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THE<br />
<strong>PLAYING</strong><br />
FIELDS OF<br />
ENGLAND<br />
AN A–Z GUIDE TO THE SUMMER GAME’S<br />
TOP 100 SCHOOLS 2016
Staff<br />
Managing director Andy Afford<br />
Editor-at-large Simon Hughes<br />
Head of editorial planning<br />
and production Alec Swann<br />
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Art editor Jess Hutchinson<br />
Commercial director Jim Hindson<br />
Account and operations<br />
manager Jess Davidson<br />
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Accounts co-ordinator Chris Smith<br />
Business development<br />
executive George Fitzmaurice<br />
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WHY AN A–Z GUIDE?<br />
WHY SCHOOLS<br />
CRICKET? WHY NOW?<br />
Andy Afford<br />
Managing<br />
director,<br />
The Cricketer<br />
DEAR READER,<br />
Since reintroducing<br />
schools<br />
cricket more<br />
formally to<br />
The Cricketer<br />
in 2013, we<br />
have had a consistently strong<br />
response to the coverage from<br />
you.<br />
Typically, people like the idea of<br />
an early look at potential future<br />
stars. Lots of you comment on the<br />
evocative photography. More still<br />
have an opinion on the relative<br />
quality of the cricket played. Safe<br />
to say, it has inspired healthy<br />
debate.<br />
As I am guessing most of you<br />
would expect, our list constitutes<br />
a high percentage of public<br />
schools. It is not exclusively so,<br />
but it has ended up that way. And<br />
not by design, I might add. And<br />
that the last Test of the summer<br />
saw England field six players who<br />
were privately educated goes a<br />
long way to establishing a further<br />
reason why.<br />
Ultimately, this is where<br />
considerable investment is<br />
being made in the game in this<br />
country. By parents. By young<br />
cricketers. And by the schools<br />
themselves. Investment in<br />
coaching. Investment in facilities.<br />
Investment in time dedicated to<br />
the pursuit of excellence. Like<br />
it or not, this now constitutes<br />
the game’s modern-day nursery<br />
slopes. Especially with<br />
weekend club cricket under<br />
the ever-increasing pressures<br />
of modern life.<br />
That is the context, but what<br />
have we actually done to put this<br />
all together? Well, the process<br />
itself was simple, if not all that<br />
straightforward. The first thing<br />
was to draw down a longlist of<br />
around 450 likely names and,<br />
from there, derive a shortlist of<br />
what we believed constituted the<br />
very best 150 cricketing schools<br />
in the country. From this we<br />
settled on the final 100 and put<br />
them in alphabetical order for no<br />
other reason than they all have<br />
something equally positive and<br />
unique to offer.<br />
One final comment on that<br />
final list: we fully understand<br />
that the number 100 is in itself<br />
a pretty arbitrary figure. But as<br />
in all these things, it offered a<br />
starting point and, indeed, an<br />
end. It could have been 111, 121<br />
or even 127. Easily. But the reason<br />
we decided it couldn’t made us<br />
work that little bit harder for you.<br />
This, we believe, constitutes the<br />
establishments that offer in their<br />
own way – or in a few cases every<br />
way – cricketing excellence. From<br />
programme design to building<br />
design; exclusive setting to<br />
inclusive selection; historic past<br />
to glorious future.<br />
With this list came the<br />
opportunity to agree a few<br />
additional awards. These are for<br />
places we believe are outstanding<br />
in their way. They will reveal<br />
themselves as you work your way<br />
through the supplement.<br />
Geographically, the list runs the<br />
length and breadth of this great<br />
land (see page 65). We are very<br />
proud of the ambition shown by<br />
the project. We hope you find the<br />
results equally fascinating.<br />
thecricketer.com / 3
TOP 100 SCHOOLS<br />
GALLIAN AND CRAWLEY<br />
MOVE WITH THE TIMES<br />
By Alec Swann and Huw Turbervill<br />
TWO FORMER England batsmen<br />
have had a hectic summer juggling<br />
fixture lists that are coming under<br />
increased strain from the exam<br />
season.<br />
Teachers acknowledge that parents<br />
are placing ever greater pressure on<br />
youngsters to revise rather than play<br />
sport. Subsequently a lot of matches<br />
are scheduled at the start of the<br />
term (when it is rainy) and at the end<br />
(when youngsters lose focus and are<br />
thinking of holidays). This is when a<br />
lot of year 10 and 11 pupils are<br />
fast-tracked early.<br />
John Crawley spent the season at<br />
Oakham School, in Leicestershire,<br />
before his move to Oundle School<br />
in Northamptonshire, while Jason<br />
Gallian is director of cricket at<br />
Felsted, in Essex.<br />
Crawley, the former Lancashire<br />
and Hampshire batsman who won<br />
37 Test caps, says considerate<br />
management is needed. “It depends<br />
on what the kids buy into,” he said.<br />
“We’re certainly very lucky here; the<br />
kids finish their exams and want to<br />
come back and play their fixtures.<br />
More than ever you have to manage<br />
it carefully and realise the lads have<br />
got work to do. A lot of the decisionmaking<br />
is left to them and I find that<br />
works well.”<br />
This is an attitude echoed by<br />
Scott Boswell, once a seamer on the<br />
books of Northamptonshire and<br />
Leicestershire, who is head of cricket<br />
at Trent College.<br />
“I think we get it right. It’s 10<br />
weeks, during their exam period,”<br />
WE HAVE TO<br />
REIN IT IN<br />
WHEN YOU<br />
FIND BOYS<br />
IN THE PREP<br />
SCHOOL<br />
<strong>PLAYING</strong><br />
‘DILSCOOPS’<br />
AT 7.3O ON<br />
MONDAY<br />
MORNING<br />
People and places:<br />
Jason Gallian<br />
(above, left) and<br />
John Crawley<br />
(above, right);<br />
Felsted (far right,<br />
above) and Oakham<br />
(far right, below)<br />
he said. “They play once a week<br />
during their exams and more<br />
before and after. There’s plenty of<br />
other sport going on so we have to<br />
promote cricket and support the lads<br />
whenever we can.”<br />
“We want them to leave having<br />
had a good experience and to stay<br />
involved in the game, at whatever<br />
level that may be and in whatever<br />
capacity. That, broadly speaking, is<br />
the aim,” Crawley adds.<br />
As for his opposite number,<br />
Boswell said: “If we get it right then<br />
the lads go on to play in county<br />
sides and that is something that we<br />
try to encourage. We want the very<br />
best, in a cricketing sense, whatever<br />
that may be, for every individual. As<br />
long as that is the case then school<br />
cricket will survive and continue to<br />
be a useful product.”<br />
With less time available for<br />
cricket, Twenty20 is becoming an<br />
increasingly favoured format.<br />
The Front at Felsted is still a<br />
genteel venue with its blissful<br />
birdsong, but is experiencing the T20<br />
revolution: with pink balls, dabs to<br />
third man, cross-batted slogs and<br />
fielders in coloured clothing flinging<br />
themselves to the floor.<br />
“We offer the full range of formats,<br />
but T20 is a trend that is coming<br />
through,” said Gallian, who played in<br />
three Tests for England. “It’s on the<br />
TV and has razzmatazz appeal.”<br />
Charlie Knightley, the former<br />
Oxfordshire batsman who is director<br />
of sport at the school, agreed: “It<br />
used to be two-thirds declaration<br />
games, now it’s about half. The hosts<br />
decide the format, but we find the<br />
boys are generally keener to play 50-<br />
and 20-over. Schoolboy cricket used<br />
to be defensive, now it’s attacking.”<br />
Bedford School’s Pip August<br />
concurred: “Parents seem to prefer<br />
the 50- and 20-over matches. You get<br />
a result and the boys get more into<br />
the game; declaration games tend to<br />
meander – the question of when to<br />
declare, and so on. Exam pressure,<br />
and the hectic nature of modern<br />
life, are factors. Some schools even<br />
provide live music, although there<br />
have been no dancing girls yet. We<br />
do have to rein it, though, when you<br />
find boys in the prep school playing<br />
‘Dilscoops’ to the first ball in the<br />
nets at 7.30 on Monday morning!”<br />
Despite the changes, former<br />
professional cricketers are still<br />
conveying their knowledge and<br />
passion for the game to youngsters.<br />
The genial David Ward has overseen<br />
cricket at Whitgift School for 17<br />
years. “What’s not to love about<br />
working here?” he said. “I love the<br />
under-12E and under-13D games<br />
– everyone is Freddie Flintoff and<br />
Waqar Younis, bounding up to each<br />
other and saying after a dropped<br />
catch, ‘Bad luck, get the next one …’”<br />
He memorably strapped on his<br />
pads aged 41 to help his old club<br />
Surrey out of an injury crisis for<br />
a one-day game against<br />
Northamptonshire at Whitgift in<br />
2002; he hit 78 from 52 balls to<br />
delight his pupils. He said: “I needed<br />
a cold shower after the warm-up!”<br />
4 / thecricketer.com
thecricketer.com / 5
Top 100 Schools<br />
ALDENHAM<br />
SCHOOL<br />
Aldenham Road<br />
Elstree<br />
Hertfordshire<br />
WD6 3AJ<br />
BEDFORD<br />
MODERN<br />
SCHOOL<br />
Manton Lane<br />
Bedford<br />
MK41 7NT<br />
Established 1597<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Merchant<br />
Taylors’, Haberdashers’ Aske’s,<br />
XL Club<br />
Cricket professional David Goodchild<br />
(Middlesex)<br />
Teams Seven sides from U14<br />
upwards, plus four U12/13<br />
Facilities Large indoor sports hall<br />
Established 1764<br />
Notable fixtures MCC<br />
Director of cricket Paul Woodroffe<br />
Teams 15 teams regularly turned out<br />
with girls able to opt for cricket, several<br />
playing for school teams<br />
Facilities Two indoor lanes in sports<br />
hall, 10 artificial lanes outdoors and five<br />
excellent grass nets. The school has<br />
five cricket squares<br />
with five nets and bowling machine.<br />
Eight grass nets and three main<br />
grounds, plus one artificial surface<br />
Club/county affiliation Hertfordshire<br />
and Middlesex. Plus links with<br />
Watford Town CC, Eastcote CC and<br />
Radlett CC<br />
Brief history Cricket was first played<br />
at Aldenham in 1857. A beautiful<br />
setting that includes a quaint old<br />
pavilion, the school has produced<br />
one Test cricketer in John Dewes,<br />
who debuted for England in Donald<br />
Bradman’s last Test in 1948<br />
Cricketers of note John Dewes<br />
(Middlesex & England), Scott<br />
Moffat (Middlesex), Kaf Jahangir<br />
(Glamorgan), Lee Tyrrell<br />
(Worcestershire)<br />
Extras Chris Gayle and Kevin<br />
Pietersen recently filmed a TV advert<br />
for the Caribbean T20 at Aldenham.<br />
The school features in a calendar<br />
of 12 famous school pavilions from<br />
around the country<br />
Club/county affiliation Bedfordshire<br />
Brief history The first organised<br />
cricket at the school took place<br />
in 1883, largely thanks to cricket<br />
coach Dick Rogers, who converted<br />
wasteland on Clarenden Street into<br />
a sports field<br />
Cricketers of note AJ Turner (Essex),<br />
AO Jones (Nottinghamshire &<br />
England) FCW Newman (Surrey),<br />
HLV Day (Hampshire), NDT<br />
Oliver, RD Richmond (Jamaica),<br />
RA Gale (Middlesex), PD Watts<br />
(Northamptonshire), PJ Kippax<br />
(Yorkshire), Alan Fordham<br />
(Northamptonshire), Geoff Millman<br />
(Nottinghamshire & England), Neil<br />
Stanley (Northamptonshire)<br />
Extras Neil Stanley<br />
(Northamptonshire) holds the<br />
school record for most runs scored<br />
in a season with 1,116 in total. Paul<br />
Owen (Gloucestershire) holds the<br />
record for most 1st XI wickets with<br />
154 victims over three years. Monty<br />
Panesar (Northamptonshire, Sussex,<br />
Essex & England) is a famous old boy<br />
BEDE’S<br />
Upper Dicker<br />
Hailsham<br />
East Sussex<br />
BN27 3QH<br />
Established 1979<br />
Notable fixtures Eton,<br />
Charterhouse, MCC, Tonbridge,<br />
Whitgift<br />
Director of cricket Alan Wells<br />
(Sussex, Kent & England)<br />
Cricket professional Neil Lenham<br />
(Sussex)<br />
Teams U14ABC, U15ABC, 1st XI,<br />
2nd XI, 3rd XI. Women’s cricket<br />
played at prep and senior schools.<br />
Girls included in boys’ teams on<br />
ability<br />
Facilities Six indoor nets, six<br />
artificial outdoor nets plus five<br />
grass squares<br />
Club/county affiliation Sussex<br />
Brief history The school employed<br />
its first full-time coach (Alan<br />
Wells) in 2001. Cricket is one of<br />
the two main summer sports<br />
alongside tennis<br />
Cricketers of note Ollie Rayner<br />
(Sussex & Middlesex), Luke<br />
Wells (Sussex), Shai Hope (West<br />
Indies), Callum Jackson (Sussex),<br />
Fynn Hudson-Prentice (Sussex)<br />
Extras The M-J pavilion was<br />
opened this summer, named<br />
after famous old boy Christopher<br />
Martin-Jenkins, former editor of<br />
The Cricketer<br />
6 / thecricketer.com
BEDFORD SCHOOL<br />
De Parys Avenue<br />
Bedford<br />
Bedfordshire<br />
MK40 2TU<br />
Established 1552<br />
Notable fixtures Harrow, MCC,<br />
Shrewsbury, Bromsgrove, Stowe<br />
Director of cricket Gary Steer<br />
Teams Upper School – 1st XI, 2nd XI,<br />
3rd XI, 4th XI, U17, U16A, U15ABC,<br />
U14ABCD<br />
Prep School 1st XI, 2nd XI, 3rd XI, 4th<br />
XI, 5th XI, U11ABC, U10AB, U9AB, U8A<br />
Facilities Six indoor lanes, 13 grass<br />
nets, six artificial outdoor lanes, seven<br />
cricket squares<br />
Club/county affiliation Bedfordshire<br />
Brief history Although records date<br />
back to 1886, it is in recent years<br />
the school has become one of the<br />
leading in the country. National<br />
under-17 titles in 2010 and 2014,<br />
finalists of the Lord’s Taverners Colts<br />
Trophy (under-15) in 2010 and 2013,<br />
and twice schools T20 finalists in<br />
that time. The current England Test<br />
captain has space named after him in<br />
the recently refurbished pavilion<br />
Cricketers of note Alastair<br />
Cook (Essex & England), Alex<br />
Wakely (Northamptonshire),<br />
James Kettleborough<br />
(Northamptonshire, Glamorgan),<br />
Toby Bailey (Northamptonshire),<br />
Will Smith (Nottinghamshire,<br />
Durham, Hampshire, Ian Peck<br />
(Northamptonshire), Robin Boyd-<br />
Moss (Northamptonshire), Christian<br />
Davis (Northamptonshire)<br />
Extras A truly majestic setting in the<br />
lee of the main school buildings<br />
thecricketer.com / 7
Top 100 Schools<br />
BEECHEN CLIFF SCHOOL<br />
Alexandra Park<br />
Kipling Avenue<br />
Bath<br />
Somerset<br />
BA2 4RE<br />
Established 1896<br />
Notable fixtures Millfield, XL Club,<br />
MCC.<br />
Teams 1st XI, 2nd XI, U15AB, U14ABC,<br />
U13ABC, U12ABCD<br />
Facilities Four indoor lanes and one<br />
junior pitch on-site. One full-sized<br />
square off-site<br />
Club/county affiliation Somerset<br />
Extras Beechen Cliff is a state school<br />
competing across all age groups,<br />
including playing in the Peak Sports<br />
League at 1st XI level. In the past 10<br />
years the school has won the league<br />
twice. With limited facilities, budget<br />
and coaching expertise, the school<br />
continues to turn in fantastic results.<br />
Beechen Cliff tour Barbados on a<br />
bi-annual basis. Their former director<br />
of sport, Ellis Wilmot, said: “The tour<br />
provides a fantastic opportunity for<br />
our pupils to test their skills against<br />
tough opposition in a totally different<br />
climate and pitch conditions but also<br />
it has inspired these players to stay<br />
committed to school cricket into the<br />
sixth form and hopefully into lifelong<br />
enjoyment in the sport with the<br />
community’s local clubs”<br />
BLUNDELL’S SCHOOL<br />
Blundell’s Road<br />
Tiverton<br />
Devon<br />
EX16 4DN<br />
Established 1604<br />
Notable fixtures Millfield, MCC,<br />
King’s Taunton, Sherborne, Clifton<br />
College<br />
Cricket professional Rob Turner<br />
(Somerset & England A), Brad<br />
Barnes (South Africa)<br />
Teams U12AB, U13AB, U14AB,<br />
U15AB, 4th XI 3rd XI, 2nd XI,<br />
1st XI. Girls’ fixtures across a<br />
variety of age groups, with girls<br />
also playing the boys’ teams on<br />
merit. Girls’ cricket is growing<br />
in popularity and a number of<br />
students play for Devon at various<br />
age levels<br />
Facilities Indoor sports hall (two<br />
nets), outdoor all-weather facility<br />
(four nets), 12 grass nets and six<br />
cricket squares<br />
Club/county affiliation Heathcoat<br />
CC (Devon Premier League),<br />
Somerset<br />
Cricketers of note Vic Marks<br />
(Somerset & England), Hugh Morris<br />
(Glamorgan & England), Sam<br />
Wyatt-Haines (Somerset)<br />
Extras The school plays a<br />
prominent role in supporting<br />
representative cricket, hosting<br />
matches for boys and girls at all<br />
age levels from under-11 through<br />
to the full county club men and<br />
women’s teams<br />
8 / thecricketer.com
BRADFORD<br />
GRAMMAR SCHOOL<br />
Keighley Rd<br />
Bradford<br />
West Yorkshire<br />
BD9 4JP<br />
GETTY IMAGES (2)<br />
BRADFIELD COLLEGE<br />
Reading<br />
West Berkshire<br />
RG7 6BZ<br />
Established 1850<br />
Notable fixtures Winchester, Radley,<br />
Cheltenham, St Edwards and<br />
Marlborough, Eton, Wellington,<br />
Whitgift, Charterhouse, Portsmouth<br />
GS, Abingdon, Stowe plus twoday<br />
fixture against Malvern and<br />
declaration games against MCC,<br />
Free Foresters and Butterflies<br />
Cricket professional Julian Wood<br />
(Hampshire)<br />
Teams Three senior XIs, U16AB,<br />
U15ABC, U14ABCD with girls’<br />
cricket starting in 2015<br />
Facilities Seven cricket squares, 14<br />
grass nets, four artificial nets, four<br />
indoor nets<br />
Club/county affiliation Berkshire,<br />
Gloucestershire, Hampshire,<br />
Middlesex, Surrey<br />
Brief history Bradfield’s individual<br />
bowling record has stood since 1962<br />
with Michael Mence’s 84 wickets<br />
(in 415 overs) looking unlikely to<br />
be seriously challenged. However,<br />
the same player’s batting record<br />
(from the same year) was beaten by<br />
Harry Came in 2015. He became the<br />
first player to score 1,000 runs in a<br />
season for the school. Pit – the home<br />
of the 1st XI which sits beside the<br />
River Pang – was named one of Ted<br />
Dexter’s three favourite grounds<br />
Cricketers of note Graham Roope<br />
(Surrey & England), Rupert<br />
Cox (Hampshire), Will Kendall<br />
(Hampshire), Mark Nicholas<br />
(Hampshire & England A),<br />
Hamza Riazuddin (Hampshire),<br />
Ryan Higgins (Middlesex), Tom<br />
Jewell (Surrey), Michael Mence<br />
(Warwickshire)<br />
Extras Cricket professional Julian<br />
Wood forms part of Graham<br />
Thorpe’s coaching team working<br />
with England Under-19s, the Lions<br />
and the senior squad. Although not<br />
a vintage year, the 1st XI did win the<br />
John Harvey Cup (tied first with St<br />
Edward’s, Oxford), the tournament<br />
also featured Marlborough,<br />
Winchester, Cheltenham and Radley<br />
Boy done good: Mark Nicholas shone for<br />
Hampshire and is now a television star<br />
Established 1548<br />
Notable fixtures MCC<br />
Cricket professional Simon Kellett<br />
(Yorkshire)<br />
Teams 1st XI, 2nd XI, U15, U14, U13,<br />
U12 at senior school, U11 and U10 at<br />
junior level<br />
Facilities Five indoor nets in sports<br />
hall, six grass nets, three grounds<br />
(two grass squares, one artificial)<br />
Club/county affiliation Yorkshire<br />
Senior Schools’ Cricket Association,<br />
Yorkshire Schools’ Cricket<br />
Association<br />
Brief history Cricket was first played<br />
at Bradford Grammar School in<br />
the 1870s, the school playing its<br />
first competitive match against<br />
Fulneck School in May 1884. Much<br />
has happened since those early<br />
days, including the move to grounds<br />
at Frizinghall, the building of both<br />
the old and new sports pavilions,<br />
and the development of a major<br />
overseas tours programme<br />
Cricketers of note Frank<br />
Lowson (Yorkshire & England),<br />
Ajmal Shahzad (Yorkshire,<br />
Lancashire, Nottinghamshire,<br />
Sussex & England), Jack<br />
Webster (Northamptonshire),<br />
Ashley Metcalfe (Yorkshire,<br />
Nottinghamshire)<br />
Extras The school boasts extensive<br />
1st XI records dating back to the very<br />
first match played<br />
Famous old<br />
boy: Ajmal<br />
Shahzad studied<br />
at Bradford<br />
Grammar<br />
thecricketer.com / 9
TOP 100 SCHOOLS<br />
BRENTWOOD SCHOOL<br />
Middleton Hall Lane<br />
Brentwood<br />
Essex<br />
CM15 8EE<br />
Established 1557<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Felsted,<br />
Bancrofts<br />
Cricket professional Brian Hardie<br />
(Essex), Geraint Jones (Kent,<br />
Gloucestershire & England)<br />
Teams 1st XI, 2nd XI, U15AB,<br />
U14AB, U13AB, U12AB<br />
Facilities Six indoor and six<br />
outdoor nets<br />
Club/county affiliation Essex<br />
Cricketers of note Stanley Scott<br />
(Middlesex), Charles Kortright<br />
(Essex), Colin Griffiths (Essex),<br />
Graham Horrex (Essex), David<br />
Acfield (Essex), Richard Baker<br />
(Essex), Ian Pont (Essex), Kishen<br />
Velani (Essex), Thomas Moore<br />
(Essex)<br />
Extras The school has an active<br />
touring programme and strong<br />
links with Essex County Cricket<br />
Club and local Essex clubs. Former<br />
Essex batsman Brian Hardie has<br />
just made way after<br />
25 years for 2005 Ashes hero<br />
Geraint Jones, fresh from helping<br />
Gloucestershire to Royal London<br />
One-Day Cup glory at Lord’s.<br />
