April
Monday saw the teams transfer to Yala for some fantastic safari experiences at Yala National Park.
This was an amazing experience for all the players and staff – getting an brilliant opportunity to see elephants, antelopes, crocodiles and a variety of birds in their habitat.
See the pictures below.
