Tesco support for the the North/ East U23 Cricket Team

The Foundation of Goodness was very honoured to work with Tesco UK to introduce the Under 23 North/ East Cricket Team in 2013 with the aim of developing cricket in the post-war regions of Sri Lanka. The North-East Team was the first to create a space for professional cricket in the post-war landscape of Sri Lanka’s North and East where the children and youth previously had no opportunity to even play recreational cricket, let alone at a professional level due to the ongoing civil conflict.

With the kind sponsorship of Tesco, we were able to have special training sessions and selections for the U 23 team, following which Tesco continued to support the team through providing for their practice and match kits, special practice sessions and covering all transport, accommodation and meal costs for the duration of these practice clinics.

With the constant support and encouragement of Tesco and the Foundation of Goodness, the rural players have proven that there is indeed a wealth of untapped talent waiting to be discovered in the northern regions. Last year, the team were upgraded from Division III to a Division II team and in 2015 they participated in the Donovan Trophy, one of the two official tournaments organised by Sri Lanka Cricket to determine the Division II rankings and we were very pleased that the North/ East Team were able to maintain their position.

With the help of Tesco UK we hope to see this team achieve great things in the years to come, and perhaps even produce some national players. Thank you Tesco for this incredible opportunity to develop rural talent and extend new opportunities to communities which were held back due to decades of conflict.

26th October 2015