Among the former cricketers at<br />
Brentwood is former Chelsea<br />
and England footballer Frank<br />
Lampard, who is a big fan<br />
of the game<br />
BRIGHTON COLLEGE<br />
Eastern Road<br />
Brighton<br />
East Sussex<br />
BN2 0AL<br />
Established 1845<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, MCC Women,<br />
XL Club, Cranleigh, Dulwich<br />
Director of Cricket Mike Smethurst<br />
(Lancashire)<br />
Teams 12 boys’ teams and four girls’<br />
Facilities Four indoor lanes, two cricket<br />
squares, seven grass nets, 10 syntheticgrass<br />
outdoor lanes<br />
Club/county affiliation Sussex<br />
Brief history A long and proud tradition<br />
of encouraging girls’ cricket with<br />
teams in the Lady Taverners winter<br />
tournament and an under-15 and 1st XI<br />
side with the best girls playing in boys<br />
teams. Old Brightonians include<br />
internationals Clare Connor,<br />
Holly Colvin, Sarah Taylor and<br />
Laura Marsh. Georgia Adams and<br />
Freya Davies are on the England<br />
Academy, while Izzy Collis is on<br />
the England Under-19 Academy<br />
Cricketers of note Matt<br />
Prior (Sussex & England),<br />
Matt Machan (Sussex), Carl<br />
Hopkinson (Sussex), Joe Gatting<br />
(Sussex, Hampshire)<br />
Special Award<br />
for Excellence<br />
THE CRICKETER<br />
SPECIAL AWARD<br />
OF EXCELLENCE<br />
Brighton College has<br />
been at the forefront<br />
of the women’s game<br />
prior to it becoming<br />
the professional experience<br />
it is today. Trailblazing in the way it<br />
encouraged talented women cricketers<br />
to compete on merit for places in male<br />
teams, current ECB women’s supremo<br />
and Brighton alumni Clare Connor found<br />
herself at the vanguard of everything<br />
good about the modern<br />
women’s game<br />
In safe hands:<br />
Matt Prior is a<br />
famous Brighton<br />
College old boy<br />
GETTY IMAGES (1), ©WWW.PENGUINPHOTOGRAPHY.CO.UK (2)<br />
10 / thecricketer.com
BRISTOL GRAMMAR SCHOOL<br />
University Road<br />
Bristol<br />
BS8 1SR<br />
Established 1532<br />
Notable fixtures Clifton College, RGS<br />
Worcester<br />
Cricket professional Paul Muchall<br />
(Gloucestershire)<br />
Teams U8AB, U9AB, U10AB, U11AB,<br />
U12AB C, U13ABC, U14AB, U15AB,<br />
1st XI, 2nd XI, 3rd XI. Kwik cricket<br />
is offered to girls aged 12 to 15, the<br />
programme totalling eight teams<br />
Facilities Five indoor lanes, seven<br />
grass nets, four synthetic-grass<br />
nets, one artificial pitch, five cricket<br />
squares and five ‘outwickets’<br />
Club/county affiliation Somerset<br />
Cricket Board, Gloucestershire<br />
Cricket Board<br />
Brief history Founded by Royal<br />
Charter on March 17 1532 by<br />
Henry VIII for the teaching of ‘good<br />
manners and literature’, the school<br />
was established to educate the sons<br />
of Bristol merchants and tradesmen.<br />
The school moved from its original<br />
home in the city centre to its current<br />
location at Tyndall’s Park in 1879.<br />
The preparatory school began in<br />
1900 but was destroyed on the night<br />
of November 24 1940 by incendiary<br />
bombs. The playing fields are three<br />
miles away from the main school at<br />
Failand where a new pavilion was<br />
built a few years ago in 2008. BGS<br />
went independent in 1979 following<br />
the abolition of the direct grant<br />
system. In 1980 the school became a<br />
fully co-educational day school and<br />
has over 1,200 students aged between<br />
4 and 18<br />
Cricketers of note Tom Graveney<br />
(Worcestershire & England), Will<br />
Tavare (Gloucestershire)<br />
thecricketer.com / 11
Top 100 Schools<br />
BROMSGROVE SCHOOL<br />
Worcester Road<br />
Bromsgrove<br />
Worcestershire<br />
B61 7DU<br />
Established 1553<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, XL Club<br />
Cricket professionals Ben Cox<br />
(Worcestershire), Jon Webb<br />
(Warwickshire)<br />
Teams 1st XI, 2nd XI, 3rd XI,<br />
U15ABCD, U14ABCD, U13AB,<br />
U12AB, U11AB, U10AB, U9AB, plus<br />
girls at U15 level<br />
Facilities New five-lane outdoor<br />
ECB-approved net facility. New<br />
eight-lane indoor facility. Grass<br />
practice area on edge of main<br />
squares<br />
Club/county affiliation Strong<br />
links with Worcestershire and<br />
Warwickshire.<br />
Extras Bromsgrove School offers<br />
cricketers the opportunity to play<br />
the sport at the appropriate level as<br />
well as offering aspiring cricketers<br />
a 12-month personal coaching<br />
programme – underpinned by the<br />
most important thing of all – a<br />
strong academic education<br />
Cricketers of note Ben Cox<br />
(Worcestershire), Jon Webb<br />
(Warwickshire)<br />
Extras A strong all-round sporting<br />
pedigree sees Bromsgrove compete<br />
strongly at rugby and hockey as<br />
well as on a challenging Midlands<br />
cricket circuit. Excellent on-site<br />
facilities makes the school a<br />
hotbed for sport, attracting talent<br />
from overseas as well as the UK<br />
Out of the park: Bromsgrove alumni Ben<br />
Cox plies his trade for Worcestershire<br />
CANFORD SCHOOL<br />
Wimborne<br />
Dorset<br />
BH21 3AD<br />
Established 1923<br />
Notable fixtures Millfield,<br />
MCC, King’s Taunton, XL Club,<br />
Marlborough, plus regular overseas<br />
tourists Crawford College RSA,<br />
Leopards RSA<br />
Cricket professional Matt Keech<br />
(Middlesex, Hampshire)<br />
Teams 1st XI, 2nd XI, 3rd XI, 4th XI,<br />
U15ABC, U14ABC. Girls’ cricket run as<br />
summer activity with 2016 earmarked<br />
as a summer sport option<br />
Facilities Eight-lane indoor facility, 10<br />
grass nets, four synthetic-grass nets<br />
and four cricket squares<br />
Club/county affiliation Dorset,<br />
Hampshire<br />
Cricketers of note Jon Hardy<br />
(Hampshire, Somerset)<br />
Extras A superb setting and the<br />
school prides itself on its hospitality.<br />
Julian Shackleton (Gloucestershire),<br />
Matt Keech (see above) and Owen<br />
Parkin (Glamorgan) are all former<br />
professionals on the teaching staff.<br />
Canford has a reputation for ‘David v<br />
Goliath’ performances against bigger<br />
rivals. School tours have included<br />
trips to Sri Lanka and the Caribbean,<br />
and Canford is the only English<br />
school to have won the Sir<br />
Garry Sobers Cup<br />
12 / thecricketer.com
CHARTERHOUSE SCHOOL<br />
Charterhouse Road<br />
Godalming<br />
Surrey<br />
GU7 2DX<br />
Established 1611<br />
Notable fixtures Cowdrey Cup<br />
(Eton, Harrow, Tonbridge, Radley<br />
College, Wellington College)<br />
Cricket professional Martin Bicknell<br />
(Surrey & England)<br />
Teams 1st XI, 2nd XI, 3rd XI, 4th XI,<br />
U16AB, U15ABC, U14ABCDE<br />
Facilities Four indoor nets, 12<br />
artificial outdoor nets<br />
Club/county affiliation Surrey<br />
Cricketers of note Peter May (Surrey<br />
& England), James Hamblin<br />
(Hampshire), James Bovill<br />
(Hampshire), Gregor McMillan<br />
(Gloucestershire, Leicestershire)<br />
Extras One of the prettiest grounds<br />
in the south-east. It dates back to<br />
1859, when the school played a<br />
game against Marlborough College.<br />
It also hosted a 1972 John Player<br />
League game between Surrey and<br />
Warwickshire, and the 1992 and<br />
2009 Bunbury Under-15 Festivals<br />
CHIGWELL SCHOOL<br />
High Road<br />
Chigwell<br />
Essex<br />
IG7 6QF<br />
Established 1629<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, England<br />
Women Academy, Chris Gayle<br />
Academy, XL Club.<br />
Teams 1st XI, 2nd XI, U15AB, U14AB,<br />
U13AB, U12AB, U11, U11 Girls, U10,<br />
U9AB. Cricket is part of PE lessons for<br />
U11/12 girls<br />
Facilities Seven cricket squares, sports<br />
hall, gym, two hard-court areas, two<br />
artificial areas, seven grass nets, six<br />
synthetic-grass nets<br />
Club/county affiliation London Schools,<br />
Essex<br />
Extras Chigwell host Essex age-group<br />
cricket from under-9 to under-17 age<br />
groups, as well as Essex junior girls, plus<br />
the ESCA East of England regional<br />
hard-ball final. Last summer the under-<br />
11s tasted glory at the Bancroft’s Cricket<br />
Tournament. They won all their five<br />
matches, beating St Cedd’s, Bancroft’s,<br />
Forest, Woodford Green Prep and then<br />
St Aubyn’s in the deciding game. Coach<br />
Mr Frank Griffith said: “It was a pleasure<br />
taking the team because many of the<br />
teachers and parents commented<br />
on their good behaviour throughout<br />
the day.” The Andrew Flintoff Cricket<br />
Academy came to the school last<br />
Whitsun, and Mark Ramprakash, David<br />
Lawrence and Alex Tudor are among<br />
the former England cricketers who have<br />
played at Chigwell in recent years<br />
getty images (1)<br />
thecricketer.com / 13
8092 HB The Cricketer 151015.qxp_8050 HB Archant 90x133 15/10/2015 12:31 Pa<br />
The Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School<br />
Nurturing Excellence<br />
Cricket at Habs<br />
Cricket is the major sport played at Habs in the summer term.<br />
The School has excellent indoor facilities, enabling the sport<br />
to be played throughout the year. Cricket, enjoyed at all levels<br />
and ages, is hugely popular. The senior team regularly have<br />
fantastic opportunities to experience the game abroad by<br />
going on international tours – this year to Sri Lanka.<br />
“... an immensely friendly school...” Good Schools Guide<br />
An independent, co-educational boarding and day school for pupils<br />
aged between 11 and 18, on the north Hampshire/Surrey border<br />
E: admissions@lordwandsworth.org T: 01256 862201 W: www.lordwandsworth.org<br />
www.habsboys.org.uk<br />
registered charity no: 313996<br />
An outstanding independent<br />
day school for boys aged<br />
between 5 and 18.<br />
Butterfly Lane, Elstree, Hertfordshire WD6 3AF<br />
Tel: 020 8266 1700<br />
admissions@habsboys.org.uk<br />
Headmaster: Peter B Hamilton MA<br />
23817 Lord Wandsworth College Cricket Advert.indd 1 29/09/2015 09:19<br />
From Prep to Professional<br />
Senior School 11-18<br />
Day and boarding<br />
Blundell’s extensive cricket programme provides<br />
pupils with fantastic opportunities to develop<br />
their skills and maximise their potential.<br />
Talented cricketers may apply for a range of<br />
sports awards from 13+.<br />
Our flourishing co-educational school offers outstanding boarding<br />
and day education for 3-18 years – including quality coaching<br />
led by talented staff with professional cricketing backgrounds.<br />
Keen to improve your cricket? So are we.<br />
Call 01747 812122 • www.clayesmore.com<br />
Please fing 01884 252543 or email<br />
info@blundells.org for more information.<br />
Tiverton • Devon • EX16 4DN • www.blundells.org<br />
Proud to be one of The Cricketer’s Top 100 Schools
CHRIST’S HOSPITAL<br />
Christ’s Hospital<br />
Horsham<br />
West Sussex<br />
RH13 0YP<br />
CHISLEHURST<br />
& SIDCUP<br />
GRAMMAR<br />
Hurst Road<br />
Sidcup<br />
Kent<br />
DA15 9AG<br />
Established 1932<br />
Notable fixtures MCC<br />
Cricket professional DL Pask<br />
Teams U12AB, U13AB, U14, U15,<br />
1st XI<br />
Facilities Two indoor nets, three<br />
outdoor synthetic-grass nets, two<br />
cricket squares the senior of which<br />
has an artifical strip<br />
Club/county affiliation Bexley<br />
District Cricket, Bexley CC,<br />
Sidcup CC, Dartfordians CC,<br />
Bexleyheath CC<br />
Brief history Cricket has always been<br />
the main summer sport at the Kent<br />
school. The golden years of<br />
the 1970s and early 1980s saw<br />
regular appearances in county<br />
finals. Girls’ cricket at the school<br />
was also at its strongest during this<br />
period. Pleasingly, the last decade<br />
has seen a return to the ‘good old<br />
days’ of cricket at Chislehurst &<br />
Sidcup Grammar, with a Kent Cup<br />
victory for the under-12 side in 2014<br />
and regular victories in the North<br />
Kent Cup<br />
Cricketers of note Graham Clinton<br />
(Surrey), Matthew Brimson (Kent,<br />
Leicestershire)<br />
Extras Described as the hub of<br />
cricket in the London borough of<br />
Bexley, the school co-ordinates and<br />
hosts the finals of the North Kent<br />
League and during the summer<br />
hosts under-10, 12 and 14 district<br />
matches and holiday courses for<br />
children from the ages of 6 to 14<br />
Established 1553<br />
Notable fixtures King’s Bruton<br />
cricket festival<br />
Cricket professional Trevor Jesty<br />
(Hampshire, Surrey, Lancashire<br />
& England)<br />
Teams 12 sides regularly turned out<br />
including girls at U13 and U15 ages<br />
Facilities Eight grass squares, two<br />
synthetic-grass pitches, six grass nets,<br />
12 outdoor synthetic-grass nets, four<br />
indoor nets<br />
Club/county affiliation Sussex<br />
Brief history Cricket has been played<br />
at Christ’s Hospital since Victorian<br />
times. When the school was situated<br />
on Newgate Street in London, pupils<br />
were bussed out to play matches in<br />
the suburbs<br />
Cricketers of note John Snow (Sussex<br />
& England), Dennis Silk (Somerset)<br />
Extras Since the school’s move<br />
to Horsham in 1902, cricket has<br />
remained the major summer sport.<br />
In 2003 the school’s military band<br />
was on hand to commemorate<br />
Sussex’s first County Championship<br />
title, by all accounts greeting the<br />
success with a particularly rousing<br />
version of ‘Sussex By The Sea’. The<br />
school tries to give every pupil an<br />
opportunity to play cricket and<br />
exposes them to the game at 11 as<br />
many from inner-city areas have<br />
never played the sport<br />
thecricketer.com / 15
TOP 100 SCHOOLS<br />
CLAYESMORE SCHOOL<br />
Blandford Road<br />
Blandford Forum<br />
Dorset<br />
DT11 8LJ<br />
Established 1896<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Canford,<br />
Bryanston<br />
Cricket professional Dan Conway<br />
Teams Ten sides U14 to U18. Girls are<br />
encouraged to join boys’ teams and<br />
attend training sessions<br />
Facilities Four indoor nets, five grass<br />
nets, two synthetic-grass nets, two<br />
‘Flicx’ nets, three cricket grounds.<br />
Additional facilities available via<br />
adjacent Clayesmore Prep School<br />
grounds<br />
Club/county affiliation Dorset,<br />
Hampshire<br />
Brief history Founded by Alexander<br />
Devine in 1896, the school has<br />
moved from its original home in<br />
Middlesex to Pangbourne, and<br />
then to Winchester before settling<br />
in Iwerne Minster in 1933. In 1974<br />
the senior school became fully<br />
co-educational and was joined by<br />
the prep school following its move<br />
from Charlton Marshall. The present<br />
headmaster, Martin Cooke, took<br />
office in 2000 and has increased pupil<br />
numbers, expanded the curriculum<br />
and improved exam results<br />
within a successful programme of<br />
development<br />
Cricketers of note Lewis McManus<br />
(Hampshire), John Stephenson<br />
(Essex, Hampshire & England),<br />
George Reynolds Brown (Essex)<br />
Extras 2015 featured the inclusion<br />
of two Clayesmorians within<br />
Wisden’s Top 20 bowling averages<br />
in schoolboy cricket. Recent coach<br />
Paul Warren is now employed as an<br />
analyst for the New Zealand team.<br />
The school is determined to fight<br />
against the challenges that have led<br />
to a decline in schools’ cricket over<br />
the years<br />
CITY OF LONDON<br />
FREEMEN’S SCHOOL<br />
Ashtead Park<br />
Ashtead<br />
Surrey<br />
KT21 1ET<br />
Higher<br />
honours?: Rory<br />
Burns is aiming<br />
for an England<br />
call-up<br />
Established 1854<br />
Notable fixtures XL Club, MCC,<br />
Caterham, Christ’s Hospital, Reigate<br />
Grammar School, Worth School, St<br />
Peter’s School York, King’s School<br />
Bruton<br />
Current cricket professional<br />
Neil Stewart<br />
Teams U8ABC, U9ABC,<br />
U10ABC, U11ABC,<br />
U13ABCDEF, U14AB, U15AB,<br />
2nd XI, 1st XI. Cricket is also<br />
offered to girls in the school<br />
enrichment programme, a<br />
one-hour weekly option in the<br />
summer term for ages 12 to 15<br />
Facilities Three grass squares, five<br />
outdoor nets, four bays of indoor<br />
nets<br />
Club/county affiliation Surrey<br />
Brief history The co-educational<br />
school founded in Brixton moved to<br />
the current 57-acre site at Ashtead<br />
Park (Surrey) in 1926. Freemen’s is one<br />
of three schools owned by the City of<br />
London Corporation. Strong links exist<br />
between the city and the school<br />
Cricketers of note Rory Burns (Surrey)<br />
was in the class of 2008. He is knocking<br />
on England’s door<br />
Extras The school’s main square is<br />
regarded as an excellent place to play<br />
the game. The school recently toured<br />
South Africa. The 1st XI attend an<br />
annual cricket festival and a regional<br />
T20 competition while the under-11,<br />
under-13 and under-15 teams enter<br />
both district and county cups<br />
16 / thecricketer.com
CLIFTON COLLEGE<br />
The Avenue<br />
Bristol<br />
BS8 3HE<br />
Established 1862<br />
Notable fixtures Cheltenham<br />
College, Rugby School, Sherborne,<br />
King’s Taunton, Bromsgrove<br />
Master i/c Cricket John Bobby<br />
Cricket professional Paul Romaines<br />
(Gloucestershire), Jim Williams<br />
(Glamorgan, 2016)<br />
Teams U14AB, U15AB, 1st XI 2nd<br />
XI, 3rd XI. Girls’ cricket years 9/10<br />
Facilities 1st XI ground –The Close<br />
– plus four other squares, two<br />
artificial outdoor pitches, eight<br />
grass nets, two bowling machine<br />
nets, four indoor nets<br />
Club/county affiliation<br />
Gloucestershire, Somerset<br />
Brief history The highest individual<br />
score in any match remains the<br />
unbeaten 628 made by AEJ Collins<br />
during a house match at Clifton<br />
in 1899. A previous world record<br />
(404 not out) was also scored at<br />
Clifton, by EFS Tylecote for The<br />
Classical v The Modern. One of<br />
the home grounds of WG Grace<br />
with Gloucestershire using the<br />
school regularly until 1932. The<br />
centrepiece of the school is the<br />
1st XI ground immortalised in<br />
the Newbolt poem, “There’s a<br />
breathless hush in The Close<br />
tonight”. There are few finer school<br />
grounds, with the backdrop of<br />
the college buildings providing a<br />
wonderful stage to watch and play<br />
Cricketers of note James Kirtley<br />
(Sussex & England), Matt Windows<br />
(Gloucestershire)<br />
thecricketer.com / 17
TOP 100 SCHOOLS<br />
CRANBROOK SCHOOL<br />
Waterloo Road<br />
Cranbrook<br />
Kent<br />
TN17 3JD<br />
Established 1518<br />
Notable fixtures King’s Canterbury,<br />
Sevenoaks<br />
Teams 1st XI, 2nd XI, U15AB, U14AB.<br />
Girls compete in the county indoor<br />
championship<br />
Facilities Four indoor nets, two grass<br />
squares<br />
Club/county affiliation Kent<br />
Brief history A state school where<br />
cricket flourishes. The 1st XI have been<br />
the winners of the Kent Under-19<br />
league for three of the last five years.<br />
The school plays regular Saturday<br />
fixtures as well as games against MCC,<br />
CRANLEIGH<br />
SCHOOL<br />
Horseshoe Lane<br />
Cranleigh<br />
Surrey<br />
GU6 8QQ<br />
Seam of talent:<br />
Stuart Meaker<br />
has played in<br />
two one-day<br />
internationals<br />
for England<br />
XL Club and overseas<br />
touring teams. Winter<br />
nets form a regular part<br />
of the extracurricular<br />
programme<br />
Cricketers of note Phil<br />
Established 1865<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Wellington<br />
College, Tonbridge, Harrow,<br />
Charterhouse<br />
Director of cricket Stuart Welch<br />
Teams Five senior sides, three U15,<br />
three U14, plus three girls’ teams at<br />
U18, U15, U14<br />
Facilities Dedicated two-lane indoor<br />
school, 20 outdoor nets, five<br />
squares including a six-bay net<br />
Edmonds (Middlesex &<br />
England)<br />
Extras The school runs an<br />
academy with former Kent<br />
slow left-armer Rob Ferley<br />
in the autumn and spring<br />
area with fully synthetic run-ups<br />
Club/county affiliation Surrey<br />
Cricketers of note Stuart Meaker<br />
(Surrey), Seren Waters (Kenya)<br />
Extras 2014 saw the school win<br />
both The Cricketer Cup (first in<br />
Old Cranleighan history) and the<br />
National Under-15 Cup (formerly<br />
known as the Lord’s Taverners<br />
Trophy) making the school the first<br />
from Surrey to do so<br />
DAUNTSEY’S SCHOOL<br />
High Street<br />
West Lavington<br />
Devizes<br />
Wiltshire<br />
SN10 4HE<br />
Established 1542<br />
Notable fixtures MCC,<br />
Winchester, Clifton College,<br />
Canford<br />
Cricket professional Jon Ayling<br />
(Hampshire)<br />
Teams 12 sides from U12 to senior.<br />
Girls’ cricket offered as an afterschool<br />
club with ad hoc fixtures<br />
Facilities Four indoor nets, eight<br />
grass and four synthetic-grass<br />
nets, four grass squares, one<br />
artificial pitch<br />
Club/county affiliation Wiltshire<br />
Brief history Dauntsey’s is located<br />
on the northern edge of Salisbury<br />
Plain, set within an estate of over<br />
100 acres of idyllic countryside.<br />
The school was founded by<br />
London Alderman William<br />
Dauntsey in order to provide<br />
education for boys from poor<br />
families in the local community. It<br />
moved to its present site in 1895.<br />
Girls were admitted for the first<br />
time in 1971<br />
Extras Close links with Wiltshire<br />
cricket, the 1st XI ground is<br />
frequently described by visitors<br />
as one of the best school grounds<br />
they have played on. A charming<br />
setting, off the beaten track. Mark<br />
Lascelles, former Shrewsbury<br />
cricket master, is Dauntsey’s<br />
current head. The school hosts the<br />
MCC Foundation mid-Wiltshire<br />
