Barbados Cricket tour
The 2025 Barbados Cricket tour was a resounding success. After a rather early departure time of 2am from Wells, the team arrived 16 hours later on the beautiful island of Barbados, full of excitement!
The first full day was spent acclimatising with a morning training session in the sweltering 30°C heat. With regular drinks breaks, the boys showed excellent focus, adapting quickly to the unfamiliar conditions and pitch types. A relaxing evening at their beachfront hotel left them refreshed and ready for their first match.
Match one was a memorable opener against a Schools Invitational XI. On arrival, the group were greeted by former West Indies international player Dwayne Smith – now working as the groundsman! The pitch provided a bit of a reality check: dry, worn, with a long outfield and no clear boundary line. Batting first, Wells managed a modest 135 all out. Despite the odds, a spirited fightback led by Toby B (3-8, Year 11), supported by sharp catching from Josh F (Year 11) and a brilliant spell from Josh B (4-18, Lower Sixth), secured a thrilling 5-run win.
The second match, played at Alleyne School, saw a much more composed performance. The match also introduced the first of Mr Grass’ iconic pitch reports which quickly became a tour favourite! A steady batting display saw Wells reach 186-5 from 30 overs, with Paul K-K (Upper Sixth) anchoring the innings with an unbeaten 68. Our bowlers then stepped up: Alleyne were dismissed for just 113, with Rory S (Lower Sixth) taking 3-14 and Ethan D’O (Lower Sixth) a clinical 3-2.
With morale high, the next day saw a well-earned rest. The team embarked on a breathtaking catamaran cruise, which featured swimming with turtles – a truly unforgettable highlight of the tour.
The third match then took Wells to the stunning ground of Isolation CC. Despite the picturesque setting, the boys fell short by 46 runs against a strong opposition. Alex M (Upper Sixth) top-scored with a solid 39.
In the fourth match, Wells faced Coleridge and Parry School. The boys restricted the opposition to 129-9 from 25 overs, then the chase was not without drama but a blistering 30 from Zak M (Year 11) saw them edge a nail-biting win by one wicket.
That evening, they headed to St Lawrence Gap. Post-dinner, everyone took part in a karaoke night that turned into one of the most memorable evenings of the trip. From Sweet Caroline and Hey Jude to Teenage Dirtbag, the team took to the stage and sang their hearts out in front of their peers.
The final match day featured two T20 fixtures against Grantley Adams School. Despite narrow defeats in both games, there were standout performances from Noah R (45, Lower Sixth), Toby B (2-6), Paul K-K (35) and Zak M (34).
Overall, the tour was an outstanding experience for all and the boys learned so much from playing in unfamiliar conditions against varied opposition. They were tremendous ambassadors for the School – competing hard in tough heat, showing maturity and resilience on the pitch, and conducting themselves with kindness, respect and good humour off it. It really was an extraordinary adventure filled with hard-fought matches, brilliant moments and lasting memories.
To find out more about Sport at Wells, click here.
Download the FREE Wells Cathedral School app to easily keep up with the parts of Wells that interest you, interact with our social media feeds, access useful links more! We highly recommend enabling notifications to stay informed about the many wonderful things happening at our School.
The first full day was spent acclimatising with a morning training session in the sweltering 30°C heat. With regular drinks breaks, the boys showed excellent focus, adapting quickly to the unfamiliar conditions and pitch types. A relaxing evening at their beachfront hotel left them refreshed and ready for their first match.
Match one was a memorable opener against a Schools Invitational XI. On arrival, the group were greeted by former West Indies international player Dwayne Smith – now working as the groundsman! The pitch provided a bit of a reality check: dry, worn, with a long outfield and no clear boundary line. Batting first, Wells managed a modest 135 all out. Despite the odds, a spirited fightback led by Toby B (3-8, Year 11), supported by sharp catching from Josh F (Year 11) and a brilliant spell from Josh B (4-18, Lower Sixth), secured a thrilling 5-run win.
The second match, played at Alleyne School, saw a much more composed performance. The match also introduced the first of Mr Grass’ iconic pitch reports which quickly became a tour favourite! A steady batting display saw Wells reach 186-5 from 30 overs, with Paul K-K (Upper Sixth) anchoring the innings with an unbeaten 68. Our bowlers then stepped up: Alleyne were dismissed for just 113, with Rory S (Lower Sixth) taking 3-14 and Ethan D’O (Lower Sixth) a clinical 3-2.
With morale high, the next day saw a well-earned rest. The team embarked on a breathtaking catamaran cruise, which featured swimming with turtles – a truly unforgettable highlight of the tour.
The third match then took Wells to the stunning ground of Isolation CC. Despite the picturesque setting, the boys fell short by 46 runs against a strong opposition. Alex M (Upper Sixth) top-scored with a solid 39.
In the fourth match, Wells faced Coleridge and Parry School. The boys restricted the opposition to 129-9 from 25 overs, then the chase was not without drama but a blistering 30 from Zak M (Year 11) saw them edge a nail-biting win by one wicket.
That evening, they headed to St Lawrence Gap. Post-dinner, everyone took part in a karaoke night that turned into one of the most memorable evenings of the trip. From Sweet Caroline and Hey Jude to Teenage Dirtbag, the team took to the stage and sang their hearts out in front of their peers.
The final match day featured two T20 fixtures against Grantley Adams School. Despite narrow defeats in both games, there were standout performances from Noah R (45, Lower Sixth), Toby B (2-6), Paul K-K (35) and Zak M (34).
Overall, the tour was an outstanding experience for all and the boys learned so much from playing in unfamiliar conditions against varied opposition. They were tremendous ambassadors for the School – competing hard in tough heat, showing maturity and resilience on the pitch, and conducting themselves with kindness, respect and good humour off it. It really was an extraordinary adventure filled with hard-fought matches, brilliant moments and lasting memories.
To find out more about Sport at Wells, click here.
Download the FREE Wells Cathedral School app to easily keep up with the parts of Wells that interest you, interact with our social media feeds, access useful links more! We highly recommend enabling notifications to stay informed about the many wonderful things happening at our School.
