{"id":12523,"date":"2018-02-23T11:26:34","date_gmt":"2018-02-23T11:26:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.experiencetravelgroup.com\/blog\/?p=12523"},"modified":"2020-10-07T19:39:31","modified_gmt":"2020-10-07T18:39:31","slug":"cricket-in-sri-lanka-game-or-god","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.experiencetravelgroup.com\/blog\/cricket-in-sri-lanka-game-or-god\/","title":{"rendered":"Cricket in Sri Lanka: game or God?"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row full_width=”stretch_row_content_no_spaces” equal_height=”yes” content_placement=”middle” css=”.vc_custom_1519137298947{padding-top: 60% !important;background-image: url(https:\/\/www.experiencetravelgroup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Sri-Lanka-Cricket-Beach.jpg?id=12507) !important;background-position: center !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;background-size: cover !important;}”][vc_column width=”1\/3″ offset=”vc_col-lg-offset-9 vc_col-lg-3 vc_hidden-md vc_col-sm-offset-4 vc_hidden-sm vc_col-xs-offset-3 vc_col-xs-6 vc_hidden-xs”][vc_column_text css_animation=”fadeIn” css=”.vc_custom_1519384960075{padding-top: 24px !important;padding-right: 24px !important;padding-bottom: 24px !important;padding-left: 24px !important;background-color: rgba(0,48,83,0.7) !important;*background-color: rgb(0,48,83) !important;}”]<\/p>\n

Precision and passion<\/span><\/h2>\n

Kumu Beach, Sri Lanka<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row_content” equal_height=”yes” content_placement=”middle” parallax=”content-moving” css=”.vc_custom_1515677389520{background-color: #003053 !important;background-position: center;background-repeat: no-repeat;background-size:contain !important;}”][vc_column width=”5\/6″ offset=”vc_col-lg-offset-3 vc_col-lg-6 vc_col-md-offset-1 vc_col-md-10 vc_col-sm-offset-1 vc_col-xs-12″ css=”.vc_custom_1515677437883{padding-top: 10% !important;padding-bottom: 10% !important;}”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

TRAVEL CURIOUS<\/span><\/h2>\n

The way in which we all experience\u00a0travel is evolving. ETG travellers are increasingly seeking out the authentic stories that lie behind the glossy brochure images, and which, we like to say, reveal the fabric of a destination. So, inspired by your own travel moments, we sought out some of the very human stories that lay behind them. We wanted to share them with you; to inspire you to start thinking about your next travel story and inspire like-minded friends and family members to do the same.<\/span><\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row_content_no_spaces” full_height=”yes” equal_height=”yes” content_placement=”middle” parallax=”content-moving”][vc_column offset=”vc_col-lg-8 vc_col-xs-12″][vc_single_image image=”12527″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][\/vc_column][vc_column css_animation=”fadeIn” css=”.vc_custom_1515682996367{padding-top: 5% !important;padding-right: 5% !important;padding-bottom: 5% !important;padding-left: 5% !important;}” offset=”vc_col-lg-offset-0 vc_col-lg-4 vc_col-xs-12″][vc_column_text]Before heading out on this photoshoot, we asked a selection of our clients and colleagues what travel ‘moment’ had truly revealed the fabric of a destination to them. We got a lot of different answers but for Sri Lanka there was one overriding theme: cricket. The feeling was that you simply can\u2019t drive around SL and not see some form of game being played, usually just knocked up on the best green patch the players can find. So for this photoshoot we went out on a bit of limb, just hoping that somewhere, somehow we\u2019d capture the magic of an ad hoc game of cricket. We were not disappointed.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s interesting that most people think of cricket as Sri Lanka\u2019s national obsession, when in fact many people there are as equally interested in volleyball. In 1991 volleyball was officially declared the country\u2019s national sport, and remains so until this day. Most likely, it\u2019s Sri Lanka\u2019s international cricketing prowess that makes its association with the sport so renowned, with the island being one of only five nations that have won a Cricket World Cup.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row_content_no_spaces” content_placement=”middle” css=”.vc_custom_1515676545726{background-position: center !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;background-size: cover !important;}”][vc_column parallax=”content-moving” css=”.vc_custom_1515676642847{margin-top: -35px !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”12528″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” css=”.vc_custom_1519147470131{margin-bottom: -35px !important;}”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row” equal_height=”yes” content_placement=”middle” css=”.vc_custom_1515593851408{background-color: #faeee7 !important;}”][vc_column offset=”vc_col-lg-offset-3 vc_col-lg-6 vc_col-xs-12″ css=”.vc_custom_1515683270935{margin-top: 10% !important;margin-bottom: 10% !important;}”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

One afternoon in Kumu Beach…<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

We were staying down in Kumu Beach when we mentioned to the owner that we wanted to capture some cricket. He told us to be patient and wait until 5 o\u2019clock. Lo and behold, come 5pm, the staff hit break time and instantly we knew that we\u2019d lucked out. We hope the photos speak for themselves. <\/span><\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row_content_no_spaces” full_height=”yes” equal_height=”yes” content_placement=”middle” parallax=”content-moving”][vc_column offset=”vc_col-lg-8 vc_col-xs-12″][vc_single_image image=”12534″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][\/vc_column][vc_column css_animation=”fadeIn” css=”.vc_custom_1515683085349{padding-top: 5% !important;padding-right: 5% !important;padding-bottom: 5% !important;padding-left: 5% !important;}” offset=”vc_col-lg-offset-0 vc_col-lg-4 vc_col-xs-12″][vc_column_text]Not to succumb to stereotypes, but it seems every Sri Lankan is good at cricket. It\u2019s like it\u2019s encoded in their DNA. Even when Chandana (from our local office) and Chami (one of our chauffeur guides) had a quick game on the grass of Kumu beach during our break, they were brilliant. I asked Chandana how he got to be so good, and he replied nonchalantly that it\u2019s just something you grow up with. What\u2019s great about cricket, he told me, is that the whole family love playing and watching it together. A bit like my family and AFC Wimbledon, I guess – or something of the like.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row_content_no_spaces” content_placement=”middle” css=”.vc_custom_1515676545726{background-position: center !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;background-size: cover !important;}”][vc_column parallax=”content-moving” css=”.vc_custom_1515676642847{margin-top: -35px !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”12531″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” css=”.vc_custom_1519147598644{margin-bottom: -35px !important;}”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row” equal_height=”yes” content_placement=”middle” parallax=”content-moving” css=”.vc_custom_1515594637830{background-color: #faeee7 !important;background-position: center;background-repeat: no-repeat;background-size:cover !important;}”][vc_column offset=”vc_col-lg-offset-3 vc_col-lg-6 vc_col-xs-12″ css=”.vc_custom_1515683290351{margin-top: 10% !important;margin-bottom: 10% !important;}”][vc_column_text css_animation=”none”]<\/p>\n

Meet the cricket players<\/span><\/h2>\n

Obviously, if you head to Kumu beach yourself, we can\u2019t guarantee that the same staff will still be there at the crease. But whether you’re there or on the beautiful Balapitiya beach late afternoon, no doubt you\u2019ll see a game of cricket (or volleyball). For me, there was something about it being break time on the beach that made it even more special. With technology taking over the western world it was refreshing to see that these guys spend their downtime together doing something they’re passionate about, rather than checking up on the their Instagram feed.<\/p>\n

\"Visit<\/a><\/span>