The first ever Devon Cricket tour to Sri Lanka came to an end last week, with the Under 15 Girls winning three of their matches in a rain-affected fortnight.

Results from the tour can be found on our Sri Lanka Tour Archive.

We caught up with some of the touring party to tell us about their experience:

Ella Gill

"Across the six games that we played, it was amazing to see the development of the team and how we came together to apply our new knowledge and skills on the pitch. A true reflection of our determination and togetherness as a team!

"All the players from the opposition were all so kind to us and treated us with nothing but respect. You could tell that playing us, a touring side, was equally as big of an opportunity for them as it was for us, and we were all so grateful to be sharing so many unforgettable memories with our new Si Lankan cricketing friends."

Maggie Haffenden

"Sri Lanka was a fantastic experience for me, not just because of the cricket we played, but because of the similarities and differences between Sri Lankan culture and ours.

"Buddhism influences life so much in Sri Lanka. We were lucky enough to visit a Buddhist temple and learn all about their main religion, which made me feel very happy.

"One thing that stood out to me was the kindness and friendliness the Sri Lankan people showed us all throughout the tour. Starting at the airport when they welcomed us with flower necklaces, to the very end when they joined in with our singing and dancing.

"As well as showing us kindness during our travels, they showed us kindness at the cricket grounds when they happily took pictures with us. One of the opposition teams was so excited to play us they went as far as  framing a picture with us for us to take home.

"I'm so glad I got to visit Sri Lanka and experience all the fantastic things we did and learnt while I was there."

Holly Evans

"For me the Sri Lanka tour has been a thrilling experience, on and off the field, and we have bonded as a team. On the field we supported each other through some challenging times, especially in the heat. We stuck together and got through all our overs.

"Even when we did not have cricket we had a blast from singing on the long coach rides to late night dancing with the band. We were the loudest team in Sri Lanka for sure!

"We loved all of our trip and activities, especially feeding the elephants at the orphanage and getting henna done as a team. After every match we would have a team swim in the pool which was great fun. I think the friendships we formed in Sri Lanka will be friendships for life and will be good for our future as a team."

David Joseph

"The tour was a great success both on and off the field. As a coaching team we were delighted with the progress the team made on the field. They trained hard and then embraced and executed the team aims and targets set for the tour. This was reinforced by the comments made by the opposition coaches who were impressed with the way in which the players adapted to the conditions and grew as a team. 

"Any tour that is underpinned with smiles and laughter is a success! The girls were great ambassadors for Devon Cricket both on and off the field and will share life long memories."

The Under 15 Girls tour to Sri Lanka is set to take place biennialy, with the next trip currently planned for 2025.

The tour to Sri Lanka was supported by our official overseas travel partner, Lions Sports Travel.