Staff and students from St Albans School have returned from a 16-day Sri Lanka cricket tour.

The tour saw 29 students and five staff travel throughout the island, from Colombo to Kandy, Dambullah, Kurunegala, and Galle, taking in breathtaking heritage sites and playing a number of local schools and academies.

Martin Langston, director of physical education said: “The standard of Sri Lankan cricket was exceptionally high. Conditions allow for a 365-day cricket season, meaning the Sri Lankans’ knowledge of the game and ability is exceptional.

“Some of the boys were fortunate enough to play at international stadia,” he continues, “and for both teams to see victories, in tough conditions, is a great achievement for everyone – particularly since some of the Sri Lankan schools have more than 4,000 students to select teams from.”

One of the highlights was a 2nd XI match against at the MCC-funded Sri Sumangala College ground, against the Foundation of Goodness, a charity set up by Sri Lankan cricketing legends to help those affected by the 2004 Tsunami.

On rest days between matches, the tour watched a One Day International (ODI) between Sri Lanka and Pakistan, which proved to be lively both on and off the field, and visited some stunning cultural sites, with highlights including the Cave of Dambullah, a 1,500 year-old world heritage site with 600 stone-carved Buddhist statues; the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy; and a 1,200 step climb to reach the Sigiriya Rock Fortress.

Notable commendations should go to the several half-centurions, including Pat Scott with the tour’s highest score of 80, Gus Laws-Mather for an impressive six-wicket haul, and a special mention to James Feast for a flying fielding performance against Dharmaraja College.