Hub and regularly stages county<br />
age-group matches<br />
18 /<br />
thecricketer.com
DENSTONE COLLEGE<br />
Uttoxeter<br />
Staffordshire<br />
ST14 5HN<br />
Established 1873<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Bromsgrove,<br />
Oundle, Nottingham High School,<br />
Trent College, St Edward’s Oxford<br />
Cricket professional Ian Trott (until<br />
July 2015), Simon Guy (Yorkshire,<br />
from September 2015)<br />
Teams 1st XI, 2nd XI, 3rd XI, U15AB,<br />
U14ABC, U13AB, U12AB<br />
Facilities Three indoor nets, nine<br />
outdoor nets, four cricket squares<br />
Club/county affiliation Staffordshire<br />
Cricketers of note Harvey Hosein<br />
(Derbyshire), Greg Cork (Derbyshire),<br />
Anish Kapil (Worcestershire, Surrey),<br />
Nathan Dumelow (Derbyshire),<br />
Tim Mason (Essex, Leicestershire),<br />
Jeremy Snape (Northamptonshire,<br />
Gloucestershire, Leicestershire)<br />
Extras The school made the final<br />
of the Lord’s Taverners Under-15<br />
National 40-over competition in<br />
2011 and were winners of the Lord’s<br />
Taverners Under-15 National 40-over<br />
competition in 2012<br />
thecricketer.com / 19
TOP 100 SCHOOLS<br />
DULWICH COLLEGE<br />
Dulwich Common<br />
London<br />
SE21 7LD<br />
DR CHALLONER’S<br />
GRAMMAR SCHOOL<br />
Amersham<br />
Buckinghamshire<br />
Established 1624<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Hampton,<br />
St Albans, Berkhamsted, RGS High<br />
Wycombe, Reading Bluecoat, Eton<br />
Teams A and B teams (years 7 to 10,<br />
plus occasional C-team fixtures).<br />
Two senior teams, plus occasional<br />
3rd XI fixtures<br />
Facilities Two grounds, four<br />
indoor nets<br />
Club/county affiliation<br />
Buckinghamshire<br />
Brief history A state-funded<br />
school where cricket has really<br />
begun to flourish over the past<br />
10 to 15 years. The junior teams<br />
have recently made a habit of<br />
winning the Bucks Cup and on a<br />
couple of occasions the team<br />
has gone on to the semi-final of<br />
the nationals. The passion for<br />
cricket comes from the headmaster<br />
Mark Fenton. His enthusiastic<br />
support led to major improvements<br />
in facilities, including a relaid<br />
square and new pavilion. This has<br />
helped to raise the standard and<br />
profile of cricket at DCGS and it is<br />
now seen as the flagship<br />
sport. Well-supported by a<br />
committed PE team and club<br />
cricketers on the teaching staff.<br />
The school undertakes bi-annual<br />
tours to the Caribbean, generally<br />
St Kitts and Nevis, for the<br />
under-14 and 15 teams, which<br />
are extremely rewarding for all<br />
involved. A trip to India is slated<br />
Extras Without the level of<br />
investment of most independent<br />
schools, Dr Challoner’s compete<br />
strongly against the top schools<br />
in its vicinity. The number of<br />
cricketers who carry on playing<br />
for their local after leaving<br />
school is a hugely positive<br />
aspect of the school’s cricket<br />
programme. England women’s<br />
team captain Charlotte Edwards<br />
and former Australia captain<br />
Michael Clarke have visited the<br />
school to take some coaching and<br />
pass on tips in recent years.<br />
Clarke held a Q&A with Samit<br />
Patel, of Nottinghamshire who<br />
is in the United Arab Emirates<br />
with England this autumn, and<br />
then said: “I could see some of<br />
the students becoming potential<br />
players for England in future<br />
Ashes series”<br />
Allrounder:<br />
Chris Jordan did<br />
his schooling at<br />
Dulwich College<br />
Established 1619<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Tonbridge,<br />
Harrow, Bedford, Incogniti (125 years<br />
standing)<br />
Cricket professional Bill Athey<br />
(Yorkshire, Gloucestershire, Sussex &<br />
England)<br />
Teams From year 3 to year 13 – 45 teams<br />
in total<br />
Facilities Eight indoor cricket lanes,<br />
24 synthetic-grass nets, plus 11 cricket<br />
squares including a main site and the<br />
Trevor Bailey Sports Ground<br />
Club/county affiliation Surrey, London<br />
Schools, and club links with Spencer<br />
CC, Dulwich CC, Old Alleynian CC<br />
Brief history Dulwich College has<br />
long been renowned for its excellence<br />
in cricket, noted by PG Wodehouse<br />
and many generations of schoolboys,<br />
parents and teachers since. Cricket has<br />
been played for more than 140 years<br />
Cricketers of note Trevor Bailey (Essex<br />
& England), Roger Knight (Surrey),<br />
Ruel Braithwaite (West Indies), Chris<br />
Jordan (Surrey, Sussex & England)<br />
Extras There is a rumour that the<br />
term ‘Cow Corner’ originated at<br />
Dulwich. Nine Old Alleynians have<br />
been capped for their country<br />
and four have been named<br />
Wisden Cricketers of the Year<br />
20 / thecricketer.com
EASTBOURNE COLLEGE<br />
Old Wish Road<br />
Eastbourne<br />
East Sussex<br />
BN21 4JY<br />
DURHAM SCHOOL<br />
Quarryheads Lane<br />
Durham<br />
DH1 4SZ<br />
Established 1414<br />
Notable fixtures Woodhouse Grove,<br />
Sedbergh, St Peter’s York, Ampleforth,<br />
Bradford Grammar, RGS Newcastle,<br />
MCC<br />
Master i/c cricket Michael Fishwick.<br />
Michael Hirsch has coached at the<br />
school for 35 years<br />
Teams 1st XI, 2nd XI, U15, U14AB,<br />
U13, U12. Talented girls play cricket<br />
as part of boys’ teams<br />
Facilities Indoor sports hall with<br />
four lanes, plus a main and smaller<br />
ground. Bow – the school’s junior<br />
school – has a pitch<br />
Club/county affiliation Durham,<br />
Durham City CC<br />
Brief history The school has had a<br />
cricket team since 1847. 1866 saw<br />
the establishing of the annual game<br />
against St Peter’s York, and other<br />
annual matches matches followed<br />
against the likes of Sedbergh (1908),<br />
Ampleforth (1915), Giggleswick (1933)<br />
Barnard Castle (1937) and St Bees<br />
(1938)<br />
Cricketers of note Michael<br />
Roseberry (Middlesex, Durham),<br />
Andrew Roseberry (Leicestershire,<br />
Glamorgan), Phil Weston<br />
(Worcestershire, Gloucestershire,<br />
Derbyshire), Robin Weston (Durham,<br />
Derbyshire, Middlesex), Gordon<br />
Muchall (Durham), Paul Muchall<br />
(Gloucestershire), Fraser Watts<br />
(Scotland)<br />
Extras A cricket history dating from<br />
as early as 1847, for the past 35 years<br />
the school has consistently produced<br />
good young cricketers who have<br />
played at all levels of the game<br />
Established 1867<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Tonbridge<br />
Cricket professional Rob Ferley<br />
(Kent, Nottinghamshire)<br />
Teams 1st XI, 2nd XI, 3rd XI,<br />
U15ABC, 14ABC. Girls at U15 level<br />
with the school looking to expand<br />
this programme. A cricket scholar<br />
joins the sixth form after Christmas<br />
for the first time<br />
Facilities Gym space with two nets,<br />
plus large indoor hall in planning<br />
(scheduled to open in 2017, the<br />
school’s 150th year). The school is<br />
able to host five home games each<br />
Saturday. An eight-lane artificial<br />
facility is also on site<br />
Club/county affiliation Sussex<br />
Cricketers of note Ed Giddins<br />
(Sussex, Warwickshire, Hampshire<br />
& England), Matt Hobden<br />
(Sussex), Harry Finch (Sussex)<br />
Extras The Memorial Ground has<br />
hosted county fixtures and College<br />
Field is regarded as an iconic venue,<br />
situated right on the south coast.<br />
The current 1st and 2nd XIs are<br />
the most successful in the school’s<br />
history, recording 13 wins from 16<br />
games. Openers Henry Braybrooke<br />
and John Kelsey put on an<br />
unbeaten 403 at the college in 1899<br />
National service:<br />
Ed Giddins won<br />
four Test caps<br />
for England<br />
thecricketer.com / 21
TOP 100 SCHOOLS<br />
EMANUEL SCHOOL<br />
Battersea Rise<br />
London<br />
SW11 1HS<br />
Established 1594<br />
Notable fixtures Tiffin School, MCC<br />
Head coach Mark Stear<br />
1st XI coach Malcolm Roberts<br />
Teams 1st XI, 2nd XI, U15AB, U14AB,<br />
U13AB, U12AB. Girls’ cricket runs<br />
as an extracurricular option in the<br />
summer term, with the school<br />
running two squads at U13 and U15<br />
levels<br />
Facilities Two sites. The main school<br />
is home to the main square, plus one<br />
junior square with further access<br />
to the Old Boys’ ground, Blagdons.<br />
A sports hall with four indoor nets,<br />
three outdoor synthetic-grass nets<br />
and portable batting cage<br />
Club/county affiliation Spencer CC,<br />
Bank of England CC, Surrey<br />
Brief history Emanuel was founded<br />
in Elizabethan times by Lady Dacre<br />
for the education of 10 boys and 10<br />
girls. In 1873, the girls at the school<br />
transferred to Grey Coat Hospital<br />
and 10 years after that the boys’<br />
school relocated to the current<br />
site in Wandsworth. The school<br />
became a voluntary-aided<br />
grammar school in 1944 until<br />
it resumed its independent<br />
status at the end of the 1970s. In<br />
1995, Emanuel returned to being a<br />
co-educational school<br />
Cricketers of note Stuart Surridge<br />
(Surrey), Ian Payne (Surrey,<br />
Gloucestershire)<br />
Extras The main school site sits in<br />
walled grounds in central London,<br />
just minutes from Clapham Junction.<br />
The school has close links with<br />
the Barmy Army Colts team and<br />
has hosted fixtures against a<br />
number of touring teams, including<br />
a Darren Lehmann Academy side<br />
from Adelaide. Last year an under-19<br />
team formed by a Sri Lankan charity<br />
– the Unity Squad representing the<br />
Foundation of Goodness – played<br />
at the school. Emanuel produced<br />
the greatest captain in the history of<br />
county cricket. Surridge led Surrey<br />
to five County Championship<br />
titles in succession, from 1952–56.<br />
Four Surrey County Cricket Club<br />
presidents (including Surridge) went<br />
to Emanuel<br />
EPSOM COLLEGE<br />
Epsom<br />
Surrey<br />
Established 1855<br />
Notable fixtures MCC<br />
Cricket professional Neil Taylor<br />
(Kent, Sussex & England A)<br />
Teams Four senior XIs, U15AB,<br />
U14AB. In 2016 the lower school will<br />
open, offering fixtures at U12 and<br />
U13 age groups. A single girls team is<br />
compiled across all school years<br />
Facilities Five indoor nets, nine<br />
synthetic-grass surfaces, plus three<br />
grass squares and one artificial<br />
match pitch<br />
Club/county affiliation Surrey<br />
Brief history Epsom College<br />
competes on a strong schools’<br />
circuit including matches against<br />
Brighton College, Eastbourne and<br />
Hurstpierpoint. Teams recently<br />
toured Dubai and Barbados<br />
Cricketers of note Natalie Sciver<br />
(Sussex & England)<br />
Extras The college runs eight<br />
boys’ teams and one girls’.<br />
The school also calls on<br />
the expertise of Matt<br />
Holmes, director of the<br />
In-Touch Cricket Academy,<br />
which is based at the college<br />
All-round<br />
ace: Natalie<br />
Sciver has<br />
won three<br />
Test and 23<br />
one-day<br />
caps for<br />
England<br />
22 / thecricketer.com
Special Award<br />
for Excellence<br />
THE<br />
CRICKETER<br />
SPECIAL<br />
AWARD FOR<br />
EXCELLENCE<br />
Having<br />
produced<br />
more first-class<br />
cricketers than<br />
anyone else and<br />
committing to<br />
more cricket<br />
than anywhere in<br />
the country, Eton<br />
continue to ‘do<br />
cricket’ with great<br />
success<br />
ETON COLLEGE<br />
Windsor<br />
SL4 6DW<br />
Established 1444<br />
Notable fixtures Millfield, MCC,<br />
I Zingari, Harrow (at Lord’s),<br />
Cowdrey Cup (Radley, Tonbridge,<br />
Charterhouse, Wellington, Harrow),<br />
Silk Trophy (Shrewsbury, Oundle)<br />
Cricket professional Tim Roberts<br />
(Lancashire, Northamptonshire).<br />
John Rice (Hampshire) retired in<br />
2014 after 30 years<br />
Teams Six senior XIs, four U16, six<br />
U15, seven U14<br />
Facilities Three indoors nets and<br />
two grass net areas (40m long by<br />
4m high artificial area), 12 grass<br />
squares and five synthetic-grass<br />
match pitches<br />
Brief history The school has<br />
produced in excess of 750 firstclass<br />
cricketers. 1706 saw the<br />
first written record of a game<br />
of cricket at Eton College – In<br />
the poem Certamen Pilae, by<br />
William Godwin, Master of Bristol<br />
Grammar School. August 2 1805<br />
saw Eton v Harrow at Lord’s<br />
(Eton won by the comprehensive<br />
margin of an innings and two<br />
runs). In1882, The Hon Ivo Bligh,<br />
CT Studd and GB Studd toured<br />
Australia with England. Bligh<br />
received the ashes of a bail. In<br />
1897, BJT Bosanquet is said to<br />
have invented the googly. 1899<br />
saw Lord Hawke captain England<br />
v South Africa. GO ‘Gubby’ Allen<br />
represented England in Australia<br />
in 1932/33 and refused to bowl<br />
bodyline. In 1961 Colin Ingleby-<br />
Mackenzie captained Hampshire<br />
to the County Championship.<br />
1997/98 saw Matthew Fleming<br />
represent England in 11 one-day<br />
internationals. Will Vanderspar was<br />
Wisden Schoolboy Cricketer of the<br />
Year 2010<br />
Cricketers of note Most recently<br />
Alex Loudon (Warwickshire), James<br />
Bruce (Hampshire)<br />
Extras Competitive inter-school<br />
sport is said to have started<br />
with cricket matches between<br />
the trio of Eton, Winchester and<br />
Westminster. As well as in excess<br />
of 500 school fixtures, Eton also<br />
runs a programme of 500-plus<br />
house matches with more than 40<br />
schoolmasters involved, taking<br />
teams at all levels<br />
thecricketer.com / 23
TOP 100 SCHOOLS<br />
FELSTED SCHOOL<br />
Felsted<br />
Dunmow<br />
Essex<br />
CM6 3LL<br />
Established 1564<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Bedford<br />
School, Oakham, Oundle<br />
Director of Cricket Jason Gallian<br />
(Lancashire, Nottinghamshire,<br />
Essex & England)<br />
Teams 1st XI, 2nd XI 3rd XI,<br />
U15ABC, U14ABC, plus two ‘open’<br />
girls’ teams<br />
Facilities Five indoor nets, 10<br />
artificial nets, five grounds<br />
plus three more available at the<br />
associated prep school<br />
Club/county affiliation Essex<br />
Cricketers of note Nick Knight<br />
(Warwickshire, Essex & England),<br />
Derek Pringle (Essex & England),<br />
John Stephenson (Essex,<br />
Hampshire & England)<br />
Extras The school’s first cricket field<br />
was created in 1805. Pupils play<br />
cricket from year 3 (age 8) and it is<br />
the main summer sport in both the<br />
senior and prepatory schools<br />
The cap fits:<br />
Old boy Nasser<br />
Hussain had a<br />
great England<br />
career<br />
FOREST SCHOOL<br />
2 College Place<br />
London<br />
E17 3PY<br />
Established 1834<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Highgate,<br />
Ardingly College<br />
Cricket professional James Foster<br />
(Essex & England)<br />
Teams U12ABC, U13ABC, U14ABC,<br />
U15AB, 2nd XI, 1st XI. Girls’ U13, U15<br />
Facilities Purpose-built indoor cricket<br />
suite comprising two lanes (including<br />
video analysis technology), three-lane<br />
outdoor synthetic-grass nets, four<br />
cricket squares<br />
Club/county affiliation Essex<br />
Brief history The school archives date<br />
cricket at Forest School back to the<br />
1860s. Nasser Hussain became the<br />
first Old Forester to play for Essex and<br />
then England. Former Essex allrounder<br />
Stuart Turner ran cricket at Forest from<br />
1987 until his retirement in 2010. Forest<br />
School now runs more teams than at<br />
any time in its history<br />
Cricketers of note James Foster<br />
(Essex & England), Nasser Hussain<br />
(Essex & England)<br />
Extras The school runs a cricket<br />
exchange programme with St<br />
Stithian’s College in Johannesburg,<br />
South Africa and bi-annual overseas<br />
cricket tours with recent trips to<br />
venues such as Trinidad & Tobago,<br />
Sri Lanka, St Lucia and Barbados<br />
24 / thecricketer.com
FRAMLINGHAM COLLEGE<br />
College Road<br />
Framlingham<br />
Suffolk<br />
IP13 9EY<br />
Established 1865<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, MCC Ladies,<br />
Essex Development<br />
Cricket professional Ben France<br />
(Derbyshire)<br />
Teams 1st XI, 2nd XI, 3rd XI,<br />
U14ABCD, U15ABC. Girls’ 1st XI,<br />
2nd XI, U15AB, U14A<br />
Facilities Three indoor nets, eight<br />
grass nets, four synthetic-grass<br />
nets, plus four squares<br />
Club/county affiliation Essex,<br />
Northamptonshire<br />
Cricketers of note Herbert Wilson<br />
(Sussex), Norman Borrett (Essex),<br />
David Larter (Northamptonshire &<br />
England) Ashley Cowan (Essex), Rob<br />
Newton (Northamptonshire)<br />
Extras Framlingham is not a large<br />
school, but is proud of its history<br />
and passionate about its cricket,<br />
with headmaster Paul Taylor a<br />
former Surrey player. A fourth<br />
square was added in 2015 with<br />
outline plans for a fifth to be laid in<br />
the shadow of the magnificent 12thcentury<br />
Framlingham Castle, as<br />
well as a state-of-the-art pavilion.<br />
2015 saw the addition of an U14D<br />
team despite a year group boasting<br />
only 44 boys. Pupils are exposed to a<br />
wide variety of formats from eighta-side<br />
house matches, in coloured<br />
clothing, to two-day fixtures, plus<br />
tours to Sri Lanka, Barbados and<br />
the UAE. Prep school Brandeston<br />
Hall benefits from coaching from<br />
the school professional<br />
GEORGE<br />
WATSON’S<br />
COLLEGE<br />
69 -71 Colinton<br />
Road<br />
Edinburgh<br />
EH10 5EG<br />
Established 1741<br />
Notable fixtures MCC<br />
Teams Six junior sides and eight at<br />
senior level. Two girls’ teams that have<br />
been Scottish champions two years in<br />
a row at U15 and 1st XI<br />
Facilities Four squares, two syntheticgrass<br />
pitches, 10 artificial-turf nets, four<br />
indoor nets<br />
Club/county affiliation Watsonians CC,<br />
Eastern Region<br />
Brief history George Watson’s College<br />
is one of the largest single-campus<br />
schools in the UK. Founded in 1741, it is<br />
one of Scotland’s leading independent<br />
schools and is widely renowned for its<br />
sporting excellence. In 2015 the school<br />
won all three major Scottish sporting<br />
competitions in rugby, hockey and<br />
cricket, being the first school to do so<br />
Cricketers of note Alasdair Evans<br />
(Derbyshire & Scotland), Dewald Nel<br />
(Kent & Scotland), Neil McCallum<br />
(Scotland)<br />
Extras The school’s Myreside square<br />
was recently used in the ICC World<br />
T20 qualifiers. The school has, for<br />
the last two seasons, won three of<br />
the four national competitions –<br />
including, in 2015, becoming 1st XI<br />
Scottish Champions. The under-<br />
15s compete in the East District<br />
T20 tournaments, with the winner<br />
advancing to the Scottish finals. The<br />
school’s alumni club, Watsonians, play<br />
in the top National League, and were<br />
crowned as Scottish champions as<br />
recently as 2012<br />
Great Scot: Neil McCallum has scored two<br />
centuries in 43 ODIs for the national side<br />
thecricketer.com / 25
Boys 13 - 18 • Boarding and Day<br />
Cowdrey Scholarship<br />
In memory of Colin Cowdrey, legendary England captain<br />
and Old Tonbridgian, we offer scholarships<br />
for sporting excellence<br />
Contact Admissions on<br />
01732 304297<br />
admissions@tonbridge-school.org<br />
www.tonbridge-school.co.uk<br />
@TonbridgeUK<br />
/TonbridgeUK<br />
Bede’s Cricket Academy<br />
1st XI Sussex Champions – 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014<br />
1st XI South East Regional Champions – 2011, 2012, 2013<br />
1st XI South of England Champions – 2012, 2013<br />
1st XI National Runners Up – 2012, 2013<br />
Girls’ U15 Lord’s Taverners National Finalist – 2011<br />
U12, U13, U14 Sussex Champions – 2015<br />
Bede’s Alumni<br />
Callum Jackson – Sussex CCC and England U19<br />
Ollie Rayner – Sussex CCC, Middlesex CCC, England U19<br />
and England Lions<br />
Luke Wells – Sussex CCC, England U19 and England Lions<br />
Shai Hope – Barbados and West Indies<br />
Fynn Hudson-Prentice – Sussex CCC<br />
Coaching Staff<br />
Alan Wells (ECB Level 4) Sussex CCC, Kent CCC and England<br />
Neil Lenham (ECB Level 3) Sussex CCC<br />
Petch Lenham (ECB Level 3)<br />
Bede’s Senior School<br />
Upper Dicker<br />
East Sussex BN27 3QH<br />
bedes.org<br />
HMC – Day, weekly and full boarding<br />
Boys and girls 13 to 18<br />
For more information please contact:<br />
richard.mills@bedes.org T 01323 843252<br />
BEDES_TheCricketer_128x198mm.indd 1 17/09/2015 10:37
HABERDASHERS’ ASKE’S<br />
BOYS’ SCHOOL<br />
Butterfly Lane<br />
Elstree<br />
Hertfordshire<br />
WD6 3AF<br />
Established 1690<br />
Notable fixtures Bancroft’s,<br />
Berkhamsted, Felsted, MCC,<br />
Merchant Taylors’, St Albans<br />
Cricket professional No cricket<br />
professional as such, but Doug<br />
Yeabsley (Devon) was a full-time<br />
member of staff for many years.<br />
James Hewitt (Middlesex, Kent) is<br />
employed by both Haberdashers’<br />
and Middlesex as part of a<br />
developing partnership between<br />
school and county<br />
Teams 1st XI, 2nd XI, 3rd XI, 4th XI,<br />
5th XI, U15ABC, U14ABC, U13ABC,<br />
U12ABC, plus prep school A and B<br />
teams at U11, U10, U9 and U8 age<br />
groups. An all-boys school that<br />
offers coaching for the girls’ ‘sister’<br />
school<br />
Facilities Three grass squares,<br />
three synthetic-grass strips, three<br />
artificial-turf nets, five grass nets<br />
and an ‘open’ net plus a two-lane<br />
indoor centre that includes instantreplay<br />
and video-analysis systems<br />
Club/county affiliation Hertfordshire,<br />
Middlesex, plus links with clubs<br />
Sidmouth and Exeter in Devon<br />
