Lauren Day reported this story on Monday, August 6, 2012 08:21:00

TONY EASTLEY: A cricket tournament in an isolated far north Queensland community is bridging the gap between a group of asylum seekers and locals.



The team of Sri Lankan detainees from the Scherger Immigration Detention Centre played in the final of the Weipa cricket tournament this weekend and put the locals to the test in more ways than one.



Lauren Day reports from Weipa on Cape York.



LAUREN DAY: In small towns across the country, the ritual of Saturday morning cricket is pretty standard.



The deck chairs lined up along the boundary, stubbies planted in esky ice and the smell of sizzling sausages hanging in the air.



But in Weipa on Cape York, things are a little different and there's a new team in town.



LAURIE RALEIGH: I don't think there's too many flaming national Sri Lankan sides that are detainees so for sure they're wearing their pride on the outside, on their shirt sleeve so to speak so yeah they're coming here full of gusto and wanting to show us what they can do.



LAUREN DAY: Laurie Raleigh from the Weipa Cricket Club says the addition of a team from the Scherger Immigration Detention Centre into the local comp has been eye opening for the other players.



LAURIE RALEIGH: Yeah, I think its been a very positive response, letting them come in and play and everyone has mixed emotions and mixed opinions I suppose about the detention centre being in Weipa but all in all yeah, they're quite positive and enjoyed playing against them.



LAUREN DAY: Scherger is located on the RAAF base about a half an hour out of the mining town of Weipa.



But every Saturday for the past five weeks, the Department of Immigration have bussed in the team and a few dozen of their enthusiastic supporters.



(bongo drums)



The head of the Weipa Town Authority Peter McCulkin says they've hit the local players for six.



PETER McCULKIN: They certainly were the best team right up until last week so they've certainly improved the standard of cricket in our competition and we intend to grow that in the coming months before the wet season.



LAUREN DAY: Ironically, after waiting months inside the detention centre, six of the best players were granted bridging visas just days before the final.



PETER McCULKIN: And cricket is an international language, so no ball, wide, they know but a couple of them speak a little bit of English and one guy came up to me with a tear in his eye last week and said "this is my last game, I'm going to Melbourne” and blessed me and thanked us so that was a terrific memory for me to hold.



The replacement players couldn't maintain the team's winning streak and lost their final game.



But Laurie Raleigh says he hopes the detainees will become a regular addition to the competition.



LAURIE RALEIGH: Yeah, you can see em, they appreciate getting away from the day to day hustle and bustle out in the detention centre and to just come in here and basically yeah, let their hair down and have a game of cricket against us fellas here so it's been good.



LAUREN DAY: The Department of Immigration and Citizenship wouldn't allow interviews with any of the detainees but an interpreter said they were excited about taking part, even if they missed out on the trophy.



(Sound of drums)



TONY EASTLEY: Lauren Day reporting.