Members from Hong Kong’s A squad have kept up tradition while in Sri Lanka with a visit to the Vajira Sri Children’s Development Centre in southern Colombo.

The centre, which is the largest orphanage in Sri Lanka, supports children who have had difficult upbringings.

A number of the staff and players again visited the home that has been a regular visit for Hong Kong squads when travelling to Sri Lanka.

It started when Jamie Atkinson & Charlie Burke wanted too do something a bit different before the 2013 ICC WT20Q.

The former skipper and coach arranged for the squad to spend a day helping the kids and playing some cricket.

“Atko (Jamie Atkinson) came to me one day after training and was frustrated how the squad was more concerned about off field things such as what class of travel, who is in what rooms during the WT20Q rather than remembering how hard we had worked to qualify and how lucky we were to do what we did,” Charlie Burke said.

“The visit was fantastic for everyone and the partnership between Hong Kong cricket and Vajira Sri only grows stronger every visit”

“I was pleasantly surprised how well the guys connected with these wonderful kids. We had planned to stay 2-3 hours and ended up cancelling training and staying for most of the day”

“I was lucky enough to spend a month in Sri Lanka (near Galle) after the Tsunami to assist with some schools and homes for these kids. Sri Lanka has always been a special place to me and to now have our Men's and Women's players so fond of these kids in Colombo is really special”

Since 2013 Hong Kong Cricket Association has arranged equipment, clothing, special visits by Australian and England players as well as providing some personal sponsorship to assist with vaccinations, meals and teachers salaries.

The visit this time around was to donate clothes and food as well as get a better understanding of what more can be done to assist.

HKCA would like to offer sincere thanks to Sri Lanka Airlines for sponsoring the extra baggage and to the wonderful staff at SriLankan Cares who assist in this partnership.

More information on the Vajira Sri Children’s Development Centre

香港A隊一眾球員趁著到斯里蘭卡集訓，到了可倫坡南部Vajira Sri兒童發展中心進行探訪。

這間全斯里蘭卡最大的孤兒院，為成長情況惡劣的兒童提供無比支持。

香港板球職球員過往曾多次探訪此孤兒院，慢慢變成了一個傳統。

這個傳統於2013年「20回合制世界賽」外圍賽之前開始，當時的隊長艾堅遜（Jamie Atkinson）及教練貝卓禮（Charlie Burke）希望為球隊帶來不一樣的活動。

他們安排隊員與中心內的小朋友共渡一天，一起打板球。

貝卓禮回想起當時的情況：「有一天，艾堅遜在訓練後跟我說，他對球隊感到失望，因為隊員只顧當時的交通安排、酒店房間狀況等等球場外的瑣碎事，而忘記了球隊付出了多少才能晉級外圍賽，能夠到此作賽是多大的榮幸。」

「當時的探訪非常高興。之後的每次到訪都令板總及Vajira Sri中心之間的關係更見鞏固。」

「球員與小朋友建立了很好的友誼，令我喜出望外。當時我們原本計劃探訪兩至三小時，最後我們取消了訓練，逗留了大半天。」

2013年起，香港板球總會向中心捐出板球用具、衣物，亦安排了澳洲及英格蘭球員探訪，更加提供資助，協助中心購買疫苗、食物及支付教師薪酬。

今次探訪則包括捐出衣服及食物，亦進一步了解中心的需要。

本會感謝斯里蘭卡航空贊助額外行李容量，以及SriLankan Cares為這次合作提供協助。