Cricketers of note Richard Yeabsley<br />
(Middlesex). His father, Doug<br />
Yeabsley, was offered a contract by<br />
Warwickshire but chose to teach<br />
chemistry and coach rugby and<br />
cricket instead<br />
Extras There is huge enthusiasm for<br />
cricket, particularly from within the<br />
school’s Asian community<br />
Big hit: Sam<br />
Billings has<br />
broken into<br />
England’s<br />
one-day set-up<br />
HAILEYBURY<br />
Haileybury<br />
Hertford<br />
SG13 7NU<br />
Established 1862<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, plus two-day<br />
games v Cheltenham College and<br />
Berkhamsted<br />
Cricket professional DLS van<br />
Bunge (Middlesex & Holland),<br />
GP Howarth (Surrey &<br />
New Zealand)<br />
Teams U13ABCD, U14ABC, U15AB,<br />
1st XI, 2nd XI, 3rd XI, plus a girls’ U18<br />
team, selected from all ages<br />
Facilities 15 nets, including three<br />
indoor lanes, plus five full grounds<br />
Club/county affiliation<br />
Hertfordshire, with club links to<br />
Hertford CC and Hoddesdon CC<br />
Brief history The match between<br />
Haileybury and Cheltenham<br />
began in 1893 and was played at<br />
Lord’s until 1968. All of the school’s<br />
cricketing history is contained<br />
within a fact-filled book entitled<br />
Haileybury Cricket written by<br />
David Rimmer. The book is<br />
held within the historic pavilion,<br />
a listed building, designed by<br />
Reginald Bloomfield. Past<br />
cricket professionals<br />
include Graham<br />
Barlow (Middlesex), Jeremy Lloyds<br />
(Gloucestershire) and more recently<br />
Nic Pothas (Hampshire) and<br />
Michael Cawdron (Gloucestershire,<br />
Northamptonshire). There have<br />
been 91 first-class cricketers from<br />
the school with England one-day<br />
star Sam Billings being the most<br />
recent<br />
Cricketers of note Sam Billings (Kent<br />
& England), RJO Meyer (future<br />
founder of Millfield School), AJT<br />
Miller (Middlesex), Maharajkumar<br />
of Vizianagram, who went on to<br />
captain India on a tour of England<br />
in the early 1900s<br />
Extras Set among highly<br />
picturesque grounds, Haileybury<br />
upholds a fine tradition of<br />
producing top-class cricketers.<br />
Many other cricketing enthusiasts<br />
have emanated from Haileybury<br />
including former prime minister<br />
Clement Attlee. Sir Donald<br />
Bradman famously visited the<br />
school and bequeathed his Baggy<br />
Green, which lay in the Long Room<br />
for many years before the school<br />
loaned it to Cricket Australia.<br />
Former Holland leg-spinner Daan<br />
van Bunge is director of cricket,<br />
while ex-New Zealand captain<br />
Geoff Howarth spends the<br />
summer term with the school<br />
thecricketer.com / 27
TOP 100 SCHOOLS<br />
HAMPTON SCHOOL<br />
Hanworth Road<br />
Hampton<br />
Middlesex<br />
TW12 3HD<br />
Established 1556<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Eton, Harrow,<br />
Dulwich College, Whitgift (two-day<br />
game)<br />
Cricket professional Chris Harrison<br />
(with Ami Banerjee as head of cricket)<br />
Teams 1st XI, 2nd XI, 3rd XI, 4th XI,<br />
U15ABC, U14ABCD, U13ABC, U12ABC<br />
Facilities Five indoor nets, six cricket<br />
squares, plus a single artificial<br />
match strip<br />
Club/county affiliation Middlesex<br />
Brief history The school’s current<br />
cricket fixture list is strong, with 17<br />
teams competing across multiple<br />
formats, and junior teams entered<br />
in the Middlesex Cup. Bi-annual<br />
major tours, the most recent being a<br />
December 2013 trip to Mumbai and<br />
Chennai. The junior teams tour Dubai<br />
and Guernsey each year as part of<br />
pre-season preparation<br />
Cricketers of note Toby Roland-Jones<br />
(Middlesex) and Zafar Ansari (Surrey)<br />
THE<br />
CRICKETER<br />
SPECIAL<br />
AWARD FOR<br />
EXCELLENCE<br />
Incredible<br />
history and<br />
still producing<br />
cricketers of<br />
outstanding<br />
pedigree in<br />
the modern<br />
era, Harrow<br />
continue to<br />
hold firm as a<br />
top cricketing<br />
school<br />
Special Award<br />
for Excellence<br />
HARROW SCHOOL<br />
5 High St<br />
Harrow on the Hill<br />
Middlesex<br />
HA1 3HP<br />
Established 1615<br />
Notable fixtures Eton at Lord’s, MCC,<br />
Cowdrey Cup (Wellington, Tonbridge,<br />
Radley), Charterhouse<br />
Cricket professional Stephen Jones<br />
(Western Province)<br />
Teams Four senior teams, three U16,<br />
five U15, six U14<br />
Facilities A two-lane purpose-built<br />
indoor school that includes video<br />
playback, eight artificial and four grass<br />
outdoor nets. Plus nine grounds, all<br />
served by excellent pavilions<br />
Club/county affiliation Middlesex<br />
Brief history Cricket has long-played a<br />
major part in the life of Harrow. In the<br />
period from 1850-1939 this was largely<br />
due to the social significance of the<br />
Eton match at Lord’s, which, along with<br />
Henley Regatta, sailing at Cowes and<br />
racing at Ascot, became part of the<br />
‘London Season’. The first recorded<br />
match in 1805 gained publicity from<br />
the presence in the Harrow team of<br />
the poet, Byron. He was no cricketer,<br />
indeed he had a ‘club foot’ and batted<br />
with a runner, but talked a good game<br />
Cricketers of note Robin Marlar<br />
(Sussex), Tony Pigott (Sussex, Surrey<br />
& England), Sam Northeast (Kent),<br />
Nick Compton (Middlesex, Somerset<br />
& England), Gary Ballance (Derbyshire,<br />
Yorkshire & England)<br />
Extras Eton v Harrow is the oldest<br />
school fixture played at Lord’s. All nine<br />
of the grounds at Harrow are only used<br />
for cricket in the summer term and so<br />
spend the winter under preparation<br />
28 / thecricketer.com
IPSWICH SCHOOL<br />
25 Henley Road<br />
Ipswich<br />
IP1 3SG<br />
HURSTPIERPOINT<br />
COLLEGE<br />
College Lane<br />
Hurstpierpoint<br />
Hassocks<br />
West Sussex<br />
BN6 9JS<br />
Established 1849<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Eastbourne,<br />
Cranleigh, Whitgift<br />
Cricket professionals Jon Lewis<br />
(Gloucestershire, Surrey &<br />
England), Jerry Heath, Phil<br />
Hudson<br />
Teams 12 senior school teams,<br />
with between eight and 10<br />
teams at prep school with<br />
girls able to opt for cricket<br />
as a summer sport,<br />
supporting a senior and a<br />
junior team<br />
Facilities Eight grass<br />
squares, 10 grass nets, five<br />
synthetic-grass nets and a<br />
six-lane sports hall<br />
Club/county affiliation<br />
Sussex<br />
Brief history Although<br />
the school was founded<br />
in 1849, it is clear that<br />
cricket was played<br />
earlier when at Shoreham. In recent<br />
years the school has had success<br />
winning the Woodard Schools<br />
Festival on a number of occasions,<br />
the Langdale T20 Trophy (twice in<br />
the last three years), and in 2015<br />
winning the National Schools<br />
T20. The under-15s play in the<br />
Blackshaw T20 Cup and the under-<br />
14s in The Lord’s Taverners Trophy<br />
Cricketers of note Martin Speight<br />
(Sussex, Durham), Justin Bates<br />
(Sussex)<br />
Extras Hurstpierpoint has one<br />
of the world’s largest cricket<br />
squares. The school has<br />
toured India, Malta, Dubai and<br />
Cape Town in recent years. While<br />
at Hurstpierpoint, Martin Speight<br />
was chosen to play for the South of<br />
England with Nasser Hussain,<br />
Angus Fraser and Mark<br />
Ramprakash. With a number<br />
of players in the Sussex<br />
County Cricket Club Academy<br />
and the Emerging Players<br />
Programme, the future is<br />
looking bright for<br />
the school<br />
Entertainer: Martin<br />
Speight was a gifted<br />
strokemaker<br />
Established 1399<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Felsted<br />
Cricket professional Ray East (Essex)<br />
Teams 13 teams, plus girls at ages<br />
U13, 15 and U18<br />
Facilities An indoor cricket school<br />
with two nets, plus four nets in the<br />
sports hall. Two grounds with five<br />
squares plus 10 synthetic-grass nets<br />
Club/county affiliation Suffolk<br />
Cricketers of note Gul Khan (Essex),<br />
Nadeem Shahid (Essex, Surrey)<br />
Extras Former Essex legend Ray<br />
East heads the coaching team. The<br />
school regularly hosts Suffolk in the<br />
Minor Counties Championship<br />
at Ivry Street. It regularly tours<br />
the Caribbean, and also boasts<br />
a comprehensive programme<br />
of cricket for girls, with Stuart<br />
Furmston heading it up<br />
Stalwart:<br />
Nadeem Shahid<br />
enjoyed a long<br />
career with<br />
Surrey<br />
thecricketer.com / 29
Top 100 Schools<br />
KING EDWARD VI SCHOOL<br />
Wilton Road<br />
Southampton<br />
Hampshire<br />
SO15 5UQ<br />
Established Charter signed 1553,<br />
opened in 1554<br />
Notable fixtures Bradfield,<br />
Portsmouth Grammar School,<br />
Bryanston, MCC<br />
Teams U12ABC, U13ABC, U14AB,<br />
U15AB, 1stXI, 2nd XI<br />
Facilities Sports hall with four<br />
indoor nets. Four outdoor nets,<br />
plus four cricket squares<br />
Club/county affiliation Hampshire<br />
Cricketers of note Simon Francis<br />
(Hampshire, Somerset & England<br />
A), Jimmy Gray, (Hampshire), Iain<br />
Brunnschweiler (Hampshire), Joe<br />
Weatherly (Hampshire & England<br />
Under-19s captain 2015)<br />
Extras Debate could rage at the<br />
Francis Christmas dinner table<br />
about who is the best cricketer<br />
to come out of the school. Simon<br />
Francis took 136 wickets in 60<br />
first-class matches at 41.13, and<br />
77 List A wickets at 34.33 in 70<br />
games (including 8 for 66 against<br />
Derbyshire in the C&G Trophy in<br />
2004). Younger brother John Francis,<br />
34, scored six centuries (including<br />
four in 2005), with 2,748 first-class<br />
runs and 1,827 List A runs<br />
Big brother: Simon Francis was accurate<br />
KING’S<br />
COLLEGE<br />
SCHOOL<br />
Southside<br />
Wimbledon<br />
Common<br />
London<br />
SW19 4TT<br />
Established 1829<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Dulwich College<br />
Cricket professionals Gary Butcher<br />
(Surrey, Glamorgan), Sean Davies<br />
(Zimbabwe)<br />
Teams 49 teams at junior and senior<br />
school – U8A-G, U9A-G, U10A-F,<br />
U11A-F, U12A-E, U13A-E, U14A-D,<br />
U15A-D, 1st XI, 2nd XI, 3rd XI, 4th XI,<br />
5thXI<br />
Facilities 13 bays including six grass nets<br />
at school and off-site at the Kingsway<br />
and Grand Drive facilities, plus the<br />
main 1st XI ground and two additional<br />
grass squares, four indoor nets, two<br />
off-site grass squares with eight<br />
synthetic-grass nets and two further<br />
artificial surfaces for matches<br />
Club/county affiliation Wimbledon CC<br />
Brief history Cricket at King’s has always<br />
been an integral part of schooling.<br />
King’s is one of very few to put out a<br />
5th XI during the summer term. The<br />
cricket benefits from excellent facilities<br />
and a fantastic coaching structure.<br />
Boasting a strong academic reputation,<br />
Ruari Crichard and Alex Hunt played<br />
in the 2015 Varsity match at Lord’s,<br />
representing Cambridge University<br />
Cricketers of note Russell Cake, Samir<br />
Sheikh<br />
Extras Twelve teams are regularly<br />
fielded on a very competitive circuit<br />
under head of cricket James Gibson:<br />
four at under-14 level, four at under-15<br />
level and four senior sides. The school<br />
plays matches against Whitgift,<br />
Dulwich, Winchester, St Paul’s and<br />
St John’s Leatherhead, and have<br />
undertaken tours to the Caribbean and<br />
Sri Lanka<br />
30 / thecricketer.com
KING’S COLLEGE,<br />
TAUNTON<br />
South Road<br />
Taunton<br />
Somerset<br />
TA1 3LA<br />
Established 1879<br />
Notable fixtures Cardiff MCCU,<br />
Exeter University, Millfield, MCC,<br />
Whitgift, Eton<br />
Director of cricket Phil Lewis<br />
(Somerset)<br />
Cricket professionals Rob<br />
Woodman (Somerset,<br />
Gloucestershire), Dennis Breakwell<br />
(Somerset)<br />
Teams Four senior teams and four<br />
junior teams aged 13 to 18. Two girls’<br />
teams at U15 and 1st XI level<br />
Facilities Six squares all in close<br />
proximity, six grass nets and eight<br />
Hand it to him: Jos<br />
Butler is England’s<br />
wicketkeeper<br />
artificial strips, four indoor nets, four<br />
bowling machines, three cricket<br />
pavilions<br />
Club/county affiliation Somerset,<br />
Gloucestershire, Glamorgan<br />
Brief history King’s has been a<br />
dominant force on its circuit over<br />
recent years. The school continues<br />
to produce fine young cricketers<br />
for Somerset under the 30-year<br />
guidance of groundsman and<br />
professional, Dennis Breakwell<br />
Cricketers of note Jos Buttler<br />
(Somerset, Lancashire & England),<br />
Roger Twose (Warwickshire &<br />
New Zealand), Richard Harden<br />
(Somerset), Nicholas Boulton<br />
(Somerset, Worcestershire), Tom<br />
Webley (Somerset), Phil Lewis<br />
(Somerset), Craig Meschede<br />
(Somerset, Glamorgan), Alex<br />
Barrow (Somerset), Charlie<br />
Morris (Worcestershire), James<br />
Regan (Somerset), Neil Brand<br />
(Glamorgan)<br />
Extras For a school of only 450<br />
pupils, King’s College boasts<br />
the reputation of regularly<br />
beating schools with<br />
double that number<br />
KINGSWOOD SCHOOL,<br />
BATH<br />
Lansdown Road<br />
Bath<br />
BA1 5RG<br />
Established 1748<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, XL Club,<br />
Clifton College<br />
Teams 1st XI, 2nd XI, 3rd XI, U15AB,<br />
U14AB, U13AB, U12AB. Girls enter<br />
Lady Taverners competition at U13<br />
and U15 level<br />
Facilities Four indoor lanes, five<br />
outdoor synthetic nets, three grass<br />
nets, four cricket squares<br />
Club/county affiliation Somerset,<br />
Bath CC<br />
Brief history In 2015 the school 1st<br />
XI went unbeaten in the local Peak<br />
Sports League<br />
Cricketers of note Charles Morris<br />
(Worcestershire), Tim Rouse<br />
(Somerset)<br />
Extras The school regularly fields<br />
10 teams from year 7 up to the sixth<br />
form. Most fixtures take place on<br />
Saturdays but there are several<br />
friendly and cup matches during<br />
the week. Junior teams take part<br />
in regular weekend block fixtures<br />
against schools from the southwest.<br />
A strong link with Bath<br />
Cricket Club exists<br />
thecricketer.com / 31
TOP 100 SCHOOLS<br />
LANCING COLLEGE<br />
Lancing<br />
West Sussex<br />
BN15 0RW<br />
Established 1848<br />
Notable fixtures Bede’s, Eastbourne<br />
College, Hurstpierpoint, MCC<br />
Cricket professional Rajesh Maru<br />
(Hampshire)<br />
Teams The school runs six teams<br />
with girls cricket in the early stages of<br />
development<br />
Facilities Sports hall with two nets plus<br />
open area for group work<br />
Club/county affiliation Sussex<br />
Cricketers of note Mason<br />
Crane (Hampshire)<br />
Extras Cricket is coached<br />
against an ethos of taking each<br />
individual player to their highest<br />
level of attainment. Recent pupil<br />
Mason Crane is already involved with<br />
the England set-up<br />
Spin king:<br />
Mason Crane<br />
bowls for<br />
Hampshire<br />
LEICESTER GRAMMAR<br />
SCHOOL<br />
London Road<br />
Great Glen<br />
Leicester<br />
LE8 9FL<br />
Established 1981<br />
Notable fixtures MCC,<br />
Loughborough Grammar, Oundle,<br />
Gentlemen of Leicester<br />
Master i/c cricket Laurie Potter<br />
(Kent, Leicestershire)<br />
Teams U9, U10, U11, U12AB, U13AB,<br />
U14AB, U15AB, 1st XI 2nd XI, U18<br />
girls, U15 girls, U13 girls<br />
Facilities Three indoor nets, seven<br />
grass nets, three artificial strips,<br />
two cricket squares over two<br />
grounds<br />
Club/county affiliation The school<br />
work with many local clubs<br />
and also Leicestershire Young<br />
Cricketers, Leicestershire County<br />
Cricket Club and the City Cricket<br />
Academy, who have summer camps<br />
at LGS, playing matches on Sundays<br />
free of charge<br />
Brief history Leicester Grammar<br />
School is a young school and the<br />
cricket set-up even younger. A<br />
minimal amount of cricket was<br />
played there before 1994 but with<br />
the appointment of a formal master<br />
in charge, cricket became more of a<br />
focus. A regular fixture list has been<br />
developed with more than 70 games<br />
of cricket played by representative<br />
teams from LGS in 2015. Fixture<br />
formats vary from T20 games to an<br />
all-day fixture against MCC. In 2008<br />
the school moved to a purpose-built<br />
site with facilities to develop the<br />
game at all levels. Coaching takes<br />
place throughout the year with the<br />
school touring Barbados in 2014.<br />
In 2015 under-13 teams toured<br />
Holland<br />
Cricketers of note Avish Patel<br />
(Cambridge University)<br />
Extras Different to many<br />
independent schools, LGS plays<br />
cricket midweek rather than<br />
the more traditional Saturday<br />
cricket. Pupil Lucy Higham has<br />
excelled at the game, representing<br />
Leicestershire Under-17s and the<br />
senior team. “Lucy has a fantastic<br />
attitude,” Potter said. “She<br />
is keen to learn and just wants to<br />
work and play the game. She is a<br />
very fine prospect in my eyes.”<br />
The school hosted a T20 tournament<br />
for youngsters during the summer,<br />
with some travelling from as far as<br />
India and the United Arab Emirates.<br />
Former Pakistan allrounder<br />
Mudassar Nazar accompanied one<br />
of the under-13 teams who had<br />
travelled from Dubai<br />
32 / thecricketer.com
LORETTO SCHOOL<br />
1-7 Linkfield Road<br />
Musselburgh<br />
EH21 7RE<br />
LORD WANDSWORTH<br />
COLLEGE<br />
Long Sutton<br />
Hook<br />
Hampshire<br />
RG29 1TB<br />
Established 1928<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Reed’s<br />
Master i/c cricket David Beven<br />
Teams Ten boys’ teams, one girls’<br />
team – they are the reigning<br />
Hampshire champions<br />
Facilities Six squares that include<br />
two artificial pitches, 10 outdoor<br />
nets with two artificial surfaces,<br />
plus four further indoor nets<br />
Club/county affiliation Hampshire<br />
Brief history From humble<br />
beginnings, LWC cricket has become<br />
a force to be reckoned with. 1st XI<br />
teams have been able to hold their<br />
own on a strong circuit<br />
Cricketers of note Michael Bates<br />
(Somerset, Hampshire)<br />
Extras Grounds regularly used<br />
by county and district teams<br />
with quality pitches courtesy of<br />
groundsman Alistair Cotton and<br />
his team. 2003 Rugby World Cup<br />
winner Jonny Wilkinson is a<br />
former student<br />
Established 1827<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Fettes,<br />
Merchiston Castle, Glenalmond,<br />
Strathallan, Edinburgh Academy<br />
Cricket professional John Blain<br />
(Northamptonshire, Yorkshire &<br />
Scotland)<br />
Teams 1st XI, 2nd XI, 3rd XI, U15AB,<br />
U14, U13, U12, U11, U10AB, U9 plus a<br />
squad of 20 girl cricketers<br />
Facilities Three squares (one main<br />
oval called Pinkie and two ‘nursery’<br />
grounds called Newfield), four<br />
indoor nets, plus a six-lane practice<br />
area<br />
Club/county affiliation Grange CC,<br />
Edinburgh<br />
Cricketers of note Sam Hain<br />
(Warwickshire), George Munsey<br />
(Scotland), Simon Smith (Scotland)<br />
Extras s Cricket was introduced as<br />
a summer sport in the 1860s by<br />
the pioneering headmaster Hely<br />
Hutchison Almond. The first official<br />
school matches were played against<br />
Edinburgh Academy as early as 1863.<br />
These were two-innings games.<br />
In 1884 it ended in a two-day draw<br />
after Loretto compiled 407 before<br />
allowing their opponents only one<br />
hour to make the runs (finishing 21<br />
for 4). This was in the days when it<br />
was against the rules to declare<br />
Bearing up: Sam<br />
Hain has shone for<br />
Warwickshire<br />
thecricketer.com / 33
TOP 100 SCHOOLS<br />
LOUGHBOROUGH<br />
GRAMMAR SCHOOL<br />
3 Burton Walks<br />
Loughborough<br />
LE11 2DU<br />
Established 1495<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Manchester<br />
Grammar School<br />
Master i/c cricket Martyn Gidley<br />
(Leicestershire, Free State,<br />
Griqualand West)<br />
Teams 1st XI, 2nd XI, U15AB, U14AB,<br />
U13AB, U12AB<br />
Facilities Main square plus two<br />
junior squares on site, plus three<br />
additional squares at the nearby<br />
village of Quorn, four indoor nets, 10<br />
lanes outside, eight further lanes at<br />
Quorn<br />
Club/county affiliation<br />
Leicestershire<br />
Brief history Founded in 1495<br />
by prosperous wool merchant<br />
Thomas Burton. In the early 1850s<br />
demand for space motivated the<br />
move from the heart of the town<br />
to the leafy Walks and beautiful<br />
Victorian gothic buildings evident<br />
today. Since then award-winning<br />
architects have added to the<br />
original building, meticulously<br />
adhering to its distinctive style<br />
Cricketers of note Harry Gurney<br />
(Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire<br />
& England), Shiv Thakor<br />
(Leicestershire, Derbyshire), Chris<br />
Hawkes (Leicestershire), Wayne<br />
Dessaur (Notts, Derbyshire),<br />
Michael Davies (Northamptonshire)<br />
Pace ace:<br />
Harry<br />
Gurney<br />
in action<br />
for Notts<br />
MAGDALEN COLLEGE<br />
SCHOOL, OXFORD<br />
Cowley Place<br />
Oxford<br />
OX4 1DZ<br />
Established 1480<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Abingdon,<br />
St Edwards, Rugby, Haberdashers’<br />
Aske’s, Marlborough, Radley,<br />
Eton, Melbourne Grammar School<br />
(Australia)<br />
Head cricket coach Alan Duncan<br />
Head of cricket David Bebbington<br />
Cricket professional Phillip DeFreitas<br />
(Leicestershire, Lancashire,<br />
Derbyshire & England)<br />
