Hong Kong National Cricket Team play opening tour match at Ardingly College

On Friday 26th June Ardingly  hosted the touring Hong Kong national cricket team in a Twenty20 match. Hong Kong's international cricketers are in Britain in their quest for qualification for the 2016 ICC World T20 Championship and Ardingly was their opening match.

An Ardingly Invitation XI containing former pupils, professional cricketers and some of the current 1st XI played  against one of the up and coming ICC Associate member nations but sadly, despite some great performances,  were not able to defeat the international side. Hong Kong won by 72 runs. Ardingly  old boy Abi Sakande, a Sussex and Oxford University player who recently  took the wicket of  Kevin Peterson for 170, bowled superbly but could not get out big hitters Ahmed and Hayat.

Hong Kong coach Charlie Burke said, 'We have had a great welcome at Ardingly and it's wonderful to have the opportunity to open our five week tour and prepare for European conditions  in this beautiful school.  It is also great to see the standard of Ardingly cricket and the support the students are given.'

Sussex honour was redeemed, however, on Monday and Tuesday when the Sussex 2nd X1 beat Hong Kong twice. The tourists now  go on to Warwickshire, then Scotland and over to Ireland for the qualifying matches.