PUPILS from New Hall School took the opportunity to play on international cricket grounds on their recent tour of Sri Lanka.
A squad of 18 from the independent boarding and day school in Chelmsford headed to Asia last month for a programme of fixtures which saw them take the field at some impressive stadia.
Among them were the Dambulla International Stadium and Rajapaske International Stadium, both of which have hosted several one-day internationals.
As well as playing cricket, the pupils also visited charity Foundation of Goodness, which is working to improve the lives of the people in the surrounding areas through sport, education and healthcare.
While there, the pupils opened the New Hall School IT suite, which contains ten new computers donated on behalf of the school.
New Hall's Cricket Academy trains all-year round under the tutelage of the school's Head of Cricket Gareth James alongside former England captain Nasser Hussain, who is New Hall's cricket professional.
The Academy is made up of elite county and school players, and they receive hours of individual coaching.
Hussain said: "The facilities and opportunities at New Hall continue to improve and we will continue to work as hard as possible to make sure that every student has the chance to be as good as they can be.
This is the second oversees cricket tour the school has undertaken, after the hugely successful trip to Abu Dhabi and Dubai in 2011. "Tours such as these are vital in the development of young players, both on and off the field," said James.
"The Cricket Academy has seen exciting developments since it first launched, with Nasser Hussain joining as our professional and the students benefiting from outstanding facilities, including cricket nets and extensive grounds.
"All of this helps all of our players, whether a part of the Academy or any of the school's cricket teams, to develop and grow to their full potential."