Teams 1st XI, 2nd XI, 3rd XI, 4th XI,<br />
U15ABC, U14ABC, U13ABC, U12ABC,<br />
plus girls’ cricket played during<br />
sixth-form games sessions<br />
Facilities A five-lane indoor cricket<br />
facility with three bowling machines,<br />
plus a Merlin spin-bowling machine,<br />
eight grass nets, eight grounds<br />
(includes a network of grounds<br />
within Oxford University Colleges)<br />
Club/county affiliation Sussex, plus a<br />
formal partnership with Magdalen<br />
College School, Oxford, as part of the<br />
existing tie-up with the Oxfordshire<br />
Cricket Board<br />
Brief history Founded in 1480 by<br />
William Waynflete, MCS was<br />
initially set up as a school of the<br />
university and quickly became<br />
established as one of the leading<br />
centres of learning in Europe. In<br />
1894 the school acquired the playing<br />
fields now known as School Field,<br />
a unique island setting accessed<br />
via two listed white bridges. The<br />
cricket ground is considered one<br />
of the most picturesque grounds<br />
in England, with the backdrop of<br />
punts on the Cherwell, the Botanic<br />
Gardens, Magdalen Tower and the<br />
dreaming spires beyond. In 1913<br />
the unique and iconic pavilion was<br />
built and now stands as a tribute<br />
to those who played, only to lose<br />
their lives in The Great War. Today’s<br />
school has expanded to become a<br />
centre of academic excellence while<br />
maintaining a formidable sporting<br />
profile both locally and regionally<br />
Cricketers of note David Ligertwood<br />
(Durham, Surrey), John Martin<br />
(Somerset), Francis Roberts<br />
(Gloucestershire), Arthur Roberts<br />
(Gloucestershire), Octavius Radcliffe<br />
(Gloucestershire, Somerset)<br />
Extras The school hosts an annual<br />
two-day U15 T20 festival involving<br />
eight teams, including Eton College.<br />
In recent years MCS has hosted the<br />
Lashings World XI and the PCA.<br />
School Field is the only ‘island’<br />
cricket ground in schools’ cricket.<br />
Don Bradman played at the school’s<br />
Christ Church ground three times<br />
for Australia (1930, 1934 and 1938)<br />
versus Oxford University, averaging<br />
only 42. The record ‘biggest hit’ (as<br />
recorded by Wisden) was made on<br />
the school’s Christ Church ground in<br />
1856 (the Rev W Fellows drove a ball<br />
bowled by Charles Rogers 175 yards<br />
from hit to pitch). John Crawley<br />
(Cambridge University, Lancashire,<br />
Hampshire & England) is a previous<br />
head of cricket<br />
34 / thecricketer.com
MALVERN<br />
COLLEGE<br />
College Road<br />
Malvern<br />
Worcestershire<br />
WR14 3DF<br />
Established 1865<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Shrewsbury,<br />
Harrow, Repton, Wellington College,<br />
Bradfield, Millfield<br />
Cricket professional Noel Brett<br />
Teams Nine sides aged 14 and above<br />
plus girls in the two senior years with<br />
games played against Shrewsbury and<br />
Clifton College<br />
Facilities Three grounds, four artificial<br />
nets, 16 grass nets plus a specific indoor<br />
cricket facility with eight lanes<br />
Club/county affiliation Worcestershire<br />
Brief history The Tolchard brothers JG,<br />
RC and RW, were outstanding players<br />
in the 1960s. Roger, the youngest,<br />
playing four times for England in India<br />
Cricketers of note AH Stratford<br />
(Middlesex, plus football for England v<br />
Scotland 1876), RE Foster (represented<br />
his country at cricket and football and<br />
the only man still to captain England in<br />
both sports), GH Simpson-Hayward<br />
(regarded as the last great underarm<br />
bowler, who actually bowled<br />
over-arm at school), Ricardo Ellcock<br />
(Worcestershire, Middlesex), David<br />
Driving force: Middlesex’s David Nash<br />
Nash (Middlesex), Mark Hardinges<br />
(Gloucestershire, Essex), Tom Köhler-<br />
Cadmore (Worcs, the school’s first<br />
WCCC Academy scholar, Wisden<br />
Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2013)<br />
Extras Malvern has a strong cricketing<br />
tradition, illustrated by performances<br />
not only at 1st XI level, but also of the<br />
Old Malvernians in The Cricketer Cup.<br />
Positive recruitment and strategic<br />
alliances has seen Malvern emerge<br />
as one of the country’s cricketing<br />
institutions. Nor can there be many<br />
more spectacular settings for a ground<br />
than the Senior Turf at Malvern – to the<br />
east the Bredon Hill, the Severn Valley<br />
and the Cotswolds and to the west the<br />
backdrop of the Malvern Hills. Local<br />
playing regulations sees sixes only<br />
recorded as fours at Malvern<br />
thecricketer.com / 35
TOP 100 SCHOOLS<br />
MARLBOROUGH COLLEGE<br />
Bath Road<br />
Marlborough<br />
SN8 1PA<br />
Established 1843<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Rugby, Radley,<br />
Eton, Winchester, Cheltenham,<br />
Sherborne, Wellington College<br />
Cricket professional Former<br />
Leicestershire captain Nigel Briers, but<br />
appointing new professional autumn<br />
2015<br />
Teams Five U18 teams, three U16 teams,<br />
four U15 teams, five U14 teams, with<br />
girls integrated into boys teams<br />
Facilities Sports hall with five indoor<br />
nets, nine grounds, 14 synthetic-grass<br />
nets and two batting cages<br />
Club/county affiliation Marlborough<br />
CC, Hampshire, Middlesex, Wiltshire<br />
Brief history By 1849 – six years after<br />
the college started – the boys had<br />
begun levelling a ground and had<br />
formed a cricket club. Until 1972 the<br />
Marlborough v Rugby match was<br />
a regular fixture at Lord’s and since<br />
then the two schools have played an<br />
annual two-day match<br />
Cricketers of note AG Steel (played<br />
in first ever Test in 1880 and his<br />
name features on the Ashes urn),<br />
Christopher Martin-Jenkins (former<br />
Champion<br />
of cricket:<br />
Christopher<br />
Martin-Jenkins<br />
editor of The Cricketer, correspondent<br />
of The Times and MCC president)<br />
Extras Briers is leaving after 19 years<br />
at the school, and they marked his<br />
departure with a thrilling victory in the<br />
two-day colours match against Rugby<br />
School. Charlotte Bawden (Surrey<br />
U19) made her debut for the 1st XI in<br />
2015. The pavilion (built in 1874) was<br />
designed by Victorian architect<br />
Alfred Waterhouse, who is<br />
famous for designing the<br />
Natural History Museum and<br />
Manchester Town Hall<br />
36 / thecricketer.com
NEW HALL SCHOOL<br />
The Avenue<br />
Boreham<br />
Chelmsford<br />
Essex<br />
CM3 3HS<br />
MILLFIELD SCHOOL<br />
Butleigh Road<br />
Street<br />
Somerset<br />
BA16 0YD<br />
Established 1935<br />
Notable fixtures Surrey Academy,<br />
Worcestershire Academy,<br />
Gloucestershire Academy, MCC,<br />
Wales U17<br />
Master i/c cricket Richard Ellison<br />
(Kent & England)<br />
Director of Coaching Mark Garaway<br />
(Hampshire)<br />
Teams 14 teams aged 14 to 18 with<br />
girls playing at U17 and U15 level<br />
with fixtures that include matches<br />
against Wales U17, RAF Ladies<br />
and MCC<br />
Facilities Eight indoor nets,<br />
a bank of 12 grass nets, nine<br />
artificial outdoor nets across six<br />
grounds<br />
Club/county affiliation Millfield is<br />
fortunate to have associations with<br />
a number of professional county<br />
clubs<br />
Cricketers of note Ian Ward (Surrey,<br />
Sussex & England), Paul Terry<br />
(Hampshire), Kieran Powell (West<br />
Indies), Craig Kieswetter (Somerset)<br />
Extras The diverse nature of the<br />
fixture list makes for challenging<br />
cricket. The school boasts views of<br />
Glastonbury Tor<br />
Special Award<br />
for Excellence<br />
THE CRICKETER SPECIAL<br />
AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE<br />
The modern powerhouse of schools<br />
cricket. A commitment to coaching<br />
(Somerset’s Alfonso Thomas has<br />
recently added his name to the<br />
coaches’ roster), a commitment<br />
to testing its players at 1st XI level<br />
with arguably the toughest and<br />
broadest fixture list in existence,<br />
a commitment to the highest<br />
possible standard of facilities makes<br />
Millfield’s dominance set only to<br />
continue<br />
Established 1632<br />
Notable fixtures MCC<br />
Cricket professional Nasser Hussain<br />
(Essex & England)<br />
Teams U12ABC, U13AB, U14AB,<br />
U15AB, 2nd XI, 1st XI. Girls’ cricket at<br />
U11, U13 and U15<br />
Facilities Six squares, four outdoor<br />
nets, two indoor nets<br />
Club/county affiliation Essex<br />
Brief history With the school moving<br />
to a co-educational student body<br />
only 10 years ago, cricket has grown<br />
rapidly. The school has recently<br />
toured Dubai and Sri Lanka.<br />
New Hall are currently county<br />
champions at under-14 and under-15<br />
age groups<br />
Extras Having former England<br />
batsman and captain Nasser Hussain<br />
as the school’s cricket professional<br />
since 2010 has significantly raised the<br />
standard of the game at the school<br />
Batting master: Nasser Hussain<br />
thecricketer.com / 37
Enjoyment and<br />
excellence for all<br />
Whether our boys want to<br />
compete internationally or simply<br />
enjoy recreational sport, many<br />
take inspiration from the School’s<br />
sporting greats. This legacy<br />
serves to encourage every boy to<br />
develop his talent and strive to<br />
be the best he can be.<br />
The Mary Erskine School<br />
Stewart’s Melville College<br />
The Junior School<br />
Stewart’s<br />
Melville College<br />
• Featured in the UK's Top 100<br />
Cricketing Schools 2015 by The<br />
Cricketer Magazine<br />
• Scottish Independent Schools' T20<br />
Cricket Cup Winners in 2012,<br />
Joint Winners in 2013 and Finalists<br />
in 2014<br />
Boarding and Day school in<br />
Edinburgh, Scotland<br />
0131 311 1111<br />
admissions@esms.org.uk<br />
www.esms.org.uk<br />
Discover<br />
cricket at<br />
Haileybury offers coaching by an international cricket<br />
professional, sports scholarships and a high performance<br />
programme. For more information contact the Registrar<br />
at: registrar@haileybury.com or: 01992 706353<br />
Haileybury is a leading independent co-educational<br />
boarding school for 11–18 years located 20 miles north<br />
of London near Hertford.<br />
The Sunday Times, Scottish Independent Secondary School of the Year<br />
Stewart’s Melville College - 2013 The Mary Erskine School - 2012<br />
Merchant Company Education Board Schools. Registered Charity No. SC009747<br />
haileybury.com @HaileyburyUK HaileyburyUK<br />
Registered charity number 310013<br />
Lancing College<br />
Senior School & Sixth Form<br />
Apply now for our Peter Robinson Cricket<br />
Scholarship for Year 9 entry in 2016.<br />
This award is open to all boys and girls with<br />
cricketing potential from any school.<br />
Closing date 18 January 2016<br />
admissions@lancing.org.uk • 01273 465805<br />
www.lancingcollege.co.uk
GETTY IMAGES (3)<br />
NOTTINGHAM HIGH<br />
SCHOOL<br />
Waverley Mount<br />
Nottingham<br />
NG7 4ED<br />
Established 1513<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Repton, Trent<br />
College<br />
Cricket professional Gary Lambert<br />
Teams U9AB, U10AB, U11AB, U12ABC,<br />
U13ABC, U14ABC, U15ABC, 1st XI,<br />
2nd XI, 3rd XI. Girls’ cricket will be<br />
a brand-new addition in 2016 as the<br />
school becomes co-educational from<br />
September 2015<br />
Star of his day: Reg Simpson played 27 Tests<br />
Facilities Four cricket squares<br />
and eight grass nets. Sports hall<br />
comprising four ECB International<br />
Level-specification cricket nets and<br />
cricket lighting, plus ECB-approved<br />
playing surface<br />
Club/county affiliation<br />
Nottinghamshire Cricket Board<br />
Cricketers of note Reg Simpson<br />
(Nottinghamshire & 27 Tests for<br />
England), Mark Saxelby (Notts,<br />
Durham)<br />
Extras Steve Adshead<br />
(Gloucestershire) and Iain Sutcliffe<br />
(Lancashire) have taken coaching<br />
sessions at the school in recent times<br />
Great shot: The late Mark Saxelby<br />
OAKHAM SCHOOL<br />
Chapel Close<br />
Market Place<br />
Oakham<br />
Rutland<br />
LE15 6DT<br />
Established 1584<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Leicestershire<br />
Gents, XL Club, Holcot Arcadians,<br />
BOWS festival (Brighton College,<br />
Oakham, Wellington, Sedbergh)<br />
Teams Seniors 1st to 4th XI; U15ABC,<br />
U14ABCD, Jerwoods (U13) 1st to<br />
4th XI<br />
Facilities Six grounds, 14 grass and<br />
eight artificial nets, plus four<br />
indoor nets<br />
Club/county affiliation Oakham CC,<br />
Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire,<br />
Northamptonshire<br />
Cricketers of note Stuart<br />
Broad (Leicestershire,<br />
Nottinghamshire & England),<br />
Matt Boyce (Leicestershire),<br />
Josh Cobb (Leicestershire,<br />
Northamptonshire), Ian Saxelby<br />
(Notts, Gloucestershire), Tom<br />
Fell (Worcestershire), Alex Wyatt<br />
(Leicestershire)<br />
Extras Leicestershire played at<br />
picturesque Oakham School, with<br />
its excellently appointed pavilion,<br />
until recently. Former England<br />
men Frank Hayes (Lancashire)<br />
and 1975 Ashes hero David Steele<br />
(Northamptonshire, Derbyshire)<br />
stewarded great success at the<br />
school over a number of years<br />
Warrior spirit:<br />
England batsman<br />
David Steele<br />
thecricketer.com / 39
TOP 100 SCHOOLS<br />
ORMSKIRK<br />
SCHOOL<br />
Wigan Road<br />
Ormskirk<br />
Lancashire<br />
L39 2AT<br />
Established 1612. The amalgamation of<br />
two schools (Cross Hall High School<br />
and Ormskirk Grammar School)<br />
formed Ormskirk School in 2001<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, XL Club<br />
Teams Boys year 7 to 10 and 1st XI.<br />
Girls’ U13, U15 & 1st XI. The school<br />
supports a particularly strong<br />
programme of girls’ cricket proving<br />
winners of the Lady Taverners<br />
competition in 2013 and 2015 and<br />
Chance To Shine winners in 2013<br />
Facilities Indoor nets, outdoor nets,<br />
plus two grounds at St Helens Road<br />
and the use of Ormskirk Cricket Club<br />
Club/county affiliation Lancashire<br />
County Cricket Board<br />
Brief history The market town of<br />
Ormskirk has a proud cricketing<br />
heritage (Merseyside competition<br />
winners 2014) and the former members<br />
of the school have always been present<br />
in the Ormskirk 1st XI. When cricket<br />
became dormant in comprehensive<br />
schools in the 1990s the school<br />
continued to retain a Saturday fixture<br />
list and to promote the sport through<br />
a parents’ support group which<br />
raised funds and supported staff. The<br />
appointment of Laura Goff in 2003<br />
was the catalyst for girls’ cricket to take<br />
off in the school, which has gone from<br />
strength to strength<br />
Cricketers of note Rachel Dickinson,<br />
(Lancashire), Laura Jackson<br />
(Cheshire), Erin Staunton-Turner<br />
Extras Ormskirk is a school that<br />
strongly promotes girls’ cricket. Girls<br />
are involved in the boys’ teams and<br />
are warmly welcomed. The school<br />
enjoys fixtures against both women’s<br />
and men’s MCC teams. Head teacher<br />
John Doyle said: “I have almost run out<br />
(no pun intended) of superlatives to<br />
describe our girls’ cricket team. They<br />
are absolutely amazing”<br />
Special Award<br />
for Excellence<br />
THE<br />
CRICKETER<br />
SPECIAL<br />
AWARD FOR<br />
EXCELLENCE<br />
Grounded in the<br />
local community<br />
and utilising<br />
cricket as a<br />
cause for good,<br />
Ormskirk School<br />
is outstanding in<br />
its commitment<br />
to its students<br />
and surrounding<br />
area. A model,<br />
modern<br />
approach to the<br />
game, Ormskirk<br />
School’s<br />
teachers and<br />
pupils have been<br />
pioneers for the<br />
women’s game<br />
40 / thecricketer.com
GETTY IMAGES (2)<br />
OUNDLE SCHOOL<br />
Church Street<br />
Oundle<br />
Peterborough<br />
PE8 4EE<br />
Established 1556<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Eton,<br />
Shrewsbury, Rugby, Uppingham,<br />
Bedford, Felsted, Stowe, Oakham<br />
Cricket professional John Crawley<br />
(Lancashire, Hampshire & England)<br />
(with Genis van der Merwe)<br />
Teams 16 sides aged 14 to 18<br />
Facilities 10 grass nets, 10 artificial<br />
nets, four indoor lanes and eight<br />
cricket grounds<br />
Club/county affiliation<br />
Northamptonshire, Oundle Town CC<br />
Brief history Oundle School celebrated<br />
its 150th anniversary in 2005 when<br />
the first recorded inter-school game<br />
was played against Uppingham in<br />
1855. Archives suggest that cricket<br />
was played at the school as early as<br />
the 1830s. In 1901 WG Grace scored<br />
his 200th century at Oundle<br />
Cricketers of note Will Jefferson<br />
(Essex, Nottinghamshire,<br />
Leicestershire & England A),<br />
Greg Smith (Leicestershire,<br />
Nottinghamshire), Tom Harrison<br />
(Northamptonshire, Derbyshire and<br />
current ECB CEO)<br />
Extras In 2015 the first phase of the<br />
school’s sports masterplan saw<br />
the completion of the new stateof-the-art<br />
cricket pavilion. Other<br />
facilities include a new outfield and<br />
net area. Further redevelopment<br />
will add 20 more nets in 2016. That<br />
will be the first summer for former<br />
England batsman John Crawley to<br />
impose his vision on the school’s<br />
game. The school is also an MCC<br />
Foundation Hub and an outground<br />
for Northamptonshire<br />
Big pull: John Crawley batting for Hampshire<br />
PRINCE HENRY’S HIGH<br />
SCHOOL<br />
Victoria Avenue<br />
Evesham<br />
Worcestershire<br />
WR11 4QH<br />
Established 1376<br />
Notable fixtures Malvern College<br />
Teams Boys’ and girls’ teams at U14,<br />
U15, U16 and 1st XI, plus a staff XI. Gill<br />
Richards (former international and<br />
first female on Lord’s ground staff) is<br />
a member of the PE department<br />
Facilities A purpose-built cricket<br />
centre with four lanes, plus one pitch<br />
on the school field<br />
Club/county affiliation<br />
Worcestershire County Cricket<br />
Board, Worcestershire<br />
Brief history Prince Henry’s has<br />
developed a proud tradition<br />
of providing a fine cricketing<br />
experience for its students,<br />
competing against local public<br />
schools while remaining fairly<br />
dominant against local state<br />
schools. In 2013 the school<br />
won the national eight-a-side<br />
competition at Wantage Road<br />
Cricketers of note Worcestershire<br />
captain, Daryl Mitchell, is an Old<br />
Henrician<br />
Extras Prince Henry’s exerts a<br />
significant and positive impact on<br />
local cricket, boasting a committed<br />
staff and responsive students<br />
Favourite son:<br />
Daryl Mitchell<br />
had a fine<br />
season for<br />
Worcestershire<br />
thecricketer.com / 41
TOP 100 SCHOOLS<br />
QUEEN<br />
ELIZABETH<br />
GRAMMAR<br />
SCHOOL<br />
154 Northgate<br />
Wakefield<br />
WF1 3QX<br />
RADLEY<br />
COLLEGE<br />
Kennington Road<br />
Radley<br />
Abingdon<br />
Oxfordshire<br />
OX14 2HR<br />
Top man:<br />
England’s<br />
Andrew<br />
Strauss<br />
Established 1591<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Manchester<br />
GS, Woodhouse Grove, Bolton School<br />
Cricket professional Christopher<br />
Lawson<br />
Teams 1st XI, 2nd XI, U15, U14,<br />
U13AB, U12AB<br />
Facilities Three indoor lanes, six<br />
outdoor synthetic nets, two grass<br />
nets<br />
Club/county affiliation<br />
Yorkshire Schools<br />
Brief history The first record of<br />
fixtures at QEGS appeared in the<br />
Savilian Magazine 1889. In 1992,<br />
school historian Ronald Chapman<br />
wrote: “When I arrived here in 1936<br />
I was surprised at the mediocre<br />
quality of the school’s cricket …<br />
Established 1847<br />
Notable fixtures Cowdrey Cup (Eton,<br />
Harrow, Tonbridge, Charterhouse<br />
and Wellington), John Harvey Cup<br />
(Marlborough, Cheltenham, St<br />
Edward’s, Winchester and Bradfield)<br />
as well as the national T20 knockout<br />
Cricket professional Andy Wagner (32<br />
seasons, winning the Sky<br />
Sports ECB Coach of the Year<br />
award in 2013)<br />
Teams 18 to 20 sides across<br />
four age groups<br />
Facilities Five indoor nets, 26<br />
artificial nets outdoors, 10<br />
grass nets and 10 grass squares<br />
Club/county affiliation Middlesex<br />
Brief history Radley’s cricket<br />
it appeared to be treated as an<br />
unavoidable interlude between<br />
rugby seasons ... but that<br />
changed with the appointment<br />
of a professional coach, Miles<br />
Coope.” In 1982 Trevor Barker was<br />
appointed cricket master and his<br />
transformational work (he continues<br />
today as director of sport) led to<br />
QEGS becoming one of Yorkshire’s<br />
top cricket schools<br />
Cricketers of note Peter Heseltine<br />
(Sussex, Durham), Mike Smith<br />
(Gloucestershire & England)<br />
Extras In 2015 student George<br />
Thompson scored 111 not out off<br />
24 balls in the Bradford Grammar<br />
School Sixes competition. He won<br />
Most Outstanding Batsman this year<br />
tradition is strong. Ted Dexter<br />
and Andrew Strauss are among a<br />
number who have gone on to play<br />
the game at a professional level. The<br />
school’s cricket programme mirrors<br />
the MCCU system where the winter<br />
is used for technical development<br />
in preparation for the following<br />
summer season. The jewel in the<br />
crown of the winter programme<br />
is the academy which meets on<br />
Sunday mornings and has enjoyed<br />
sessions delivered by Jason Gillespie,<br />
Jamie Dalrymple and Strauss. The<br />
1st XI squad travels to Spain for<br />
pre-season trips and are planning to<br />
