Athula Unantenne (Sri Lanka)
The international language of cricket
It started off as an idea just a few years ago and has turned into an annual tour de force, with 30 talented young Brisbane cricketers taking on the cream of Sri Lanka's junior Cricketers in Colombo, Dambulla, Galle and Kandy.
This year was the 4th annual Moreton Cricket Juniors & Colt Tour of Sri Lanka which was successfully completed in April.
One of Australia's newest citizens, Athula (Andy) Unantenne, is the Manager and a driving force behind the tours.
Athula's love of cricket began in Sri Lanka at College, where he captained cricket and rugby union sides but he had to put his passion for the leather and willow on hold as he left for London to pursue a professional accountancy career and start a family.
After 20 years of living in England, the prospect of migrating to Australia presented fresh opportunities.
'Cricket was the deciding factor in coming to Australia. I had been a great fan of the Australian cricket team for a long time,' Athula said.
'I had the opportunity to live in Canada, but there wouldn't be much cricket in Canada so that just wasn't an option.'
In Australia, Andy actively pursued and shared his love of cricket as an Australian Cricket Board Level 2 Coach in Brisbane.
In 2001, Andy and his friend, former Maldives and Bhutan National Coach and current South Brisbane coach, Baba Sourjah, were so impressed with the standard of some of Brisbane's very talented young players at Queensland Junior Championships they approached parents about taking the boys on a tour of Sri Lanka.
Australian Test and One Day International Player, Andy Bichel, became patron of the tours.
'Andy has been a great inspiration to the young cricketers who were embarking on a great opportunity to develop and exhibit their skills against quality opposition and different conditions on the sub continent,' Athula said.
'One of the most pleasing aspects of the entire experience is the camaraderie that develops among the boys, as they realise that they are not only representing Brisbane but are seen as representing the whole of Australia, and that brings out a certain pride in how the boys conduct themselves both on and off the pitch.
'The boys and their families not only experience a different culture. They embrace a country less privileged, but wealthy in terms of culture and heritage.'
This year's tour was almost cancelled because of the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami which hit the southern coastal region of Sri Lanka, affecting tens of thousands of people.
'It was a tough call, but the 85 members of this year's tour group, including players, parents and supporters decided to continue with the tour and managed to raise a considerable sum of money to re-build a pre school in Hambantota, a southern coastal town completely devastated by the tragedy,' Andy said.
Over the years, the tour groups have also donated cricket equipment to clubs and computer equipment to schools in some of Sri Lanka's less privileged areas, with a substantial donation also going to the Hope Cancer Hospital.
Athula became an Australian citizen on Australia Day 2005.
'My family and I felt we really wanted to make a firm commitment to Australia because Australia has become our home.
'There is a huge value to Australian citizenship and when you are truly accepted here, as my family and I were in grand style on Australia Day 2005, it was wonderful.'