It was not just the Scotland men’s team playing in the West Indies this year, as three teams from Edinburgh University Cricket Club toured to Barbados in June.
Two men’s squads and one women’s squad – 42 tourists in total – swapped part of the Scottish ‘summer’ for Caribbean life between June 7 and 17.
Josh Bartholomew, Club President, said: “It had been a few years since the club had done a proper overseas tour as previous plans to go to Barbados and Sri Lanka respectively were scuppered by the pandemic and some other unforeseen circumstances.
“So, after a short hop across the border to Newcastle on tour last year, we thought it was time to spread our wings a little further and head to the Caribbean.
“There was no restrictions on ability in the squads that travelled, so we took a mix of beginners and more experienced players and every squad got two games each whilst we also played one intra-club T20 tournament.”
What conditions did the capital-based cricketers find out there then?
“In a word… hot,” Josh laughs.
“Going from the cold Scottish climes to the Bajan heat took some adaptation for sure!
“Seriously though, it was great to play against some really strong local teams, many of which had Barbados representative players/youth representative players playing for them. Playing on Caribbean wickets was certainly an education for lots of us, especially those slightly less accustomed to playing the short ball.
“We were made to feel so welcome by the local teams we played against, all of whom put on a really good tea for us, a particularly popular move as most cricketers will understand!
“There were 42 of us in total – just over one third of the whole club’s membership – which was great and we were really glad that so many members got to experience a tour like no other.”
Since the trip a number of the touring party have graduated and are leaving university this summer, so a few sundowner drinks in Barbados with team mates and friends was the perfect way to bow out.
“For a few of the group it was their last experience of EUCC so there was definitely a sense of nostalgia and wistfulness amongst some of the touring contingent as their time with the club ended,” Josh said.
“As well as our own cricket we went to the England-Australia T20 World Cup game at Kensington Oval which was truly incredible, and a day none of us will soon forget, the atmosphere in the ground was like nothing we’d ever seen before.
“Even just being in the Caribbean during the tournament was great too, the atmosphere in local bars and restaurants when the West Indies were playing was electric – the whole island was so connected to cricket.
“I’d like to say a massive thanks to Laura and Jane from Silverblue Tours for helping us organise the tour while, from our side, our tour secretary Chloe was amazing and put in a Herculean shift to ensure that everything went to plan.”
To top things off, the touring party were on the same flight home as many of the Scotland T20 World Cup squad and they were able to catch up with them after a quite brilliant experience in the Caribbean!