participate in the ARCH trophy in<br />
the UAE in March<br />
Cricketers of note Ted Dexter<br />
(Sussex & England), Andrew Strauss<br />
(Middlesex & England), Ben Hutton<br />
(Middlesex), Robin Martin-Jenkins<br />
(Sussex), Charlie van der Gucht<br />
(Hampshire), Jamie Dalrymple<br />
(Middlesex, Glamorgan) and Nick<br />
Gubbins (Middlesex)<br />
Extras Wagner worked alongside<br />
Bert Robinson for a total of 30 years.<br />
They produced a string of unbeaten<br />
sides in the 1990s and nurtured<br />
Martin-Jenkins, Strauss, Hutton and<br />
Dalrymple. The school is to host the<br />
2016 Bunbury festival<br />
REED’S SCHOOL<br />
Sandy Lane<br />
Cobham<br />
Surrey<br />
KT11 2ES<br />
Established 1813<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Stock<br />
Exchange CC, XL Club<br />
Cricket professional Keith<br />
Medlycott (Surrey)<br />
Teams The school regularly turns<br />
out 22 sides<br />
Facilities Four squares (two senior,<br />
two junior), eight grass nets, six<br />
artificial nets, four indoor nets with<br />
a dedicated indoor cricket centre<br />
due 2016<br />
Club/county affiliation Surrey,<br />
Sutton CC<br />
Brief history Cricket has been<br />
played at Cobham on its extremely<br />
beautiful grounds since the<br />
school arrived from Watford after<br />
World War Two. Headmasters<br />
Bob Drayson, former Hampshire<br />
allrounder Rodney Exton and now<br />
David Jarrett, a Blue at Oxford<br />
and Cambridge, have encouraged<br />
the sport to the point of it now<br />
reaching its highest standard in the<br />
history of the school. The school<br />
regularly tours the Caribbean<br />
Extras Surrey Ladies play at<br />
Reed’s. Surrey have trained on<br />
the site when The Oval has been<br />
unavailable due to international<br />
commitments<br />
42 / thecricketer.com
getty images (1)<br />
REPTON<br />
SCHOOL<br />
The Lodge<br />
Repton<br />
Derby<br />
DE65 6FH<br />
Established 1557<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Free Foresters,<br />
Uppingham (150 years), Malvern (130<br />
years)<br />
Cricket professionals Howard Dytham,<br />
Andy Afford (Nottinghamshire &<br />
England A)<br />
Teams U14 to 1st XI, 10 sides in<br />
total. Some girls played for the first<br />
time in boys’ teams in 2015. Further<br />
expansion planned<br />
Facilities Four grounds developing to<br />
five grounds from 2016. Ten artificial<br />
nets, five indoor lanes<br />
Club/county affiliation Derbyshire<br />
Brief history An illustrious line of<br />
cricketers from CB Fry in the 1880s<br />
through to the most recent addition<br />
of Nitish Kumar, youngest player to<br />
play in an ICC World Cup in 2011.<br />
Repton boasts one of the highest<br />
(second to Eton) numbers of firstclass<br />
players among their old boys.<br />
In 2008 Repton won the National<br />
Schools T20 competition, defeating<br />
Dulwich College in the final. Captain<br />
of Repton that year was Derbyshire<br />
wicketkeeper Tom Poynton<br />
Cricketers of note 132 first-class<br />
players, 11 England players and three<br />
Test captains, including Donald Carr<br />
(Derbyshire & England),<br />
Jack Crawford (Surrey, South<br />
Australia & England), CB Fry<br />
(Surrey, Hampshire & England),<br />
Chris Adams (Derbyshire, Sussex &<br />
England) Richard Hutton (Yorkshire<br />
& England)<br />
Extras Hosts Derbyshire age-group<br />
games and academy games, having<br />
previously hosted 2nd XI fixtures.<br />
Five current Old Reptonians<br />
are playing or coaching cricket<br />
professionally. Old boys include<br />
cricket writer Michael Henderson,<br />
Harold Abrahams, Roald Dahl and<br />
Jeremy Clarkson. The school hosted<br />
Derbyshire’s Sunday League game<br />
against Middlesex in 1988, with<br />
Angus Fraser recording figures of<br />
8-2-8-3. According to Tatler, CB<br />
Fry (captain of England in 1912)<br />
persuaded the headmaster to allow<br />
him to give up mathematics<br />
thecricketer.com / 43
TOP 100 SCHOOLS<br />
ROYAL GRAMMAR<br />
SCHOOL, GUILDFORD<br />
High Street<br />
Guildford<br />
GU1 3BB<br />
Established 1509<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Whitgift,<br />
Cranleigh<br />
Teams The school regularly fields<br />
15 sides on Saturdays with games<br />
Fast show: Bob<br />
Willis took 325<br />
Test wickets<br />
taking place at Bradstone Brook (with<br />
its newly refurbished pavilion) and<br />
Wonersh Cricket Club<br />
Facilities Six outdoor nets, four indoor<br />
nets plus batting cage, three squares<br />
and use of an outground at Wonersh<br />
Cricket Club<br />
Club/county affiliation Surrey,<br />
Guildford CC<br />
Brief history Cricket is the major sport<br />
for all boys during the Trinity term.<br />
Games take place at Bradstone<br />
Brook and Wonersh. The 1st<br />
and 2nd XIs play in the South<br />
London Schools League<br />
competition, comprising seven<br />
other equally competitive<br />
schools. In 2013 both the 1st XI<br />
and 2nd XI won their respective<br />
league. In 2015, the 1st XI won the<br />
annual RGS Cricket Festival<br />
Cricketers of note Bob Willis (Surrey,<br />
Warwickshire & England)<br />
Extras The Royal Grammar School<br />
stages an annual cricket festival<br />
GETTY IMAGES (2)<br />
RYDAL PENRHOS<br />
Pwllycrochan Avenue<br />
Colwyn Bay<br />
Colwyn<br />
LL29 7BT<br />
Established 1815<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Merchant<br />
Taylor’s Crosby, Ellesmere College,<br />
Oswestry School, King’s Chester,<br />
Stonyhurst College<br />
Head of cricket Mike Leach<br />
Cricket professional Samed Fallah<br />
(Rajasthan Royals)<br />
Teams U8 to U16, 1st XI. One team<br />
per age group. Girls’ cricket in games<br />
sessions years 7 to 10 with the plan<br />
for significant development over the<br />
next 24 months<br />
Facilities Senior square and pavilion<br />
used by Cricket Wales as their home<br />
venue for age-group matches against<br />
Lancashire and Yorkshire<br />
Club/county affiliation Cricket Wales<br />
Brief history While small in numbers,<br />
the school frequently punches well<br />
above weight, producing cricketers<br />
for Wales on a regular basis. Old<br />
boys’ team, Rydal Dolphins, enjoys<br />
a cricket week played over five<br />
days. 2014 saw Silcoats School<br />
from Yorkshire, Bolton School from<br />
Lancashire and Ratcliffe College<br />
from Leicestershire in attendance<br />
Cricketers of note IE Ferris<br />
(Lancashire), DM Walton<br />
(Worcestershire), WHH Sutcliffe<br />
(Yorkshire), Wilf Wooller (Glamorgan)<br />
Extras The only school in Wales<br />
north of the Brecon Beacons playing<br />
schools’ cricket<br />
44 / thecricketer.com
SEDBERGH SCHOOL<br />
Station Road<br />
Sedbergh<br />
Cumbria<br />
LA10 5HG<br />
Established 1525<br />
Notable fixtures Yorkshire Academy,<br />
Durham Academy, Shrewsbury,<br />
Bromsgrove, MCC, annual BOWS<br />
Festival (Brighton College, Oakham,<br />
Wellington College)<br />
Cricket professional Martin Speight<br />
(Sussex, Durham)<br />
Teams 1st XI, 2nd XI, 3rd XI, 4th XI,<br />
U15AB, U14AB<br />
Facilities Four grounds, with an<br />
enclosed six-lane artificial net area<br />
plus four-lane indoor centre<br />
Club/county affiliation Cumbria,<br />
Durham, Lancashire, Yorkshire<br />
Brief history Cricket has been played<br />
at Sedbergh since the 19th century.<br />
The school has achieved significant<br />
success in recent years reaching the<br />
1st XI National T20 finals day three<br />
times, the Under-17 National final,<br />
Under-15 National final and the<br />
Under-15 National T20 finals day six<br />
times, winning it once. The school<br />
undertakes overseas tours every<br />
three years with recent destinations<br />
including Sri Lanka, South Africa<br />
and Barbados<br />
Cricketers of note Norman ‘Mandy’<br />
Mitchell-Innes (Somerset &<br />
England), Jordan Clark (Lancashire),<br />
Jamie Harrison (Durham)<br />
SEVENOAKS SCHOOL<br />
High Street<br />
Sevenoaks<br />
Kent<br />
TN13 1HU<br />
Established 1432<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, King’s<br />
Canterbury, Judd<br />
Cricket professionals Chris Tavare<br />
(Kent, Somerset & England), David<br />
Smith<br />
Teams 1st XI, 2nd XI, 3rd XI, U15AB,<br />
U14AB, U13ABC. Girls play in boys’<br />
teams on merit, plus one girls’ U15<br />
fixture in 2015. Natasha Farrant,<br />
leaver 2014, has already played for<br />
England Women and is one of the<br />
first group of centrally contracted<br />
England players<br />
Facilities Three grounds, five allweather<br />
nets, three grass nets plus<br />
centre practice pitches, eight indoor<br />
nets<br />
Club/county affiliation Kent<br />
Brief history Cricket at Sevenoaks<br />
has enjoyed some very successful<br />
periods. The school were unbeaten<br />
by other schools for seven years<br />
during the 1970s. Four players went<br />
on to play professional cricket from<br />
that period. Former Essex cricketer<br />
Alan Hurd was their inspirational<br />
coach. The late 1980s and early<br />
1990s saw another series of<br />
excellent teams<br />
Cricketers of note James Graham-<br />
Brown (Kent, Derbyshire), Chris<br />
Tavare (Kent, Somerset & England),<br />
Paul Downton (Kent, Middlesex &<br />
England), Guy Spelman (Kent), Will<br />
House (Kent, Sussex) and Natasha<br />
Farrant (Kent & England)<br />
Extras A programme of coaching<br />
runs through the year, with sessions<br />
often starting before school at<br />
7.30am. Chris Tavare shares his<br />
England experiences with the pupils<br />
as well as teaching biology<br />
Grafter: Chris Tavare played in 31 Tests<br />
thecricketer.com / 45
Top 100 Schools<br />
SHERBORNE SCHOOL<br />
Abbey Road<br />
Sherborne<br />
Dorset<br />
DT9 3AP<br />
SHENFIELD HIGH SCHOOL<br />
Alexander Lane<br />
Brentwood<br />
Essex<br />
CM15 8RY<br />
Established 1962<br />
Notable fixtures Eastbourne College<br />
Master i/c cricket Richard Abson-<br />
Bennett<br />
Teams U12, U13, U14, U15, U17, U19 boys.<br />
U13, U15 girls enter Essex Cup indoor<br />
and outdoor competitions as well as<br />
the National Under-15 Cup<br />
Facilities Two outdoor synthetic-grass<br />
nets, two indoor nets, one all-weather<br />
pitch. The school uses Shenfield CC<br />
and Hutton CC throughout the season<br />
Club/county affiliation Essex<br />
Cricketers of note Matt Salisbury<br />
(Essex), Mady Villiers (Essex Women)<br />
Extras A non-selective state school<br />
that has competed with many of the<br />
top private schools in the country<br />
over several years. The school roll of<br />
honour shows 40 Essex county titles<br />
in the last 15 years. A cricket academy<br />
started in 2013 to further develop<br />
cricket at Shenfield, providing a yearround<br />
programme of coaching. The<br />
under-15 girls narrowly missed out in<br />
two National Cup competitions last<br />
summer – losing in the National Cup<br />
semi-final and the Chance To Shine<br />
National Finals in Birmingham<br />
Big game:<br />
Matt Salisbury<br />
bowls for<br />
Essex against<br />
Australia<br />
Established 1550<br />
Notable fixtures King’s Taunton,<br />
Millfield, Canford<br />
Cricket professionals Tom Flowers,<br />
Alan Willows (Sussex)<br />
Teams 1st XI, 2nd XI, 3rd XI, 4th XI,<br />
5th XI, plus colts through to juniors<br />
Facilities Four indoor nets, eight<br />
match pitches, 10 grass nets plus 12<br />
synthetic-grass nets<br />
Club/county affiliation Dorset<br />
Cricketers of note David Shepherd<br />
(Gloucestershire), Jimmy Adams<br />
(Hampshire), Ollie Sale (Somerset)<br />
Extras Sherborne School’s ‘Upper’<br />
ground is back on Dorset’s radar next<br />
summer, with their usual ground,<br />
Dean Park, out of action.<br />
The school staged 69 Minor Counties<br />
Championship matches between<br />
1902–1997<br />
Successful: Hampshire’s Jimmy Adams<br />
getty images (3)<br />
46 / thecricketer.com
Special Award<br />
for Excellence<br />
THE<br />
CRICKETER<br />
SPECIAL<br />
AWARD FOR<br />
EXCELLENCE<br />
A large boarding<br />
school in a<br />
Shropshire<br />
market town,<br />
Shrewsbury<br />
School has been<br />
competing<br />
strongly in<br />
football and<br />
cricket across<br />
the whole of<br />
the modern era.<br />
The blueprint in<br />
how to establish<br />
strong county<br />
links and strong<br />
teams from<br />
A to C, the<br />
benchmark<br />
block fixture for<br />
all they compete<br />
against<br />
Run machine:<br />
James Taylor<br />
is on England<br />
duty this<br />
winter<br />
SHREWSBURY SCHOOL<br />
The Schools<br />
Shrewsbury<br />
SY3 7BA<br />
Established 1552<br />
Notable fixtures Millfield, Worksop<br />
College, Worcestershire Academy,<br />
Warwickshire CB Under-19,<br />
Shropshire CB Under-21, MCC, Silk<br />
Trophy (Oundle, Eton)<br />
Cricket professionals Paul Pridgeon<br />
(Worcestershire), Adam Shantry<br />
(Glamorgan, Northamptonshire,<br />
Warwickshire)<br />
Teams 14 teams from U14 to 1st XI,<br />
plus a competitive girls’ programme<br />
in 2015 at U15 and U14 ages<br />
Facilities A purpose-built indoor<br />
cricket school opened in 2005 and<br />
complying with ECB maximum<br />
dimensions, providing space for<br />
six-a-side matches with full video<br />
analysis available. Elsewhere, a 1st<br />
XI square ‘Top Common’, plus four<br />
other full-size grounds, two grass net<br />
areas providing six practice strips and<br />
one all-weather net facility providing<br />
four further practice strips<br />
Club/county affiliation Shropshire<br />
Cricket Board, Worcestershire,<br />
Glamorgan, Warwickshire,<br />
Northamptonshire<br />
Brief history Shrewsbury is a unique<br />
school in many ways. Committed to<br />
strong academic standards within a<br />
vision of holistic education, set on<br />
the edge of one of the most historic<br />
county towns in England. With nine<br />
Salopians playing first-class cricket,<br />
Shrewsbury’s pedigree is evident<br />
Cricketers of note James Taylor<br />
(Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire &<br />
England), Nick Pocock (Hampshire),<br />
The Hon TM Lamb (Middlesex,<br />
Northamptonshire), Joe Leach<br />
(Worcestershire), David Lloyd<br />
(Glamorgan), Rhaudhri Smith<br />
(Glamorgan), Ed Barnard<br />
(Worcestershire)<br />
Extras Shrewsbury retained the Silk<br />
Trophy in 2015, becoming the only<br />
school to do so in its 25 years<br />
thecricketer.com / 47
TOP 100 SCHOOLS<br />
SOUTH DARTMOOR<br />
COMMUNITY COLLEGE<br />
Balland Lane<br />
Ashburton<br />
Devon<br />
TQ13 7EW<br />
Established 1964<br />
Cricket professional Talented<br />
performers receive weekly paired<br />
coaching sessions with ECB Level 4<br />
coach Peter Sanderson<br />
Teams Boys U12 to 17, girls U13AB,<br />
U15AB with girls’ cricket running<br />
throughout the year<br />
Facilities Sports hall with four indoor<br />
nets, gym, four-lane outdoor nets, plus<br />
a school field and synthetic-turf<br />
pitch. ‘Grass’ fixtures played at<br />
Ashburton CC and Bovey Tracey CC<br />
Club/county affiliation Devon,<br />
Somerset, Bovey Tracey CC,<br />
Ashburton CC, Ipplepen CC<br />
Brief history Good local community<br />
clubs has meant cricket has thrived.<br />
Girls’ cricket was introduced 10<br />
years ago and in the last few years<br />
the focus, staffing structure and<br />
vision has sharpened further offering<br />
opportunities, training and coaching at<br />
the highest level a state school can offer<br />
Extras A whole community approach<br />
to cricket sees South Dartmoor<br />
Community College blazing a trail. This<br />
summer the under-15 girls became<br />
Chance To Shine national champions.<br />
They won through area, district and<br />
regional rounds to reach the national<br />
finals, at the Edgbaston Sports<br />
Foundation Ground in Birmingham,<br />
in front of Charlotte Edwards. South<br />
Dartmoor beat South Hensley<br />
Secondary School from Yorkshire in the<br />
final, Libby McNally, Jas Dawe,<br />
Ellie Ingham-Hill and Jess Cooper<br />
all shining with the bat. The girls also<br />
finished third in the School Sport<br />
Magazine T20 hardball national<br />
finals. Ingham-Hill was selected to be<br />
part of the England squad in a<br />
tournament in Shrewsbury and the<br />
England Women’s Development<br />
Programme<br />
ST BENEDICT’S SCHOOL<br />
54 Eaton Rise<br />
Ealing<br />
London<br />
W5 2ES<br />
Established 1902<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Emeriti,<br />
Hampton, Whitgift<br />
Director of Cricket (from Sept 2015)<br />
Keith Newell (Sussex)<br />
Teams 37 sides with girls playing in<br />
boys’ teams on merit<br />
Facilities Two indoor nets, three<br />
ovals, two outdoor synthetic-grass<br />
nets with eight more to be built,<br />
plus use of Ealing CC adding two<br />
ovals and five artificial nets<br />
Club/county affiliation<br />
Ealing CC, Middlesex,<br />
Middlesex Schools<br />
Cricketers of note Ned Eckersley<br />
(Leicestershire)<br />
Extras With a junior and senior<br />
school, St Benedict’s start what<br />
they consider to be a conveyor belt<br />
of players from as early as six, with<br />
every boy in the school playing<br />
cricket throughout the summer<br />
term. Cricket has been played at<br />
St Benedict’s for a century now.<br />
The 1st XI was ranked No.1 in the<br />
country during 2012. Younger years<br />
have enjoyed success too, with<br />
different age groups reaching the<br />
county cup final on eight occasions.<br />
As well as playing in national and<br />
regional tournaments, one of their<br />
aims is to extend cricket to all<br />
ages and genders. They do this by<br />
hosting co-educational inter-school<br />
and intra-school tournaments.<br />
The T20 tournament sees the 1st<br />
XI, Old Priorian CC, Headmaster’s<br />
XI and Old<br />
Priorian RFC<br />
battling each<br />
other. The<br />
Ravens Cricket<br />
Academy<br />
offers high-<br />
quality coaching<br />
to both boys and<br />
girls at all ages and<br />
levels. Old boy Ned<br />
Eckersley has hit 10<br />
first-class hundreds<br />
and fielded as 12th<br />
man for England<br />
at Lord’s<br />
Fox hunter: Ned Eckersley<br />
of Leicestershire<br />
GETTY IMAGES (1)<br />
48 / thecricketer.com
ST EDWARD’S OXFORD<br />
Woodstock Road<br />
Oxford<br />
OX2 7NN<br />
Established 1863<br />
Notable fixtures Harrow, Winchester,<br />
Radley, Marlborough, Cheltenham,<br />
MCC, Free Foresters<br />
Cricket professional Rex Hooton<br />
(Auckland)<br />
Teams U14ABC, U15ABC, U16AB, 3rd<br />
XI, 2nd XI, 1st XI, Girls’ 1st XI played<br />
inaugural fixture in 2015<br />
Facilities Six grounds, four-lane indoor<br />
nets, 10 outdoor synthetic-grass nets,<br />
eight grass nets<br />
Club/county affiliation Oxfordshire,<br />
Gloucestershire (Gloucestershire<br />
Satellite academy based at<br />
St Edward’s)<br />
Brief history Cricket has always<br />
been played at St Edward’s,<br />
originating in the playground at<br />
New Inn Hall Street with the earliest<br />
records dating from 1873. In 1879 the<br />
1st XI won 15 of 19 matches played,<br />
the feat holding as a school record<br />
until 2012<br />
Cricketers of note Russell Henry<br />
Bencraft (Hampshire), EG Wynyard<br />
(Hampshire & England, also credited<br />
with the ‘invention’ of the sweep<br />
shot), Douglas Bader, Tim Hancock<br />
(Gloucestershire)<br />
Extras St Edward’s school ground<br />
lies one mile from the centre of<br />
Oxford. Famous cricket writer and<br />
journalist John Woodcock, editor of<br />
Wisden 1981–1986, president of the<br />
Cricket Writers’ Club 1986–2004,<br />
is an old boy of ‘St Teddies’ as is<br />
Gloucestershire batsman Tim<br />
Hancock, who scored 8,485 runs<br />
for Gloucestershire in 185 first-class<br />
matches, plus 4,153 runs in 211 List A<br />
matches<br />
thecricketer.com / 49
Sporting success at<br />
Enquire about our Sports Scholarships for 13+ and 16+ Entry.<br />
e | admissions@stowe.co.uk t | 01280 818205 w | www.stowe.co.uk<br />
Sta t he e,<br />
go anywhe e<br />
Clifton College has a long and proud<br />
cricketing tradition. With strong links to<br />
Gloucestershire, Somerset and Glamorgan,<br />
and a brand new outdoor cricket school,<br />
the sport is a key part of life at Clifton.<br />
For information about 11+, 13+ and 16+ scholarships visit<br />
https://www.cliftoncollege.com/upper/admissions/
ST JOHN’S SCHOOL,<br />
LEATHERHEAD<br />
Epsom Road<br />
Leatherhead<br />
Surrey<br />
KT22 8SP<br />
Established 1851<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, XL Club, St<br />
Paul’s, KCS Wimbledon, Hampton,<br />
Epsom College, Eastbourne College<br />
Cricket professional<br />
David Hammond (Essex)<br />
Teams 1st XI, 2nd XI, 3rd XI, 4th<br />
XI, U15ABC, U14ABC. Initially<br />
introduced in 2010, 2015 saw a<br />
significant uptake in girls’ cricket<br />
at U15 level with a fixture list that<br />
includes Hurstpierpoint and Epsom<br />
Ladies CC<br />
Facilities These include four indoor<br />
nets, 14 outside nets, plus four grass<br />
squares<br />
Club/county affiliation Surrey<br />
Brief history Cricket has always been<br />
one of the primary games played<br />
at St John’s with the first recorded<br />
match on the new ground being in<br />
1879 against the MCC. The school has<br />
hosted two List A fixtures and also<br />
hosts Surrey age-group cricket. It<br />
was originally founded to educate the<br />
children of clergy<br />
Cricketers of note David Balcombe<br />
(Hampshire, Surrey)<br />
Extras Viscount Montgomery of<br />
Alamein was chairman of governors<br />
from 1951–1966<br />
ST PETER’S SCHOOL,<br />
YORK<br />
Clifton<br />
York<br />
YO30 6AB<br />
Established 627AD<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Yorkshire<br />
Gentlemen, Durham, Ampleforth<br />
