The Only Game that Stops for Tea
When you hear the sound of leather on willow you know the start of the English cricket season has begun. No finer rhythm than a game unfolding beneath a long blue summer sky. For many of us, this is the start of the summer; whites on green grass, the anticipation, and, of course, the calm ritual of tea.
Cricket remains the only sport in the world that pauses for tea. That simple act says everything. It is not just a game, it is a culture, a shared experience and a moment of stillness in the middle of a tense competition.
Born in England, cricket travelled across the seas with the British Empire and found a second home across the sub continent. Introduced to Sri Lanka in the early 1830s, it quickly took root. By 1832, the Colombo Cricket Club had already been formed. It was one of the earliest institutions of the game outside of England, soon many more clubs would be established in Colombo including the Tamil Union, Sinhalese Sports Club and the Nodescript Cricket Club. What began as a colonial pastime has evolved into something far deeper, woven into the fabric of everyday life.
Keeping wicket for the children of Battalgala Estate, Dick Oya
Today, cricket in Sri Lanka is nothing short of a religion. It is played everywhere, from dusty street corners of Pettah, to manicured school grounds, from coastal towns to the misty hills of the tea country. It unites generations, communities, and cultures in a way few things can.
Among its proudest traditions is the legendary Battle of the Blues, contested annually between Royal College Colombo and S. Thomas' College Mount Lavinia. First played in 1879, it remains one of the oldest uninterrupted school cricket matches in the world, a testament to the enduring spirit of the game on the island.
Sri Lanka’s journey in international cricket has been equally remarkable. From underdogs to world champions. The defining moment came in 1996, when the Cricket World Cup was lifted in Lahore under the leadership of Arjuna Ranatunga. It was a victory that changed the course of Sri Lankan cricket forever.
With world cup winning Captain Arjuna Ranatunga
In the hills of the up country, another rivalry has been brewing for over a century.
The Dimbula Athletic & Cricket Club (DACC) and the Dickoya Maskeliya Cricket Club (DMCC) trace their origins back to the late 19th century, when coffee gave way to tea and planters sought companionship beyond the boundaries of their estates.
These clubs have become the social and sporting heart of the tea planting community; places where stories are shared, matches contested, and friendships forged.
Known affectionately as the Radella Club (DACC) and the Darrawella Club (DMCC), they sit among some of the most beautiful landscapes in Sri Lanka. Their rivalry has stood the test of time, yet they have also come together when it mattered, fielding combined sides, the famous “Dim Dicks,” to face touring teams such as the MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club).
The Club house of The Dick Oya Maskeliya Cricket Club DMCC
Darrawella, with its grand Victorian clubhouse, stands as a monument to a bygone era unchanged for over a century. Radella was rebuilt in the 1960s due to a fire that took the original club house, now offers something different: one of the finest cricketing environments in the country.
At over 5,000 feet above sea level, its cool, overcast conditions mirror those of England and New Zealand. It is no surprise that it has become a preferred training ground for the national side preparing for overseas tours. A world away from the dry, turning pitches of Colombo and Galle, Radella is where swing bowlers find their rhythm.
Just as no two pitches are the same, no two teas are alike.
From Maskeliya, our Planters Breakfast is bold and uncompromising. It delivers a deep reddish liquor, a full-bodied strength, and a briskness that cuts through perfect for mornings, or indeed, for those long sessions in the field. It is the kind of tea that stands up to savoury food, grounding and satisfying.
From the high elevations near Radella in Dimbula, our Planters Afternoon offers something altogether more delicate. The cooler climate and slower growth produce a lighter infusion golden in colour, aromatic, and refined. Where it yields in strength, it rewards in aroma.
If your table leans towards savouries, reach for the Planters Breakfast. If it is scones, cream, and something sweet there is only one choice, Planters Afternoon.
This cricket season, as the days stretch longer and the matches begin, there is an opportunity to enjoy both traditions as they were meant to be experienced.
Brew a pot. Take a pause. Watch the game unfold. Because in the end, whether it is cricket or tea, it is never just about the result. It is about the moment.
And the finest moments are always shared with a cup in hand.
