What alternative do you have when heavy rains render your favourite playground unplayable? The answer is to take a tour.

That is exactly what St John’s Preparatory School have just done after finding their cricket pitch continuously water-logged.

The boys’ primary school in Borrowdale’s leafy Rolf Valley environs instead took their act to South Africa.

Four fixtures were lined up for St John’s Prep against fellow junior schools in the cities of Johannesburg, Midrand and Pretoria but ironically only two were able to take place with the other two being rained off!

Of the games played, St John’s Prep won against Beaulieu Preparatory School in Midrand and went down to Pridwin Preparatory School, situated in Melrose, Johannesburg.

Batsman Jacob Mitchell was voted Most Valuable Player (MVP) against Beaulieu after hitting a half-century (64) while all-rounder Ryan Wright struck 27 as the Zimbabweans, who batted first, made a total of 192 all out.

In their innings Beaulieu were all out for 53 after Wright knocked three wickets for 9 and Sam Edwards took 12 wickets.

St John’s won the game by 139 runs.

It was a different story in the second encounter against Pridwin as the visitors struggled to chase the modest 72-run target after the South Africans won the toss and decided to bat.

Mitchell claimed two wickets for four while his brother Luke-Lane added another two for five. The other outstanding bowler was Edwards with two wickets for 9.

However, Oscar Bredenkamp’s 15 runs and the 10 scored by Matipa Pasipanodya only helped St john’s Prep to a total of 66 and resulted in a 6-run defeat.

 Pasipanodya received the MVP award for the match.

St John’s Preparatory School returned to the country last weekend.