Celebrating Cricket and Kindness Across Oceans
The members of the Moreton cricket Club from Australia were surprised by the warm welcome extended by the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau staff on their arrival to Sri Lanka by Singapore Airlines on Thursday night. The group consisted of nearly 100 members including family members who enjoyed the welcome by the traditional dance performances showcasing the Sri Lankan culture and hospitality along with the memorabilia received from Sri Lanka Tourism. They will be staying in Sri Lanka from 3rd to 16th April 2025 , engaging themselves in cricket matches , distributing cricket materials to the less privileged schools and also visiting several key tourist attractions in Sri Lanka .
Moreton Cricket , comprising cricketers from Queensland , Australia, was the brainchild of former Havelock and CH& FC rugby player Baba Sourjah , along with Athula Unantenne, who captained both Trinity college 1st Xv Rugby team and the 1st XI Rugby team in the 1970 ‘s. Although the tour was interrupted due to the Covid pandemic in 2020 , but resumed in 2023. This year the tour will feature four teams along with parents and supporters. Moreover, for the first time , the tour will also include a girl’s under 13 team. Each year , the Moretown cricket club undertakes a special project to support underprivileged communities in the areas and of Health , Education , and Sport . This Time, the lucky recipient of this privilege will be the Wadduwa Central Girls School .
The teams will be competing in Colombo, Kandy and in southern districts and will play a 50 over game at the Colts Cricket Club, Nondescripts Cricket Club (NCC) and at the Burgher Recreation Club(BRC) . They will play T20 games at the Pallekale International Cricket Stadium, and a 50 over game at the Welagedara Cricket Stadium.
Their travel itinerary further consists of visiting the Sacred Tooth Relic temple in Kandy, iconic Sigiriya rock fortress, and thereafter a day trip to Nuwara Eliya and then proceed to the Bentota Beach. Matches are also scheduled at the Bandaragama Cricket Stadium and at the Dombagoda Cricket Stadium and at the General Balagalla Cricket stadium , Karandeniya, , followed by a presentation function in the evening.
The Moreton Cricket team will be finally departing Sri Lanka on the 16th of April by Singapore Airlines, taking back memories which they will cherish for a lifetime by sharing their memories with their peers and fellow citizens which will greatly benefit in promoting Sri Lanka as a holiday destination among the Australian travelers.
