COUNTY PRE-SEASON • SRI LANKA
Hit April ready.
A ten-day pre-season tour built for professional county sides, warm-weather training, four competitive fixtures, and a five-star base at Cinnamon Lakeside.
DATES
Feb - Apr 2027
LENGTH
10 Nights · 11 Days
FORMAT
4 fixtures · 2 net sessions
FROM
£TBC inc. flights
SRI LANKA PRE-SEASON
The off-season environment that does the work.
Cricket isn't a hobby in Sri Lanka, it's a national passion. The country that won the 1996 World Cup and produced cricketers across every format offers professional touring sides exactly what an English February cannot: warm weather, well-prepared wickets, and a strong network of clubs and development squads eager for competitive fixtures.
For UK county sides, this means consistent outdoor training, valuable practice against spin and slower pitches, and a full match-ready preparation programme delivered weeks before the domestic season begins.
AT A GLANCE
What the tour delivers.
Six commitments built into every county pre-season programme.
— 1 —
Warm-Weather Training
Two three-hour net sessions at first-class venues with turf nets, well-prepared wickets, and professional support staff. Tailored for skills work, scenario practice, or team strategy.
— 4 —
Spinning Conditions
Sri Lankan pitches are known for turn. Valuable preparation against spin and slower wickets, the exact conditions UK domestic batters can struggle with mid-season.
— 2 —
Four Competitive Fixtures
50-over matches against top-tier local clubs, provincial sides, and Sri Lanka development squads. Competitive intensity, with the developmental focus that pre-season demands.
— 5 —
Optional Q&A with Internationals
Workshops or Q&A sessions with former Sri Lankan internationals, arranged on request. Insights on playing conditions, career development, and tactical awareness from the highest level.
— 3 —
5★ Cinnamon Lakeside
Your base for the tour. A five-star property overlooking Beira Lake, minutes from key cricket grounds, with full gym, pool, and wellness centre on site.
— 6 —
Inspire On The Ground
Inspire staff travel with the squad throughout the tour. Day-to-day operations, hotels, transport, refreshments, and every detail in between, handled by us.
TELL US HOW YOU'D LIKE TO TAILOR YOUR TOUR. WE'LL BUILD IT AROUND YOU.
TOUR FOOTAGE
Hampshire CCC's 2025 pre-season.
A look at what a county pre-season tour actually looks like, on the ground.
Filmed during Hampshire Cricket Club's February 2025 pre-season tour.
THE PROGRAMME
Day by day, 10 nights / 11 days.
A balanced rhythm of training, fixtures, and recovery, with optional excursions built into the schedule.
Day 01
Departure from the UK
—
The squad departs the UK overnight, headed for Colombo.
Day 02
Arrival in Sri Lanka
—
Land in Colombo and transfer to the Cinnamon Lakeside, your base for the tour.
Day 03
Training Day 01
—
Three-hour net session, morning or afternoon. Rest of the day to recover from travel.
Day 04
Training Day 2
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Second three-hour net session. Free time in Colombo, with optional excursions.
Day 05
Match Day 1
—
Early breakfast, transfer to ground. 50-over fixture from 9:30am, with lunch and tea at the venue.
Day 06
Match Day 2
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Second 50-over fixture. Lunch and tea provided at the venue.
Day 07
Day Off
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Optional excursions, beach trip with one night at the coast, Kandy and the central province, or downtime at the hotel.
Day 08
Optional Training Day
—
A third net session for squads wanting an extra workout before the closing fixtures.
Day 09
Match Day 3
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Third 50-over fixture. Lunch and tea provided at the venue.
Day 10
Match Day 4
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Final 50-over fixture of the tour. Lunch and tea provided at the venue.
Day 11
Departure
—
Check out from the hotel and transfer to the airport for the return flight home.
WHERE YOU'LL STAY
Five-star base, professional facilities.
Your home for the tour, and the venues where the cricket happens.
5★ HOTEL
COLOMBO • HOTEL
Cinnamon Lakeside
Five-star property overlooking Beira Lake, minutes from key cricket grounds. Spacious rooms, world-class dining, full gym and pool, and a wellness centre on site. A preferred choice for touring squads needing comfort, recovery, and a secure environment.
MATCH VENUES
COLOMBO & SURROUNDS
Fixture Grounds
First-class match venues with umpires and scorers provided. Lunch and tea served at the ground on match days, plus refreshments, cooler boxes with ice, and cold towels in-between innings.
TRAINING
NET FACILITIES
Training Venues
Turf nets, professional support staff, and well-prepared wickets. Sessions are tailored to the squad's needs, technical work, scenario practice, or strategy, with refreshments at the ground.
WHAT'S IN, WHAT'S OUT
The full breakdown, upfront.
So you can see exactly what your tour price covers and what falls outside it.
✓ What's Included
—
AC coaches with driver and helper throughout
—
4 match days with umpires, scorers, and opposition
—
2 × 3-hour net training sessions, refreshments included
—
Meeting room for team briefings
—
Cold towels and cooler boxes on match days
—
Bottled water provided throughout the tour
—
25kg main luggage + 7kg carry-on allowance
—
Inspire staff with the group from arrival to departure
—
Daily operations, transport, and hotel coordination
—
Excursion management and on-the-ground support
—
5★ accommodation on a B&B basis (lunch on match days)
Optional add-ons.
Day at Weligama with surf lesson at Lucky Surf, lunch at Fish Point, and Galle Fort on the way back
Group yoga and guided meditation at the hotel
Day trip to Kitulgala for white-water rafting
Third training day on 3 March
— Not Included
—
Travel insurance
—
Visa fees
—
Beverages throughout the tour
—
Personal expenses and laundry
—
Optional excursions (see below)
—
Non-match-day lunches and all dinners
WHY SRI LANKA
Four reasons county sides come back.
What a Sri Lankan pre-season actually does for a professional squad heading into April.
— 01 —
Outdoor Training in February
Consistent tropical weather lets the squad train outdoors every day, while UK clubs are still in the gym or under the cages.
— 02 —
Spin Bowling Preparation
Subcontinental pitches mean batters get the kind of spin practice that's hard to replicate in the UK. Bowlers benefit too.
— 03 —
Focus Away From Home
A change of environment removes domestic distractions, the ideal setup for strategic planning, team chemistry, and squad bonding.
— 04 —
Match-Ready by April
Four 50-over fixtures against quality opposition, with full match-day conditions. The squad lands home ready, not still warming up.