Cornwall Cricket is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its partnership with a South African school that tours the county each year.

2024 marks a significant milestone in the long-held connection with St Stithians School, which first visited Cornwall in August 1994.

The annual trips, except for a brief period during the COVID-19 pandemic, have cemented a strong link between the two institutions, all rooted in a shared passion for cricket.

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Excluding a brief pause during the Covid-19 pandemic, the South African school visits each year, with Cornwall reciprocating up until 2020.

Former Cornwall Schools Cricket Association (CSCA) secretary Malcolm Broad, who served until the onset of the global health crisis, initiated the tours.

After the CSCA was disbanded following the pandemic, the Cornwall Cricket Board took over County Age Group cricket responsibilities.

St Stithians School has a unique historical link to Cornwall.

The school is named after the Cornish village of Stithians, birthplace of its founder Albert Collins, and the school badge takes inspiration from the coat of arms of the Duke of Cornwall.

The three-decade long partnership was commemorated with a special plaque presentation at Truro School on Friday (August 9), after a match between Cornwall Under 13s and St Stithians Under 13s.

The partnership holds a special place in the heart of Cornwall Cricket Board’s pathway lead, Chris Hunkin, who took part in the first matches back in 1994, and the first tour to South Africa.

He said: "Personally this anniversary is very special, as I was a player in those very first games and also took part in the first tour to South Africa.

"The bond we’ve built is truly unique, and it’s a relationship we’re committed to nurturing well into the future.

"With it being 30 years since those first games, it seemed a fitting moment to provide a presentation of a plaque to mark the 30 years."