News has come in on the newswires that a team of intrepid adventurers representing Lanna has arrived in Sri Lanka and is attempting to play some cricket.
Conditions are soggy even at Bloomfield CC in Colombo which is a first-class ground and the first match of the tour was abandoned without a ball being bowled as the old ladies with their sponges always have their limitations against the might of the monsoon.
The rescheduled fixture at least got under way before being called off with Lanna on 60 for 4 from 12 chasing 185. Some experts would think the result would be victory for the home side on the Duckworth Lewis method but we shall assume no result is the preferred verdict on the match.
Victory came at the third time of asking as Lanna won by 30 runs with Matt Bray, leader of this merry band of heroes, made 45 and Jun, one of three Thai juniors, in the party scored 55. And wait some breaking news, yet to be verified Adrian Ballantyne Mills Haworth has learnt how to bowl and now has four wickets on tour and is head to Chiang Mai soon.
Problems for the scorecard with that name... come on Jun take some more wickets.
Footage has also emerged of a rather uncomfortable journey down to idyllic Galle (also wet) on the mail train as the 100 km took 6 hours with a delightful tambourine accompaniment. But at last the sun has come out and the team has been practising at the spectacular Galle Fort ready for the last two matches of the tour.
It seems to be a memorable tour and the fact that Lanna actually had more players than the opposition and won a match is well beyond expectations.
Champ, Chaiwut and Jun seem to be having a fantastic time on what could be a life-changing trip for three young Thai cricketers so thank you again to all who support junior cricket.
More news to follow on the return of the mail train.....