Australian veterans promise to return to Sri Lanka

While Australia’s recent tour of Sri Lanka for two Tests and seven limited over games created much interest, there was another Australian cricket team touring the island around the same time. The Veterans of Cricket Victoria were in Sri Lanka for two and half weeks and during their stay they played five games in different parts of the country like Annuradhapura, Kandy, Hikkaduwa and Colombo. The average age of Victorian Veterans was 70.

The touring party comprised 23 including 15 players, partners and family members. They made a donation of sporting and educational items to the Foundation of Goodness in Seenigama where fellow Victorian Shane Warne helped put up a state-of-the-art Center of Excellence catering to nine sports.

“We thoroughly enjoyed the hospitality of the Sri Lankan people who continue to be resilient in such difficult times. Our thoughts will always be with them and I know some members of our group will return again,” James Barrett, who has made several trips to Sri Lanka said.

The Veterans had made previous visits to the country in 2015 and 2018.