Cricket professionals David Foster,<br />
Dan Woods<br />
Teams 1st XI, 2nd XI 3rd XI,<br />
Development XI, U15AB, U14AB,<br />
plus St Olave’s (Prep) U13, U12,<br />
U11, U10, U9AB, after-school club<br />
offered to girls at St Olave’s<br />
Facilities Two sports halls with four<br />
bowling machines, 10 syntheticgrass<br />
nets and four grass nets with<br />
four cricket grounds<br />
Club/county affiliation York CC,<br />
Yorkshire<br />
Brief history “Older<br />
than the House<br />
Notable:<br />
England’s Jonny<br />
Bairstow went to<br />
St Peter’s<br />
of Commons, older than the<br />
universities, older than the Lord<br />
Mayoralty, older even than the<br />
throne or nation itself” – Arthur<br />
F Leach, November 1892. School<br />
founded in 627AD, listing Guy<br />
Fawkes among its alumni. The first<br />
recorded game of cricket played<br />
at St Peter’s was in 1853 when the<br />
School XI played Pocklington<br />
Cricketers of note Jonny Bairstow<br />
(Yorkshire & England), Frank<br />
Mitchell (Yorkshire, England &<br />
South Africa), Norman Yardley<br />
(Yorkshire)<br />
Extras The school is the third oldest<br />
in the United Kingdom and fourth<br />
in the world, and still contests some<br />
of the oldest schoolboy fixtures<br />
in the country. In 2013 the school<br />
was North of England finalists in<br />
National T20, and five years ago<br />
made the North of England final in<br />
the Lord’s Taverners Cup<br />
thecricketer.com / 51
TOP 100 SCHOOLS<br />
STEWART’S MELVILLE<br />
COLLEGE<br />
Queensferry Road<br />
Edinburgh<br />
EH4 3EZ<br />
Established 1832<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Fettes College,<br />
Merchiston College, Dollar Academy,<br />
Edinburgh Academy, High School<br />
of Glasgow, Glasgow Academy,<br />
Strathallan School, Glenalmond<br />
School, George Watson’s College<br />
Cricket professional Dewald Nel<br />
(Scotland & Kent, Worcestershire)<br />
Teams 16 boys’ teams are fielded,<br />
plus over 70 girls playing aged<br />
(primary) 5 to 7<br />
Facilities Two indoor cricket nets,<br />
plus six indoor nets at the Mary<br />
Erskine’s School, 12 synthetic-grass<br />
nets with five grass squares spread<br />
over two sites<br />
Club/county affiliation Stewart’s<br />
Melville Royal High<br />
Brief history The school currently<br />
runs four senior teams in the East<br />
of Scotland Cricket Association<br />
League, plus one social team. A<br />
school of more than 2,700 students<br />
means that even the principal<br />
and deputy principal make time<br />
to coach/manage a cricket team<br />
during the summer months<br />
STOWE SCHOOL<br />
Stowe<br />
Buckingham<br />
MK18 5EH<br />
Established 1923<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Bedford,<br />
Myerscough College, Shrewsbury,<br />
Radley, Wellingborough, Rugby,<br />
Uppingham, Oundle<br />
Head/director of cricket combined<br />
James Knott<br />
External professionals David Capel<br />
(Northamptonshire & England),<br />
Andrew O’Connor<br />
Teams 15 boys’ team plus girls.<br />
Facilities Four lanes of indoor nets with<br />
bowling machines including Merlin, 10<br />
lanes of grass practice nets, 10 lanes of<br />
synthetic-grass nets with seven grass<br />
squares<br />
Club/county affiliation<br />
Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire<br />
Cricketers of note Ben Duckett<br />
(Northamptonshire), Graeme White<br />
(Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire)<br />
Sean Morris (Hampshire), Rob White<br />
(Northamptonshire) Jason De La<br />
Graduation: Ben<br />
Duckett has moved<br />
from the Stowe 1st<br />
XI to the Northants’<br />
senior side<br />
Pena (Gloucestershire, Kent, Surrey,<br />
Worcestershire)<br />
Extras The 1st XI and 2nd XI squares<br />
are situated in front and behind what<br />
was once the royal palace for the Duke<br />
of Buckingham. Northamptonshire<br />
have regularly used the school for 2nd<br />
XI fixtures and played a 1st XI 40-<br />
over game there in recent years. The<br />
school has twice reached the last four<br />
of the National T20 and the regional<br />
finals of the Under-15 National T20<br />
competition. The school is due to host<br />
the Bunbury festival in 2018<br />
52 / thecricketer.com
THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL<br />
AT LEEDS<br />
Alwoodley Gates<br />
Harrogate Road<br />
Leeds<br />
West Yorkshire<br />
LS17 8GS<br />
SUTTON<br />
VALENCE<br />
SCHOOL<br />
North Street<br />
Sutton Valence<br />
Maidstone<br />
Kent<br />
ME17 3HL<br />
Established 1576<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, XL Club, Band<br />
of Brothers<br />
Cricket professional Vince Wells (Kent,<br />
Leicestershire)<br />
Teams 1st XI, 2nd, XI, U15AB, U14AB,<br />
girls practice and play with boys<br />
Facilities Five grass squares, six<br />
artificial nets and one grass net, five<br />
indoor nets with full run-ups<br />
Club/county affiliation Kent<br />
Brief history The first recorded match<br />
Talented: Batsman and umpire Mark Benson<br />
was in August 1840, when the school<br />
played Sir Edmund Filmer’s XI at<br />
nearby East Sutton Park<br />
Cricketers of note Douglas Carr (Kent<br />
& England), Mark Benson (Kent &<br />
England), Orlando Peters (Leeward<br />
Islands, Antigua)<br />
Extras John Willes, an early<br />
proponent of round-arm bowling,<br />
lived in the village and is thought to<br />
have ‘cast his influence’ on cricket at<br />
the school<br />
TAUNTON<br />
SCHOOL<br />
Staplegrove Road<br />
Taunton<br />
Somerset<br />
TA2 6AD<br />
Established Leeds Grammar<br />
School was formed in 1552<br />
Notable fixtures MCC,<br />
Manchester GS<br />
Teams 1st XI, 2nd XI, U15AB,<br />
U14AB, U13AB, U12AB, plus one<br />
open-age girls’ team<br />
Facilities Four grass squares, two<br />
synthetic pitches, four indoor<br />
practice nets, three artificial nets,<br />
six grass nets<br />
Club/county affiliation?<br />
Yorkshire<br />
Brief history The Grammar<br />
School at Leeds came into being<br />
following the merger of Leeds<br />
Grammar School and Leeds High<br />
School for Girls in 2005. It has four<br />
cricket pitches, three net areas<br />
comprising grass and artificial<br />
surfaces<br />
Cricketers of note Iain Sutcliffe<br />
(Leicestershire, Lancashire,<br />
Northamptonshire), James<br />
Wainman (Yorkshire)<br />
Yes sir: Marcus<br />
Trescothick coaches<br />
at Taunton School<br />
Established 1847<br />
Notable fixtures Dulwich College,<br />
Eastbourne College, Ampleforth<br />
Cricket professional Marcus<br />
Trescothick (Somerset & England)<br />
Teams Boys and girls’ teams from year<br />
3 to 1st XI with girls playing cricket<br />
since 1976<br />
Facilities Six grounds, three bays of<br />
outdoor nets, with 12 synthetic-turf<br />
and four grass nets<br />
Club/county affiliation Taunton Deane<br />
CC, Somerset<br />
Cricketers of note Aftab Habib<br />
(Leicestershire, Essex & England),<br />
John Jameson (Warwickshire)<br />
Extras Having been playing cricket<br />
since around 1855, it has long<br />
held a place as a renowned<br />
cricketing school<br />
Old boy: Iain Sutcliffe studied at Leeds<br />
thecricketer.com / 53
Top 100 Schools<br />
THE KING’S SCHOOL,<br />
MACCLESFIELD<br />
Cumberland Street<br />
Macclesfield<br />
Cheshire<br />
SK10 1DA<br />
THE JUDD SCHOOL<br />
Brook Street<br />
Tonbridge<br />
Kent<br />
TN9 2PN<br />
Established 1888<br />
Notable fixtures Eltham College,<br />
Sevenoaks School<br />
Master i/c cricket David Joseph<br />
Teams 14 sides are regularly turned out<br />
Facilities Indoor four-lane sports hall,<br />
one main square, eight synthetic-grass<br />
nets, second ground with two artificial<br />
pitches<br />
Club/county affiliation Kent<br />
Brief history The Judd School offers<br />
cricket academies from year 8 (aged 12<br />
to 13) onwards, with training available<br />
all year round in the four indoor nets<br />
within the sports hall.<br />
Cricketers of note David Fulton (Kent),<br />
James Thompson (Kent)<br />
Extras A state grammar school that<br />
continues to run a full Saturday<br />
programme and tours Barbados<br />
bi-annually<br />
Established 1502<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Sedbergh, The<br />
Grammar School At Leeds, Bolton GS,<br />
RGS Lancaster, Manchester GS<br />
Cricket professional Andy Kennedy<br />
(Lancashire)<br />
Teams 1st XI, 2nd XI, U15AB, U14AB,<br />
U13AB, U12AB, girls’ cricket part of<br />
games lessons, with recent leaver<br />
Hannah Gradwell playing two 1st XI<br />
seasons<br />
Facilities The school boasts five<br />
brand-new all-weather practice nets<br />
at the boys’ site and three at the junior/<br />
girls’ site, four squares, three artificial<br />
squares, local sports centre used for<br />
winter sessions<br />
Club/county affiliation<br />
Macclesfield CC<br />
Brief history ‘King’s Macc’ recently<br />
celebrated 150 years of cricket on the<br />
current site<br />
Cricketers of note Mike Davies<br />
(Northamptonshire), Peter Moores<br />
(Worcestershire, Sussex)<br />
Extras A powerhouse of local cricket,<br />
with four former pupils of the school<br />
recently captaining different Cheshire<br />
Premier League club sides at the<br />
same time<br />
54 / thecricketer.com
THE KING’S SCHOOL,<br />
CANTERBURY<br />
25 The Precincts<br />
Canterbury<br />
CT1 2ES<br />
Established 597AD<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Band of<br />
Brothers, Eastbourne, Bede’s<br />
Cricket professional Mark Ealham<br />
(Kent, Nottinghamshire &<br />
England)<br />
Teams Nine boys’ teams with girls<br />
introduced from September 2015<br />
Facilities Three grass squares,<br />
two synthetic pitches, 14 grass<br />
pitches, two indoor nets with use<br />
of the Kent County Cricket Ground<br />
indoor academy<br />
Club/county affiliation Kent<br />
Brief history David Gower opened<br />
the new pavilion in 2005<br />
Cricketers of note David Gower<br />
(Leicestershire, Hampshire<br />
& England), Alf Richardson<br />
(Somerset, Gloucestershire,<br />
Orange Free State), Charles<br />
Rowe (Kent, Glamorgan), Oli<br />
Robinson (Yorkshire, Sussex)<br />
Extras Kent 2nd XI use the<br />
main ground, Birley’s, each<br />
summer for a three-day and a<br />
one-day game<br />
Golden boy:<br />
Former England<br />
batsman David<br />
Gower was at<br />
King’s School,<br />
Canterbury<br />
THE LEYS SCHOOL<br />
Fen Causeway<br />
Cambridge<br />
CB2 7AD<br />
Established 1875<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Cambridge<br />
University Crusaders, Gentlemen<br />
of Cambridge, Norwich,<br />
Wellingborough, Haileybury<br />
Cricket professional Richard Kaufman<br />
Teams 11 teams with the girls reaching<br />
the last 16 of the Under-15 Lady<br />
Taverners competition<br />
Facilities Purpose-built two-lane<br />
indoor school with two bowling<br />
machines and video-analysis<br />
equipment, plus four grass squares<br />
Club/county affiliation<br />
Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire<br />
Brief history The Leys was established<br />
in February 1875 with cricket<br />
introduced during the school’s<br />
second term of existence<br />
Cricketers of note Gordon Bevas<br />
(Nottinghamshire), William Brown<br />
(Gloucestershire), Thomas Hill<br />
(Somerset), Bernard Holloway<br />
(Sussex, MCC)<br />
Extras Situated in the heart of<br />
Cambridge next to the river Cam,<br />
The Leys is seen as punching above<br />
its weight, reaching the last 16 of<br />
the HMC T20 competition in 2015.<br />
The school hosts a Cambridgeshire<br />
Minor Counties fixture annually<br />
thecricketer.com / 55
TOP 100 SCHOOLS<br />
THE MANCHESTER<br />
GRAMMAR SCHOOL<br />
Old Hall Lane<br />
Manchester<br />
M13 0XT<br />
Established 1515<br />
Notable fixtures Shrewsbury, Sedbergh,<br />
MCC<br />
Director of cricket Mike Watkinson<br />
(Lancashire & England)<br />
Teams 1st XI, 2nd XI, U15AB, U14AB,<br />
U13AB, U12AB, plus U11AB, U10AB at<br />
junior school<br />
Facilities An indoor facility with four<br />
nets, three grass squares, six grass<br />
practice pitches and four outdoor<br />
artificial nets, one artificial match pitch<br />
Club/county affiliation Lancashire<br />
Honours: Mike<br />
Atherton has<br />
shone with his<br />
batting, writing and<br />
broadcasting<br />
Brief history Boys are provided with many<br />
chances to represent the school in a<br />
wide range of sports. Academic staff and<br />
specialist coaches have helped develop<br />
the skills of sportsmen since the school<br />
moved from the cramped city-centre<br />
campus to a new site in Fallowfield<br />
during the 1930s<br />
Cricketers of note Mike Atherton<br />
(Lancashire & England), John<br />
Crawley (Lancashire, Hampshire &<br />
England), David Green (Lancashire,<br />
Gloucestershire), Mark Crawley<br />
(Lancashire, Nottinghamshire), Gary<br />
Yates (Lancashire), Mark Chilton<br />
(Lancashire)<br />
Extras MGS was founded to provide<br />
an education of the highest quality<br />
for those who qualified by virtue of<br />
their intelligence, regardless of parental<br />
background. Remaining true to this<br />
objective in modern times, it has raised<br />
over £25m to ensure that more than<br />
200 pupils receive means-tested<br />
bursaries to attend. The commitment<br />
to the widest possible social access<br />
extends to its sporting ethos. In 2014,<br />
more than 1,500 school representative<br />
opportunities across 18 sports were<br />
created, seven pupils going on to<br />
achieve national honours. Former<br />
pupil Herbert Toft went on to play<br />
rugby union for England, and Robert<br />
Crawshaw and Douglas Lowe won<br />
Olympic gold medals in water polo and<br />
athletics respectively. More recently,<br />
Mike Atherton represented England in<br />
115 Tests and 54 ODIs<br />
56 / thecricketer.com
THE ORATORY SCHOOL<br />
The Oratory School<br />
Woodcote<br />
Nr Reading<br />
South Oxfordshire<br />
RG8 0PJ<br />
Established 1859<br />
Notable fixtures Bradfield College,<br />
Reed’s, St Edward’s<br />
Cricket professional Chad Keegan<br />
(Middlesex, Sussex)<br />
Teams The school regularly turns out<br />
12 sides in block fixtures<br />
Facilities Seven grass squares, 12 nets<br />
with four lanes available indoors<br />
Club/county affiliation Oxfordshire<br />
Brief history In 1914 the pavilion<br />
was burned down by Suffragettes<br />
in retaliation for an incident when a<br />
boy sprinkled ink on women meeting<br />
outside the school. The Oratory took<br />
part in an annual cricket match at<br />
Lord’s against Beaumont 1926–1968<br />
– the only fixture at the Home of<br />
Cricket between Catholic public<br />
schools. The 1st XI cricket field was<br />
excavated and relaid in 1946/47 as a<br />
tribute to Old Oratorians who served<br />
and gave their lives in the Second<br />
World War<br />
Cricketers of note Steve Tomlinson<br />
(Glamorgan), Benny Howell<br />
(Hampshire, Gloucestershire), Daniel<br />
Housego (Middlesex, Gloucestershire)<br />
Extras A stunning ground, on top<br />
of the Chilterns, with breathtaking<br />
views situated over the Thames<br />
Valley. The school returns to<br />
Barbados for its bi-annual tour at<br />
Christmas 2016 (back on Christmas<br />
Eve). Housego (four first-class<br />
hundreds) runs net sessions<br />
throughout the winter<br />
TONBRIDGE SCHOOL<br />
High Street<br />
Tonbridge<br />
Kent<br />
TN9 1JP<br />
Established 1553<br />
Notable fixtures Haileybury,<br />
Charterhouse, Harrow, Eton<br />
Cricket professionals Ian Baldock,<br />
Mark Dekker (Zimbabwe)<br />
Teams 20 sides play fixtures over<br />
the summer, plus three house<br />
competitions<br />
Facilities Five indoor nets, 15 grass<br />
nets, 10 synthetic pitches with nine<br />
grounds available<br />
Club/county affiliation Kent<br />
Brief history In 1826 the governors<br />
of Tonbridge School purchased a<br />
field next to the school. It became<br />
The Head and the Upper and Lower<br />
Hundreds. The famous Dodd<br />
painting of cricket at Tonbridge<br />
is dated 1851. In the 1930s JGW<br />
Davies earned fame as a Cambridge<br />
undergraduate by bowling Donald<br />
Bradman for a duck. The second<br />
Tonbridgian to make a century<br />
against Australia was Colin Cowdrey.<br />
The school’s most distinguished<br />
cricketer, he left a remarkable school<br />
record of 2,894 runs scored and 216<br />
wickets taken over five years before<br />
going on to captain Kent and England<br />
and become a hugely respected<br />
administrator of the game as Lord<br />
Cowdrey of Tonbridge. A further four<br />
Tonbridgians have played for England<br />
– Roger Prideaux, Chris Cowdrey,<br />
Richard Ellison and Ed Smith<br />
Cricketers of note Colin Cowdrey<br />
(Kent & England), Chris Cowdrey<br />
(Kent & England), Ed Smith (Kent,<br />
Middlesex & England), Richard<br />
Ellison (Kent & England)<br />
Extras The Old Tonbridgians<br />
have been the dominant team in<br />
The Cricketer Cup, winning the<br />
competition 13 times, more than<br />
twice as many as the next school<br />
alumni. It includes six victories in<br />
the last 10 years. The school’s main<br />
ground, The Head, situated as it is<br />
behind the chapel, is regarded as one<br />
of the country’s finest<br />
Special Award<br />
for Excellence<br />
THE<br />
CRICKETER<br />
SPECIAL<br />
AWARD FOR<br />
EXCELLENCE<br />
The playing<br />
fi e l d so f<br />
England.<br />
A rich and<br />
varied history.<br />
All-round<br />
excellence<br />
in facilities,<br />
coaching and<br />
playing<br />
thecricketer.com / 57
TOP 100 SCHOOLS<br />
TRENT COLLEGE<br />
Derby Road<br />
Long Eaton<br />
Nottingham<br />
NG10 4AD<br />
Established 1866<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Oakham,<br />
Uppingham, Rugby, Derbyshire U17<br />
Cricket professional Paul<br />
Johnson (Nottinghamshire<br />
& England A), Chris Read<br />
(Gloucestershire, Nottinghamshire &<br />
England)<br />
Teams 1st XI, 2nd XI, 3rd XI, 4th<br />
XI, U15ABC, U14ABCD, U13ABCD,<br />
U12ABCDE, plus girls’ U13, U15, U18<br />
Facilities Four indoor nets, 11 grass<br />
nets, four main grounds plus junior<br />
pitches<br />
Club/county affiliation Derbyshire,<br />
Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire,<br />
Lincolnshire plus club sides Long<br />
Eaton, Sawley and Sandiacre<br />
Brief history The first recorded match<br />
was in 1869. Records show that the<br />
school boasted a top side in 1872,<br />
although it included five teachers.<br />
Trent’s highest score came in 1989<br />
when posting 337 for 1 against<br />
Warwick. Derbyshire played John<br />
Player League matches on campus<br />
between 1975–1979. Since 1995,<br />
Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire 2nd<br />
XI have regularly used facilities to<br />
play one-day matches<br />
Cricketers of note Russell<br />
Cobb (Leicestershire), Noel Gie<br />
(Nottinghamshire), Rex Alston<br />
(cricket broadcaster)<br />
Extras Nottinghamshire’s blind<br />
cricketers enjoy fixtures at the<br />
school<br />
Test class: Mark<br />
Butcher averaged<br />
152 for Trinity in<br />
the 1987 season<br />
TRINITY SCHOOL<br />
Shirley Park<br />
Croydon<br />
CR9 7AT<br />
Established Founded in 1596, in current<br />
form since 1850<br />
Notable fixtures Whitgift, Hampton,<br />
King’s Canterbury, MCC<br />
Cricket professional Ian Salisbury<br />
(Surrey, Sussex, Warwickshire &<br />
England)<br />
Teams 20 teams ranging from U11<br />
to 1st XI, with the school recently<br />
going co-educational in the sixth form.<br />
Girls’ cricket is being introduced from<br />
next summer<br />
Facilities Four cricket squares, four<br />
synthetic nets, three roll-on batting<br />
cages including four bowling machines,<br />
access to two indoor sports halls,<br />
with the main hall supporting five<br />
nets, fitness suite and a strength and<br />
conditioning gym<br />
Club/county affiliation Surrey<br />
Brief history 1905 saw the first<br />
recorded cricket fixture played<br />
between Whitgift Middle School<br />
(now Trinity School) and Colfes. Mark<br />
Butcher scored 152 and took 9 for 17<br />
(including a hat-trick) against Alleyn’s<br />
School in 1987. The future Surrey and<br />
England batsman went on to average<br />
152 that season. Between 1992–96<br />
Trinity 1st XI played 102 fixtures, losing<br />
only five times<br />
Cricketers of note Mark Butcher<br />
(Surrey & England), Scott<br />
Newman (Surrey, Middlesex,<br />
Kent, Nottinghamshire & England<br />
Academy), Gary Butcher (Glamorgan,<br />
Surrey), Richard Nowell (Surrey)<br />
Extras Salisbury is a passionate and<br />
dedicated coach, who has just played a<br />
key role in helping the England Physical<br />
Disability Squad win a tournament<br />
in Bangladesh. Prospective parents<br />
should listen to him to be convinced<br />
that this school takes its cricket<br />
seriously. Gethin Roberts (Kent) and<br />
Elliot and Marcus Lilley (London<br />
Schools) have received county<br />
recognition. Recent guest visitors to<br />
the school have also included Brian<br />
Lara, Sir Garfield Sobers and Mike<br />
Brearley<br />
58 / thecricketer.com
UPPINGHAM SCHOOL<br />
High Street W<br />
Uppingham<br />
Rutland<br />
LE15 9QE<br />
Established 1584<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Repton,<br />
Haileybury, Shrewsbury, Rugby,<br />
Oundle<br />
Cricket professional Trevor Ward<br />
(Kent, Leicestershire)<br />
Teams 1st XI, 2nd XI, 3rd XI, U16AB,<br />
U15ABC, U14ABCD. There were<br />
two girls’ games in 2015 with one<br />
student included in the boys’<br />
U15A side<br />
Facilities Seven grounds, 20 grass<br />
nets, five indoor nets<br />
Club/county affiliation Leicestershire<br />
