For many schools in the South, East and Midlands the season got to start in earnest in the last week, though for many schools in the South West and the North, conditions were still too poor for the season to start.
Last week, also saw the Wisden launch at Lord’s last Tuesday evening. The 161st edition was published last Thursday and made most of the broadsheets with it’s somewhat controversial take by editor Lawrence Booth on the role of India in world cricket. The award of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Year also courted some debate as two England players, Harry Brook, and Mark Wood along with three Australians, Ashley Gardner, Usman Khawaja and Mitchell Starc received the coveted award.
Less controversial was the award of the Wisden Schoolboy award to Ollie Sykes, formerly of Tonbridge, who was awarded his personalised leather-bound copy of the Almanac by former England captain, Michael Atherton.
Sykes, a left-hander, hit four hundreds, and took his wickets bowling seam on a challenging circuit, plus three fixtures against touring southern-hemisphere schools. His coach at Tonbridge, Ian Baldock, describes him as having “an undoubted talent and potential with both bat and ball, while captaining a relatively inexperienced side. On several occasions he appeared to be playing a different game from everyone else, especially when hitting 148 against MCC and 157 against Harrow. With the ball, he provided consistency – and often took crucial, game-changing top-order wickets, exemplifying his remarkable all-round ability.” He is a member of the Surrey Academy and represented their second team before spending last winter in Sydney, playing grade cricket.
Incidentally, in an exercise carried out by my predecessor, Douglas Henderson during the Covid pandemic, the Wisden Schools archive was used to choose hypothetical Wisden Schoolboy Cricketers of the Year going back to the year 1900 – the award itself, was inaugurated in 2007. Michael Atherton was deemed to have wone the award in 1985. The Wisden Schools archive can be found elsewhere on the Schools Cricket Online website.
On Wednesday, I had the pleasure of attending the opening of the Julian Hill cricket centre at Merchant Taylors’ in Northwood. The centre was built using a legacy left by a former teammate of mine, when I played for the Old Merchant Taylors’ club in the 1980’s. The opening was performed by Sir Andrew Strauss in the presence of various other Middlesex greats such as Gus Fraser and Harry Latchman. The centre has been designed to be used by both the local community and Middlesex county club, will be a major asset for the school’s already excellent cricket programme.
The National Schools Boys T20 competition got under way last week with shock results and high drama as 2015 National Champions Hurstpierpoint crashed out of the competition at the first hurdle, soundly beaten by first-time entrants Brighton Aldridge Community Academy. Their 9-wicket win was played at the beautiful Horsham CC ground as the original venue was unfit. BACA will now face Brighton College in the 2nd round.
Elsewhere, George Abbott School, Guildford, another first-time entrant, narrowly beat King Edward’s Witley in a rain affected game, while Canterbury Academy and King’s Canterbury completed their group final with the scores level, but King’s progressed by virtue of losing fewer wickets. Dylan Driscoll of St. Edward’s, Oxford hammered an unbeaten 140 against Farnborough Sixth Form College and Alex French took 5-5 for his new school, Cranleigh against St. John’s, Leatherhead. In the North London area, St. Albans were beaten by county rivals Hitchin Boy’s School who were in turn beaten by Watford Grammar who won their group. The latest update for the T20 can be found here.
Also featured in this blog are results for the National Girls Under 18 100-ball and the National Boys Under 17 competitions.
Finally, this week I ask once again that schools keep sending me their results or at least a link to a play cricket page.
