Picture the scene. The sound of the Indian Ocean lapping against the shore, Galle’s picturesque Dutch Fort in the distance and England captain Joe Root striking a beautiful cover drive for four to bring up his century.

The crowd, basking in warm sunshine, stand to acknowledge the impressive knock which has England firmly on the front foot and on course for victory in the first Test against Sri Lanka.

A few moments later, your dedicated drinks server appears with a fresh cool drink, enabling you to continue to watch the cricket without ever missing a ball.

Lunch is an exquisite banquet, served in a local hotel with like-minded fans and travellers.

At the close of play, your chauffeur is waiting to take you back to your sumptuous hotel, individually selected by you, to ensure you can freshen up for the evening as  Sri Lanka delivers the best holiday experience of your life.

Experience Travel Group can’t guarantee Root will be chalking up the runs come March, but they can certainly promise the rest… But time is running out if you want to savour all the beauty of Sri Lanka – cricket included – with a last-minute winter getaway on the ‘Curious Traveller Cricket Tour’.

Sam Clark, co-founder and managing director of Experience Travel Group, said: “The Curious Traveller Cricket Tour is a wonderful opportunity to mix seeing this beautiful island with some top-class international sport in style.

“We know there are cricket lovers who’ve always wanted to do an overseas tour but want to take the opportunity to see a new country and have a brilliant holiday at the same time. This is a great opportunity to do that in a location that offers so much.”

Sri Lanka – and Galle in particular – is among the best countries in the world to watch cricket but also to have an incredible, immersive and fun holiday experience.

Galle is awash with stunning colonial-era architecture, and the influence of both the Dutch and British who once laid claim to this port city. It is one of eight UNESCO heritage sites across the island, which is one of the huge appeals of coming to the island.

It offers great opportunities to explore and is perfect for those who want to blend a holiday with backing the England team.

Sri Lanka offers that in abundance and Experience Travel Group’s knowledge and experts enable the curious traveller – which all of their guests are – to have the most incredible time.

This is a personalised and private holiday, which enables guests to select their own itinerary and discover the island’s beauty at their own pace while meeting fellow cricket and travel enthusiasts as you take in the action on the field.

Sri Lanka offers all kind of experiences; from magnificent train journeys into the hills of the tea plantations, the opportunity to get close to incredible wildlife including elephants, big cats and whales, or discover gorgeous historical sites across the island.

Experience Travel Group can provide the perfect itinerary, which includes the services of one of our team of chauffer-guides throughout your stay, and the chance to stay in picture-perfect hotels.

“Our trips are designed for couples, families or small groups of friends that want to have a personalised holiday that is totally unique to them. Being able to go to the cricket as well just heightens the experience,” added Sam.

“We are all about the experience. We are real Sri Lanka specialists and our friendly chauffeurs add authentic elements to the trip as they are locals who know the island inside out. They know the right places for lunch, hidden gems to visit and take your holiday to another level.”

Experience Travel Group’s Curious Traveller Cricket Tours are also about the extras, which makes them the envy of all the cricket fans.

Last time out, in 2018, when England wrapped up victory in four days, Experience Travel Group arranged a cricket match between the ‘tourists’ and a local team. It brought another dimension to the trip – even if the result when the wrong way with the hosts’ skills far superior.

But it is also after the ‘close of play’ where Experience also leads the way, given this anecdote from Sam.

“We have guy who works for us out in Sri Lanka called Henry – he’s the one making sure our clients are alright (and even occasionally topping up drinks!).

“Not every group of fans has a ‘Henry’ which does lead to some playful banter. Last time we were out there in 2018 there were attempts to lure Henry but there was no way the Experience party were going to let him slip from their grasp!

“The secret ingredient of our trip is we’re not trying to compete with major sports tour operators.

“Our tours are for cricket fans who also love travel and are curious to discover more about Sri Lanka. We organise social events, including evening drinks, and we find that our guests have so much in common, not just because they are cricket fans, but because they are keen travellers who have experienced parts of the world and want to listen to each other’s stories.”

Experience Travel Group, which has an unrivalled knowledge of the island and the best contacts, has reserved rooms at some of the best boutique hotels in Galle and Colombo for would-be travellers.

Flights to Sri Lanka from the UK, visas, personalised trips, accommodation and chauffeur-driven travel on the island will be arranged by Experience Travel Group to make this the best and most relaxed holiday of your lifetime.

Tailor-made trips start from £3,000.

For more information visit www.experiencetravelgroup.com or call 0203 993 9730