DETERMINATION and skill were required in equal measure as young cricketers from a Lytham school made an eight-match tour of Sri Lanka.

Temperatures of more than 100 degrees and talented opposition proved a tough test for the 19 players from King Edward VII and Queen Mary School.

Highlights of the tour included unbeaten centuries from newly-appointed England Under-15 captain Jack Kelliher and Ben Hall, who made a superb 146 against Mahinda College.

Tour manager Andy Weston was pleased with the resolution of his players.

"Our record of three wins, three defeats and two draws was very satisfactory," he said. "This was a demanding schedule and maintaining health and fitness was difficult. I felt that the opposition had some very good players, but we matched them for skill."

Lorin Smith was the pick of the Lytham bowlers and batsmen Tom Eastham, Chris Roberts and Richard Cragg all contributed well to the victories in Kandy, Galle and Colombo.

Tom, who captained the team for most of the matches, felt that the heat and humidity has been the biggest problem.

"The squad really enjoyed the tour," he said, "but the high temperatures and a different diet took their toll. We did especially well to win our last two games."