This week’s scores
National Under 18 Boys T20
South London
Round 1
Reed’s 123-6 (20), St George’s 94-10 (18.3)
Epsom 196-1 (20) Kingston GS 45 (20)
South Central
Round 1
Canford 186–5 (20), Ryde 33 (12.4)
St Edward’s 229-2 (20) ( D Driscoll 140*), Farnborough SFC 47 (12.4)
Pangbourne 102-6 (20), Lord Wandsworth 103-2
South East
Group 1
Canterbury Academy 126-9 (20), Simon Langton 120-7
King’s Canterbury w/o St Edmunds (withdrew)
Final: Kings, Canterbury 163-2 (20) (Reynolds 102*), The Canterbury Academy 163-5 (20)
King’s win by losing fewer wickets with King’s winning the group
Group 3
Cranleigh 129–6,(20) Reigate GS 108–8 (20)
Dunottar 100– 6(20), St. John’s, Leatherhead 102–6 (18.2)
Final: St. John’s, Leatherhead 82 (20) (A French 5–5), Cranleigh 84–0 (8.1)
Cranleigh win the group
Group 4
Tonbridge 220–5 ((20), Maidstone GS 80
Tonbridge 225–6 (20) Skinners 108–5 (20)
Tonbridge win the group
Group 5
Hurstpierpoint 125– 5 (20), BACA 126–1 (12.1)
Seaford 109 (20) Brighton 112–1 (17)
BACA meet Brighton in the Final on a date tba
Group 6
King Edwards Witley 84–4 (16), George Abbott 85–4 (15.5)
Match shortened to 16 overs per side due to rain
South West Tier 2
Round 1
Backwell 136–5 (20), Clifton High 65 (14)
East
Round 1
Gresham’s 209–4 (20), Wisbech Grammar 104–7 (20)
West Midlands
Round 1
Abbotsholme w/o Blythe Bridge
Painsley 98–6 (20), Denstone 70–2 (8.5) DLS
Abbotsholme meet Denstone in round 2
North London
Group A
Forest 158–5 (20), Chigwell 79 (19.2)
Shenfield 65 (19.1), Brentwood 66–8 (17.3)
Final: Forest 147–4 (20) Brentwood 89 (16.1)
Forest win the group
Group B
William Perkin 125-8 (20), RGS High Wycombe 129-5 (19.2)
Berkhamsted 204-5 (20), John Hampden GS 111-5 (20)
Berkhamsted v RGS High Wycombe – scores unknown
Berkhamsted win the group
Group C
St. Benedict’s 159–4 (20), UCS 128–8 (20)
Parmiter’s 132–2 (20), Haberdashers’ 133–9 (20)
Final: Haberdashers’ 140–8 (20), St. Benedict’s 70 (17.5)
Haberdashers’ win the group
Group D
Watford Grammar 209–3 (20), London Oratory 61 (18.2)
St Albans 105 (19.4) Hitchin Boys 106–3(15)
Final: Watford Grammar 162–3 (20), Hitchin Boys 109–6 (20)
Watford Grammar win the group
Other scores
Repton 251 (50), Malvern 230-8
Stowe 127–8 (20), Northants EPP 1 02
Stowe 192 (50) (A Sharma 120), Uppingham 193–2
Bedes 246 (50), Cranleigh 247–8 (Thomas122)
Sherborne 174–8 (50) Marlborough 178–2
Free Foresters 224–9 dec., Sherborne 225–7
Watford Grammar 200–5 (30), St. Albans 84
Hurstpierpoint 217 (50), Whitgift 221-6
Tonbridge 201–3 (35), Kent CB U18 203–2
Tonbridge 212 (55), Charterhouse 200
Worksop 174–4 (20), Oakham 103
Churcher’s 115–8 (30), Lancing 116–8
Felsted 259–5 (45) Framlingham 217
Winchester 283–3 (50), Bradfield 2 16
RHS 140 (45), St Joseph’s 133
King’s Gloucester 131–5 (30), QEH 87
Brentwood 246 ((40), Forest 229.