Brief history Former England<br />
captain Percy Chapman attended.<br />
The pavilion was built as a war<br />
memorial<br />
Cricketers of note Shiv Thakor<br />
(Leicestershire, Derbyshire),<br />
Jonathan Agnew (Leicestershire<br />
& England), James Whitaker<br />
(Leicestershire & England), Percy<br />
Chapman (Kent & England)<br />
WARWICK SCHOOL<br />
Myton Road<br />
Warwick<br />
CV34 6PP<br />
Established 914AD<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Oakham<br />
Director of cricket Simon<br />
Francis (Hampshire, Somerset,<br />
Nottinghamshire & England A)<br />
Director of sport Geoff Tedstone<br />
(Warwickshire, Gloucestershire)<br />
Teams 1st XI, 2nd XI, 3rd XI, (U16 for<br />
2016), U15ABC, U14AB(C for 2016),<br />
U13ABC, U12ABC<br />
Facilities Three grass squares plus<br />
one temporary grass square, two<br />
artificial pitches, four indoor lanes,<br />
three synthetic nets, two batting<br />
cages, four open artificial nets<br />
Club/county affiliation Warwickshire,<br />
Warwickshire Cricket Board (South<br />
& Central District)<br />
Brief history Located adjacent to<br />
the River Avon and set within 50<br />
acres. An exceptional extracurricular<br />
programme with extensive sporting<br />
facilities and national success<br />
Cricketers of note Neil Smith<br />
(Warwickshire), Gordon Lord<br />
(Warwickshire, Worcestershire),<br />
Huw Jones (Warwickshire)<br />
Extras A handsome modern pavilion<br />
overlooks the 1st XI oval. The school<br />
continues to challenge regionally,<br />
despite not having a recruitment<br />
programme for cricket scholars<br />
thecricketer.com / 59
Top 100 Schools<br />
WELLINGBOROUGH<br />
SCHOOL<br />
London Road<br />
Wellingborough<br />
Northamptonshire<br />
NN8 2BX<br />
Established 1595<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, XL Club<br />
Cricket professional David Sales<br />
(Northamptonshire & England A)<br />
Teams U14AB, U15AB, 2nd XI,<br />
1st XI with a comprehensive<br />
programme of girls’ cricket<br />
underway at the prep school with<br />
four girls representing the 1st<br />
XI on merit over the past eight<br />
seasons<br />
Facilities Two indoor nets, seven<br />
synthetic outdoor nets, four grass<br />
squares<br />
Club/county affiliation<br />
Northamptonshire<br />
Brief history WG Grace’s doorstep<br />
(from his Bristol home) forms<br />
the bottom element to the main<br />
ground’s thatched pavilion<br />
Cricketers of note Paul Coverdale<br />
(Northamptonshire)<br />
Extras First-class cricket was<br />
played there for many years, with<br />
Ian Botham scoring 175 not out<br />
in a one-day game for Somerset v<br />
Northamptonshire. Sir Len Hutton<br />
struck 269 not out for Yorkshire<br />
against Northants in 1949<br />
WELLINGTON COLLEGE<br />
Duke’s Ride<br />
Crowthorne<br />
West Berkshire<br />
RG45 v7PU<br />
Established 1859<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Eton, Harrow,<br />
Cowdrey Cup (Tonbridge, Radley<br />
and Charterhouse), plus the BOWS<br />
Festival (Brighton College, Oakham<br />
and Sedbergh), two-day fixture with<br />
Malvern<br />
Master i/c cricket Dan Pratt<br />
Teams Four senior teams, U16ABC,<br />
U15ABCD, U14ABCDE, plus girls<br />
playing their first fixture last June<br />
Facilities Nine grounds, 15 grass nets, 14<br />
synthetic outdoor nets, five indoor nets<br />
Club/county affiliation Surrey, Berkshire<br />
Brief history Wooden pavilion from<br />
1861–1901 before being closed and<br />
demolished due to damage caused<br />
by rats. New lime-green pavilion<br />
opened as replacement, refurbished<br />
and painted pink in 1994. A handful of<br />
Wellingtonians have gone on to play<br />
Test cricket but none since 1930, when<br />
MJC Allom took four wickets in five<br />
balls in the first Test match played by<br />
New Zealand and when FT Badcock,<br />
another Old Wellingtonian, also, rather<br />
uniquely, bagged a king pair on his<br />
debut<br />
Cricketers of note Tom Curran (Surrey),<br />
Sam Curran (Surrey) is still a pupil at<br />
the school<br />
60 / thecricketer.com
WELLINGTON SCHOOL<br />
South Street<br />
Wellington<br />
TA21 8NT<br />
Established 1837<br />
Notable fixtures Millfield, King’s<br />
Taunton, Cornwall, Gwent,<br />
Lashings CC<br />
Cricket professional Steffan<br />
Jones (Somerset, Derbyshire,<br />
Northamptonshire), Caroline Atkins<br />
(Durham MCCU & England), Paul<br />
Lawrence<br />
Teams 1st XI, 2nd XI, U15ABC,<br />
U13ABC, U11AB, plus girls’ U15 and<br />
U13 for 2016. The intention is to form<br />
an U18 team in future years<br />
Facilities Three grass squares, four<br />
indoor nets, 12 grass nets, plus four<br />
outdoor synthetic nets<br />
Club/county affiliation Somerset<br />
Brief history Founded as Wellington<br />
Academy in 1837. From 1945 the<br />
school’s direct-grant status enabled a<br />
demand for a grammar school could<br />
be met and fully independent status<br />
arrived in 1977. Girls were accepted<br />
as pupils from the following year.<br />
Wellington School retains a strong<br />
house system<br />
Extras Wellington School is the first<br />
establishment in the south-west to<br />
have full-time former professionals<br />
in charge of both boys’ and girls’<br />
cricket as defined programmes with<br />
a cricket scholarship in addition. A<br />
progressive school with a mandate<br />
to produce future players of<br />
professional standard. The fixture list<br />
is being upgraded in 2016 to include<br />
county sides<br />
Blaster:<br />
Jason Roy<br />
learned his<br />
cricket at<br />
Whitgift<br />
WHITGIFT SCHOOL<br />
Haling Park<br />
South Croydon<br />
CR2 6YT<br />
Established 1600<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Bradfield<br />
College, Millfield, King’s Taunton,<br />
Charterhouse School, Dulwich<br />
College, Cranleigh School<br />
Head of Cricket David Ward (Surrey)<br />
Head of Cricket Performance<br />
Neil Kendrick (Surrey, Glamorgan)<br />
Teams U11AB, U12ABCD, U13ABCD,<br />
U14ABCD, U15ABC, 1st XI, 2nd XI,<br />
3rd XI<br />
Facilities Five grass squares, four<br />
outdoor synthetic-grass nets, 12<br />
grass nets, six lanes of indoor nets<br />
Club/county affiliation Surrey<br />
Brief history The school was<br />
founded in 1596 by John Whitgift,<br />
Elizabeth I’s last Archbishop<br />
of Canterbury. Haling Park, to<br />
which the school moved in<br />
1931, was at one time the<br />
home of Lord Howard<br />
of Effingham, Lord High<br />
Admiral of the Fleet<br />
sent to see off the<br />
threat of the Spanish Armada. The<br />
grounds retain the appearance of an<br />
attractive country estate<br />
Cricketers of note Raman Subba<br />
Row (Surrey, Northamptonshire<br />
& England), Jason Roy (Surrey<br />
& England), Laurie Evans<br />
(Warwickshire, Surrey)<br />
Extras The school has claimed an<br />
impressive list of titles including<br />
Under-15 ESCA T20 National<br />
Champions (2011, 2013, 2014),<br />
Under-13 ESCA National Champions<br />
(eight titles in the past 17 years) and<br />
Under-11 ESCA National Champions<br />
(2011). According to The Daily<br />
Telegraph, Whitgift School is “one of<br />
the leaders of the pack thanks to big<br />
investment and top-level coaches”<br />
thecricketer.com / 61
ST JOHN’S<br />
SCHOOL<br />
A PREPARATION<br />
FOR LIFE<br />
St John’s offers first-class<br />
sporting facilities within a 50<br />
acre campus in the Surrey<br />
countryside. Pupils benefit<br />
from elite sports coaching<br />
and personalised training<br />
programmes, and many go<br />
on to receive international<br />
honours.<br />
www.stjohnsleatherhead.co.uk<br />
The Cricketer.indd 1 14/09/2015 16:04:49<br />
Forest School is London’s only diamond<br />
structure school for boys and girls aged<br />
4-18. The School has over 20 acres of fields<br />
for cricket and many other outdoor sports,<br />
permanent indoor nets and video analysis<br />
technology in the Cricket Suite, and our<br />
cricket coaching staff includes former<br />
England and current Essex CCC wicket<br />
keeper, James Foster.<br />
www.forest.org.uk<br />
info@forest.org.uk<br />
020 8520 1744<br />
Cricket at The Leys<br />
www.theleys.net<br />
The Leys is the only co-educational boarding and day school<br />
in Cambridge for 11-18 year olds<br />
The Cricketer.indd 1 07/10/2015 08:52:43
WINCHESTER COLLEGE<br />
College Street<br />
Winchester<br />
SO23 9NA<br />
WILSON’S SCHOOL<br />
Mollison Drive<br />
Wallington<br />
Surrey<br />
SM6 9JW<br />
Established 1615<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Whitgift,<br />
Epsom College, Trinity, City of<br />
London Freemen’s, Tiffin, Reigate<br />
Grammar, KCS Wimbledon,<br />
RGS Guildford<br />
Cricket professional Chris Bullen<br />
(Surrey), John Fry<br />
Teams 1st XI, 2nd XI, U15AB, U14AB,<br />
U13ABC, U12ABCD<br />
Facilities There are two indoor nets at<br />
the school plus two indoor nets used<br />
at the Cricket for Change Ground, five<br />
outdoor synthetic pitches, one grass<br />
square plus a single synthetic-grass<br />
pitch. The school also uses grass<br />
pitches at the nearby Wallington<br />
Sports Ground and Cricket for<br />
Change Ground, which is also near<br />
the school<br />
Club/county affiliation Surrey<br />
Brief history Wilson’s is a traditional<br />
grammar school still running a<br />
strong Saturday and midweek<br />
fixture list<br />
Cricketers of note Neil Kendrick<br />
(Surrey, Glamorgan)<br />
Extras Wilson’s regards itself as<br />
offering exceptional cricket provision<br />
for state pupils in what is a private<br />
school-dominated region of the<br />
country. The school plays cricket<br />
fixtures split 50/50 between private<br />
and state schools. The school offers<br />
bi-annual tours for 1st XI and junior<br />
teams, including recent trips to<br />
Barbados and Dubai. In line with a<br />
push for continued improvement in<br />
provision and excellence, the school<br />
is currently involved in debate with<br />
ECB and its initiative advocating<br />
September cricket<br />
Bodyline<br />
architect:<br />
Douglas Jardine<br />
is a famous<br />
Winchester<br />
old boy<br />
Established The school opened in<br />
1394 and claims the longest unbroken<br />
history of any school in England<br />
Notable fixtures MCC, Eton, Harrow<br />
Cricket professional Paul Gover<br />
Teams 13 all-boy sides<br />
Facilities Sports hall with four nets, 11<br />
synthetic nets outside, seven grounds<br />
– including a walled ground, replete<br />
with in-boundary trees. The Meads<br />
is perhaps the most beautiful 2nd XI<br />
setting in the country<br />
Club/county affiliation Hampshire<br />
Brief history Cricket has been played at<br />
Winchester from the 17th century. The<br />
first inter-school match was in 1825.<br />
Winchester played annual matches at<br />
Lord’s against Eton and Harrow from<br />
1826 to 1854. The 1st XI is still known as<br />
‘Lord’s XI’. The earliest recorded match<br />
was in 1776 (College v Commoners)<br />
Cricketers of note Douglas Jardine<br />
(Surrey & England), Nawab of Pataudi<br />
(Worcestershire & England), Hubert<br />
Doggart (Sussex & England)<br />
Extras Reputedly banned from<br />
playing at Lord’s for 100 years after<br />
an incident which resulted in a fire<br />
being started in a stand. Away teams<br />
– including Australian touring<br />
sides – take lunch overlooked by<br />
the portrait of England 1932/33<br />
‘Bodyline’ captain, Douglas<br />
Jardine<br />
thecricketer.com / 63
WORKSOP SCHOOL<br />
Sparken Hill<br />
Worksop<br />
Nottinghamshire<br />
S80 3AP<br />
WOODHOUSE GROVE<br />
SCHOOL<br />
Apperley Lane<br />
Bradford<br />
West Yorkshire<br />
BD10 0NR<br />
Established 1812<br />
Notable fixtures Bradford GS, St<br />
Peter’s York, Durham, Ampleforth<br />
College, Lancaster RGS<br />
Cricket professional Arnie Sidebottom<br />
(Yorkshire & England)<br />
Teams U12, U13, U14, U15, 2nd XI,<br />
1st XI underpinned by a dedicated<br />
cricket programme at Bronte House<br />
and Moorlands School. The school<br />
also has a long-standing tradition of<br />
developing female cricketers who are<br />
encouraged to play in school teams.<br />
Kathryn Leng (England 1994–2000)<br />
was a pioneer for girls playing<br />
with and against boys on the HMC<br />
Northern circuit<br />
Facilities Four grass squares, six<br />
synthetic-grass nets, one artificial<br />
match pitch. The purpose-built<br />
sports complex has four indoor nets<br />
Club/county affiliation Yorkshire<br />
Cricket Board<br />
Brief history Originally set up for the<br />
education of the sons of Methodist<br />
Minsters, cricket at Woodhouse Grove<br />
has grown significantly in strength,<br />
particularly over the past 30 years<br />
Cricketers of note Ajmal<br />
Shahzad (Yorkshire, Lancashire,<br />
Nottinghamshire, Sussex & England)<br />
Extras Recent cricket professionals<br />
include Graham Roope (Surrey<br />
& England) and Frank Tyson<br />
(Northamptonshire & England). The<br />
school has undertaken overseas tours<br />
since 1998. Became the first northern<br />
school to win the National Schools<br />
T20 competition with Dylan Budge<br />
named as the Wisden Schoolboy<br />
Cricketer of the Year for 2014<br />
Prolific: Joe Root<br />
is one of many<br />
Worksop alumni<br />
who have played<br />
county cricket<br />
Established 1890<br />
Notable fixtures Shrewsbury School,<br />
Millfield, Worcestershire Academy<br />
(pre-season tour)<br />
Cricket professionals Ian Parkin,<br />
Neil Longhurst<br />
Teams 1st XI, 2nd XI, 3rd XI, U15, U14,<br />
Colts, development squad<br />
Facilities Indoor centre with four lanes,<br />
12 grass nets, three outdoor syntheticgrass<br />
nets, four cricket grounds<br />
Club/county affiliation Nottinghamshire<br />
– the school serves as a satellite<br />
academy<br />
Brief history The school has a fine<br />
tradition of cricket played in its 300-<br />
acre grounds. It has two players in the<br />
UAE with England this autumn – Joe<br />
Root and Samit Patel<br />
Cricketers of note Joe Root<br />
(Yorkshire & England), Samit Patel<br />
(Nottinghamshire & England), Brett<br />
Hutton (Nottinghamshire), Richard<br />
Kettleborough (Yorkshire, Middlesex),<br />
Billy Root (Nottinghamshire)<br />
Extras A small school in terms of<br />
numbers that regularly turns out<br />
excellent 1st XIs. It is set on a sloping<br />
campus with a scenic main cricket<br />
ground that also contains a nine-hole<br />
golf course<br />
64 / thecricketer.com
SPECIAL MENTIONS<br />
The following schools<br />
committed time and effort<br />
to being part of what was<br />
an exhaustive list. On this<br />
occasion they did not make<br />
the main list but are all<br />
strong ambassadors for the<br />
game, worthy of mention or<br />
inclusion on another day<br />
35, 49, 78<br />
27<br />
Bishop’s Stortford School,<br />
Bloxham School, Dollar<br />
Academy, Dover College,<br />
Downside School,<br />
Gordonstoun School,<br />
Gresham’s School,<br />
Hymers College, Kirkham<br />
Grammar School, Merchant<br />
Taylors’ School, Crosby,<br />
Mill Hill School, Monkton<br />
Combe School, Pocklington<br />
School, Queen’s College,<br />
Taunton, Ratcliffe College,<br />
Royal Grammar School,<br />
High Wycombe, Ryde<br />
School with Upper<br />
Chine, Shiplake College,<br />
Silcoates School, The<br />
Edinburgh Academy, The<br />
Harvey Grammar School,<br />
Folkestone, The High<br />
School of Glasgow, The<br />
King’s School, Chester, The<br />
Perse School, Tiffin School,<br />
West Buckland School,<br />
Westminster School,<br />
Wolverhampton Grammar<br />
School, Worth School,<br />
Wrekin School, Wycliffe<br />
College<br />
67<br />
24<br />
52<br />
6<br />
68<br />
11, 20<br />
58, 91<br />
61<br />
94<br />
12<br />
77<br />
100<br />
53<br />
85<br />
65<br />
24<br />
72<br />
93<br />
48<br />
59<br />
62<br />
8<br />
82, 89<br />
57, 89<br />
50<br />
47<br />
60<br />
79<br />
31<br />
25<br />
86<br />
3, 4<br />
92<br />
1<br />
34 41<br />
9, 32, 76<br />
15 56<br />
26, 29, 33, 39, 44, 74, 38<br />
21 36, 37<br />
84<br />
THE TOP 100 SCHOOLS<br />
1 Aldenham School<br />
2 Bede’s School<br />
3 Bedford Modern<br />
School<br />
4 Bedford School<br />
5 Beechen Cliff,<br />
Bath<br />
6 Blundell’s School<br />
7 Bradfield College<br />
8 Bradford Grammar<br />
9 Brentwood School<br />
10 Brighton College<br />
11 Bristol Grammar<br />
School<br />
12 Bromsgrove<br />
School<br />
13 Canford School<br />
14 Charterhouse<br />
15 Chigwell School<br />
16 Chislehurst<br />
& Sidcup<br />
Grammar School<br />
73<br />
17 Christ’s Hospital<br />
18 City of London<br />
Freemen’s School<br />
19 Clayesmore<br />
School<br />
20 Clifton College<br />
21 Cranbrook School<br />
22 Cranleigh School<br />
23 Dauntsey’s School<br />
24 Denstone College<br />
25 Dr Challoner’s<br />
Grammar School<br />
26 Dulwich College<br />
27 Durham School<br />
28 Eastbourne College<br />
29 Emanuel School<br />
30 Epsom College<br />
31 Eton College<br />
32 Felsted School<br />
33 Forest School<br />
34 Framlingham<br />
College<br />
43, 81<br />
35 George Watson’s<br />
College<br />
36 Haberdashers’<br />
Aske’s Boys’<br />
School<br />
37 Haileybury<br />
38 Hampton School<br />
39 Harrow School<br />
40 Hurstpierpoint<br />
College<br />
41 Ipswich School<br />
42 King Edward VI<br />
School,<br />
Southampton<br />
43 King’s College<br />
School,<br />
Wimbledon<br />
44 King’s College,<br />
Taunton<br />
45 Kingswood<br />
School, Bath<br />
46 Lancing College<br />
5, 45<br />
95<br />
23<br />
47 Leicester<br />
Grammar School<br />
48 Lord Wandsworth<br />
College<br />
49 Loretto School<br />
50 Loughborough<br />
Grammar School<br />
51 Magdalen College<br />
School, Oxford<br />
52 Malvern College<br />
53 Marlborough<br />
College<br />
54 Millfield School<br />
55 New Hall School<br />
56 Nottingham<br />
High School<br />
57 Oakham School<br />
58 Ormskirk,<br />
Lancashire<br />
59 Oundle School<br />
60 Prince Henry’s,<br />
Worcester<br />
18 13 42 7, 54<br />
71 98<br />
51, 63, 14<br />
75, 87<br />
55<br />
61 Queen Elizabeth<br />
Grammar School,<br />
Wakefield<br />
62 Radley College<br />
63 Reed’s School<br />
64 Repton School<br />
65 Royal Grammar<br />
School, Guildford<br />
66 Rydal Penrhos<br />
67 Sedbergh School<br />
68 Sevenoaks School<br />
69 Shenfield School,<br />
Essex<br />
70 Sherborne School<br />
71 Shrewsbury School<br />
72 South Dartmoor<br />
Community<br />
College<br />
73 St Benedict’s<br />
School, Ealing<br />
74 St Edward’s<br />
School, Oxford<br />
17<br />
40<br />
2<br />
10, 46<br />
28<br />
75 St John’s School,<br />
Leatherhead<br />
76 St Peter’s School,<br />
York<br />
77 Stewart’s Melville<br />
College<br />
78 Stowe School<br />
79 Sutton<br />
Valence School<br />
80 Taunton School<br />
81 The Grammar<br />
School at Leeds<br />
82 The Judd School<br />
83 The King’s School<br />
in Macclesfield<br />
84 The King’s School<br />
Canterbury<br />
85 The Leys School<br />
86 The Manchester<br />
Grammar School<br />
87 The Oratory<br />
School<br />
19, 64, 66,<br />
16, 96, 97<br />
69, 90 80<br />
83, 88<br />
22, 30, 76<br />
88 Tonbridge School<br />
89 Trent College<br />
90 Trinity School,<br />
Croydon<br />
91 Uppingham<br />
School<br />
92 Warwick School<br />
93 Wellingborough<br />
School<br />
94 Wellington College<br />
95 Wellington School,<br />
Somerset<br />
96 Whitgift School<br />
97 Wilson’s School<br />
98 Winchester<br />
College<br />
99 Woodhouse<br />
Grove School<br />
100 Worksop College<br />
thecricketer.com / 65
Top 100 Schools<br />
Fields of glory:<br />
Cricket action at<br />
Kimbolton School<br />
Simon Hughes<br />
Editor-at-large,<br />
The Cricketer<br />
If I had to vote<br />
for the best<br />
cricket master<br />
ever it would<br />
take me about<br />
two seconds<br />
to decide. It<br />
would be the<br />
dome-headed, bespectacled Bob<br />
Orme, who recently retired from<br />
Latymer Upper School after close<br />
on 50 years of total dedication to the<br />
school’s under-13s. Fifty years spent<br />
dealing with unruly, unpunctual,<br />
often ungainly little boys trying to get<br />
their cricket into some sort of shape,<br />
teaching them the rudiments of<br />
the game.<br />
He was not a good player himself but<br />
his commitment and enthusiasm was<br />
unshakeable. However bad we were,<br />
however awful the April weather,<br />
he painstakingly stood in the nets,<br />
guiding and cajoling – or he would go<br />
through the match highlighting the<br />
good aspects and tactfully pointing<br />
out a few areas for improvement. He<br />
drew diagrams for us to study and<br />
suggested players for us to watch.<br />
His perceptiveness, his forensic<br />
attention to detail, his endless<br />
fascination, left an indelible<br />
impression on all of us. It helped<br />
me understand the game better,<br />
and enjoy it even more. Hopefully<br />
I have passed that understanding<br />
and enjoyment on. It was entirely<br />
appropriate that Shane Warne – the<br />
most thinking cricketer of the modern<br />
era – attended the match played in<br />
Bob’s honour last year and presented<br />
his farewell gift.<br />
There are many Bob Ormes up and<br />
down the country who have not been<br />
lucky enough to be congratulated<br />
by Warne or received any award. But<br />
now, as you have seen within these<br />
pages, a few of them will earn wider<br />
recognition alongside some of the<br />
other people – and places – that<br />
devote such time and effort to<br />
school cricket.<br />
Its people are the foundation of<br />
our game. They are essential to its<br />
existence. It is about time they<br />
received at least a token of our<br />
gratitude.<br />
66 / thecricketer.com