Elle is a popular bat-and-ball game in Sri Lanka which is also a localised name for slow-pitch softball, often played in rural villages and urban areas.

Even though one cannot find definitive sources on the origin of the sport, it can be anticipated British have introduced the game to the island along with cricket.

The old British game of Stoolball also has some common attributes with modern-day cricket, baseball, softball, and elle.

The fact that the players in the photograph were clad in European attire instead of sportswear indicates that the game might have been popular among the middle-class population of the era.[why?]

[1] Simple yet sturdy sticks made the early bat while the improvised ball was sometimes a dried fruit of Wel Kaduru (Cerbera manghas).

It is a time to enjoy, laugh and cheer on your loved ones and neighbours as the whole village would break into teams and play the game as a tournament.

The playing area should be marked with a line of 3 centimetres in breadth leaving at least five meters to the back of the striking spot.