Nottingham High 102-6 (20 ), Oakham 99-9
Monkton Combe 106 (40), King’s Bruton 110-0
Shiplake 93-7 (20 ), Bloxham 94-2
Judd 120 (35 ), Tonbridge 4ths 124-9
Pangbourne 102-6 (20), Lord Wandsworth 103-2
St Benedict’s 77 (40), UCS 69
Harrow 226 (55), Wellington 207
King’s, Worcester 224 , Cheltenham 67
Epsom 179 (50 ), Brighton 181-8
Eastbourne 227-5 (45), The King’s , Canterbury 169
Christ College 178 (40), Collegiate 179-5
Rugby 254-5 (50 ), St Edward’s 205
Taunton 296 (50 ), Blundell’s 190-8
Repton 251 (50), Malvern 236-8
Oakham 115-8 (20), Worksop 117-3
Reed’s 176 (50), KCS Wimbledon 137-9
RGS, Guildford 215-9 (50), Trinity , Croydon 218-9
The Portsmouth Grammar 82 (45), Seaford 83-4
Queen Elizabeth’s , Barnet 132 (40), The Perse 133-6
King Edward’s , Birmingham 133 (45), Solihull 134-4
Wisbech Grammar 127-4 (20), Wymondham 107-7
City of London Freemen’s 165-7 (35), Kingston Grammar 110
Latymer Upper 90-8 (20 ), The John Lyon 86 (16 )
The Edinburgh Academy 100 (20), ESMS 101-2
Eltham 116-5 (20), Reigate Grammar 117-1
Trent 250-5 (20), Loughborough Grammar 99-6
Sir Thomas Rich’s 124-9 (20), Collegiate 125-9
Dulwich 155-8 (20), Haileybury 135-4
Clifton 206-3 (30), Bedford 94-7 (30)
Wellington U16A 116-5 (20), Shiplake 117-4
Repton 255-4 (25 ), Myerscough 75
MCC 204-7 (40), Shrewsbury 205-4
The Crypt 67 (20 ), Pate’s Grammar 68-2
St Benedict’s 148-7 (20), John Hampden Grammar 124
Bishop Vesey’s Grammar 57 (20), King Edward VI , Stratford upon Avon 59-4
Claremont Fan Court 107-4 (20 ), Halliford 109-1
The Perse 100-8 (20) , New Hall 101-4
Charterhouse 272-7 (50), Radley 76
The Cricket Paper Under 17 Boys Competition (35 overs unless otherwise stated)
Mount Kelly 50 , Blundell’s 51-0
Wymondham 182-5 (30 ), Culford 116 (25 )
Leicester Grammar Trust 143-8, Stamford 144-2
Abingdon 156-8 , RGS, High Wycombe 126
Kingston Grammar 90-9 (20 ), Wilson’s 92-6
Wisbech Grammar 112, Gresham’s 114-0
Girls (20 overs unless otherwise stated)
The Cricket Paper Girls Under 18 100-ball
Ampleforth 112-4, Hymers 114-7
Clifton 101-9, Bristol Grammar 46-9
Bishop’s Stortford 84-9, Haileybury 85-3
Canford w/o Bishop Wordsworth’s
Wellington School 88-9, King’s Taunton 90-3
St Helen and St Katherine w/o Oxford High
Wycombe High 103-6, Dr Challoner’s High 105-7
Other results
Lord Wandsworth 121–9 (25),*Cranleigh 123–5
King’s , Taunton 88, Canford 88-3
King Edward’s , Bath 138-6, Westonbirt 86-6
Bradfield 57-3 (100 Ball), Epsom 58-2
Bradfield 152-0 (100 Ball), Brighton 107-3
Epsom 123-5 (100 Ball), Brighton 74-3
Hurstpierpoint 84-8, Wellington College 85-4
Monkton Combe 61, King’s Bruton 62-0
Marlborough 153-5, Cheltenham 107-4
Stowe 40, Uppingham 43-1
Stamford 77-4, Oundle 78-1
St Edward’s, 134-9 (30 ), Rugby 133
Taunton 119-0, Blundell’s 120-8
Malvern St, James 78-1 (16 ), Tudor Hall 63-7
St Joseph’s , Ipswich 54, RHS 57-3
Emanuel 135-5, St John’s , Leatherhead 53
Bromsgrove 150-6, Bloxham 80
St Helen & St Katharine 147-5, Haileybury 94-8
Wymondham 127-4, Wisbech Grammar 76-6
Seaford 112-4, Roedean 107-5
City of London Freemen’s 101, Kingston Grammar 102-2
Blundell’s 165-8, Plymouth 166-3
Culford 73 , Wymondham 75-0
Stowe 64-7, St Edward’s , Oxford 69-0
Bishop’s Stortford 84-9 (100 ball), Haileybury 85-3
The King’s , Canterbury 102-2, Kent College 65
Churcher’s 102-2, Barton Peveril 103-4
School Sport U18 Girls T20
Wycliffe 58, Collegiate 59-1
Plymouth 100 , Wellington School 63
Norwich 120-7, Wymondham 122-1
Stamford 112-5, Gresham’s School 116-2