Spin, spas and sky lounges: Men’s Cricket go to Sri Lanka

Over Easter, 21 members of the University of Warwick Men’s Cricket Club travelled to the subcontinent for our annual pre-season tour. Our 12-night stay in Sri Lanka consisted of six cricket matches against university, club and academy sides in Colombo, Kandy and Hikaduwwa. We also took part in a wide variety of sightseeing activities, including visiting Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, the Temple of the Tooth and a boat safari on the Madhu river.

After hearing about their past experiences of circle and post-POP adventures, we were subject to some clean striking by one particular old boy.

The tour began with a warm-up Twenty20 game against the Sri Lankan UWMCC alumni. After hearing about their past experiences of circle and post-POP adventures in various Leamington fast-food establishments, we were subject to some clean striking by one particular old boy; scoring a blistering 91 off 36 balls. To the relief of our worn-out bowling attack he was later found out to be an ex-international cricketer, much to the amusement of the non-playing members for the day. In response to the old boys’ 187, UWMCC made a respectable 165, including a 50 from Ryan Chase in his first outdoor game for the club.

Image: Facebook/University of Warwick Men’s Cricket Club

The tourists were quickly notified by the old boys that the upcoming fixtures were against the most prolific teams in the country, many of which had an array of Sri Lankan u19 players in their ranks. Unfortunately, the wise words of the old boys rang true. Despite multiple strong performances and one narrow last-over loss against Peradeniya University, UWMCC were unable to secure a win in any of our first five games against tricky spin in unfamiliar conditions.

Amidst the early starts and sweltering heat, we were able to experience the varied nightlife and culture that Sri Lanka has to offer. From beach bars to sky lounges, clubmen were eager to take advantage of the local lion lager and act classy at Colombo’s finest rooftop bar, which displayed an amazing view of the skyline and beachfront. Moreover, Kandy allowed the tourists to access their religious side, but that didn’t stop a few from adding a new dimension to their Instagram accounts with a token selfie with a golden Buddha or two. Hikaduwwa’s beaches lived up to expectation, giving the touring party no choice but to have its very first beach circle – only a slight change from the Copper Rooms.

Image: Facebook/University of Warwick Men’s Cricket Club

The penultimate day of tour was undoubtedly one of the best. The touring party were taken on a boat safari of the Madhu River with a memorable experience at a local fish spa. We anticipated tiny fish nibbling at our heels; we actually should have brought some harpoons, such were the size of these fish. They were absolute monsters who were intent on biting off our toes – whether this was therapy or an Austin Powers-esque torture technique is debatable. The touring party continued to the Foundation of Goodness Centre of Excellence, a place where under-privileged children in the local village of Seenigama can attend coaching classes in a variety of sports. It was inspiring to see the children who have so little in their daily lives being so kind and willing to learn. The experience will stay with us for a long time.

The final day consisted of our sixth and final game at the iconic Galle International Stadium. After bowling first and being set a target of 214 in 40 overs – the lowest target we had been set all tour – the elusive win was very much in sight. After a strong opening stand and first wicket partnership, we found ourselves 134-2 off 20 overs, with a great knock of 65 off 58 balls from Louie Millman. After a tumble of wickets and a few lower-order batsmen steering us towards victory, James Harris’ heroic four off the last ball meant that we tied our final game; signifying that we were the first touring party not to lose every game for 14 years. Despite not being the fairytale ending the tourists were hoping for, this was a great way to end the cricketing side of the tour, and to give the club a good base to begin our quest for promotions in the upcoming BUCS season.