Ampleforth Abbey and College in North Yorkshire welcomed a group of Chinese cricketers who travelled the globe to take part in a tournament featuring national and international teams, writes Mat Robinson.

The group – comprising boys and girls from Hong Kong and China aged from 15 to 21 – set up camp at the Ampleforth Abbey and College as part of an international cricket festival.

The coach of the tour, John Bogie said: “The players need international experience and coaching, so a tour to a cricket-mad county like Yorkshire is perfect.

“The cricket facilities at Ampleforth are top class, and the players are getting English lessons in the College too.”

A total of 30 members from the group took part in the cricket tournament as they continued their international tour, which is sponsored by the Yang Foundation.

Created in 2012, the Yang Foundation aims to promote sport and education through international exchange programmes in hope of developing the group’s ability in the classroom and on the field.

Samuel Yang, the founder of the foundation, wanted to test and develop the skills of the Chinese group against international opposition. “The enthusiasm and potential for cricket in China is huge,” he said.

“This is the first time we have organised a tournament of this scale.”

Following the tour, Ampleforth are now working closely with the Asian Cricket Council and others.

The director of development at Ampleforth, Jozef Mycielski, hopes to make the tournament an annual event.