It may still have an image of village greens, fine teas and leather on willow, but cricket feels anything but sleepy for a new generation of boys and girls. Four schools tell us why it is such a brilliant school sport, and why it endures
Cricket may have a reputation as that most traditional of English sports, but there’s been a steady evolution – some would say revolution – in the game. New formats, the growth of girls’ and women’s cricket, plus the growing allure of the game across multiple continents. Its reappearance in the Olympics in 2028 in a T20 format (after a 128-year gap) will only add to its appeal and boost player numbers.
Grassroots starts young, and at Berkshire prep school Ludgrove there’s a sense of a whole landscape to discover as boys are introduced to the game. “It’s a culture,” says Gabriel French, Head of Drama/Performing Arts and also Head of Cricket. “Cricket is played through the year – it’s not just something that happens in the season.” Ludgrove maintains a time-honoured tradition that all teaching staff get involved in coaching. “It does give us a different perspective of the boys,” says Gabriel French. “Very often you see a very different child, thriving in a very different way.”
Hailing from the Southern Hemisphere, he can well recall arriving at the school to see boys playing their version of cricket in the snow. “There is a wonderful game called stump that has been played since the school was started pretty much,” he says. “As soon as they’ve grown out of a bat or a bat is broken the boys take it through to the woodwork store and the Head of DT, who is very much a woodworker, will cut off the sides of it and then they will use that in the morning game. It’s not unusual for a third of the school, 60 boys, to be down there in the morning.”
Ludgrove boys play all year round, but anticipation rises palpably as summer approaches. “It’s such a big part of the school. You’ve got this big bank of nets and at break time nearly all of the school is out there playing. It’s just the most magical sight.” There are aspirations among many of the boys to be chosen to go on one of the school’s cricket tours – something to aim for. But for every level of ability and enthusiasm, there’s a sense of what Gabriel French describes as “pulling together”.
Children also love the whole ecosystem around the game – the history, rules, traditions. Gabriel French believes this plays a big part in its ability to draw children in. “Football is loved by so many because of its simplicity, whereas cricket seems to endure because of its complexity. Once you scratch the surface you just keep on finding areas of interest.”
Complexity certainly plays a part in the game’s allure, agrees Bedford School Director of Cricket Gary Steer, but he also thinks the respectful way it’s played counts. “It’s important as well, that it’s played in a certain way. I think that’s even wider than just the game of cricket itself. There is a certain etiquette in cricket that can be spread into other areas of life.”
At Bedford there’s framework that supports players of every ability. “We have teams from Year 3 right up to the first team. Years 3 and 4 are soft ball cricket and hard balls are in use from Year 5 upwards. Each year, we have at least four or five teams at each age group. Everybody who wants to play cricket will get a game of cricket.”
As a former player for Derbyshire CCC, Gary Steer is enthusiastic about the potential new formats bring to widen cricket’s appeal – it certainly drives enthusiasm among boys at Bedford. “They see it on TV and see the kind of shots that they want to play.”
The fact that this is the style of game that will be in the Olympics bodes well for those who love the format and want to take cricket further, but Gary Steer is also confident that the game offers much more. “Basically, you can go wherever you want to with it. Those who love it and are really good at it can go on and have a career. For those who love the game but aren’t quite good enough, there are other roles within the game,” he says. “You can be involved with cricket as a player or in other areas – such as umpire or coaching – for a very long time.”
Bedford School is doing its bit to grow the game, and its partnership with Northamptonshire CCC supports upcoming talent and help the next generation of cricketers to play of their best. Gary Steer thinks the game offers something unique. “One thing that probably attracts a lot of people to the game is that there are a lot of skills involved,” he says. “Most boys – and girls – can probably find a role within the team.”
Reed’s is also helping to grow the game and Head of Cricket Chris Boyle is proud that the school typically fields 24 teams in the summer. That includes two girls’ teams made up of those who join the school at Sixth Form. “That’s only going to get stronger as we’ve got girls coming in who play cricket to a decent standard.” Lower down the school, students are supported in raising their game with one-to-one sessions with coaches – and any level of cricketer can book a session and work to improve technique.
That ability to strive as an individual to help the team is vital to the game’s popularity, but Chris Boyle says another great selling point is the social side. “The boys and girls are playing for local clubs, and they play against each other on a regular basis outside of school.” He thinks it’s important that cricket maintains its variety of formats, not least because each offers different opportunities and suits different talents. “The shorter the format the less the opportunity for players to contribute. Generally, not so many people bat if you are playing 20 overs, so I think a mix of format is a good thing.”
Certainly, at Reed’s the longer competitive games, played on the school’s ‘Big Side’, are a huge draw for the school and a lot of pupils will come out to watch the action unfold between lessons. There’s a real pride in being part of a team that plays on this hallowed space. “It holds a lot of value within the school,” says Chris Boyle. Another highly valuable asset in fuelling interest in the game is data, with easily accessible stats on who’s playing and how they are doing. “You can be with an A team and they know who scored runs in a C team while the game is going on.”
Ultimately, cricket is a great survivor because it continues long after school, says Chris Boyle. “You can find your level and keep going for a long time,” he says. “Children can play with their parents in a team and maybe in 20 or 30 years they will be doing the same with their children.”
Michael Powell, Director of Cricket at Rugby School, sees another really engaging element in cricket happening now. “If we talk about the traditions and history, this is what is really exciting about the girls’ game now. Of course, the boys’ and men’s game is steeped in probably 200 years of traditions. But you’ve got girls coming into the school now from really competitive families. They’ve got parents and grandparents who have played the game and you can see cricket is part of their family life.”
As a former Warwickshire CCC Captain, Michael Powell also knows the power of heroes to engage younger players. “Selfishly, from Rugby School’s point of view, it really helps having someone like Maia Bouchier as a former student of the school. She’s just outside the England team at the moment but she’s performing brilliantly for Hampshire,” he says. “We’ve got that in the boys’ game with Jacob Bethell, so having two England internationals that were in the school in the last five years makes a massive difference.”
If future pathways matter, so do the foundations and one great benefit of cricket’s increasing visibility is having an influence on primary and junior sport. “You don’t have to go back too far and all prep and primary schools were playing rounders – now they are playing cricket.”
The rise of girls’ cricket is great news, but Michael Powell believes it remains a harder path at the moment. “If you took a very talented under 13 boy and a very talented under 13 girl joining the school, the pathway for the girl to get to the top is probably higher than it is as a young male cricketer. But that in itself is fast evolving. There are more and more girls playing the game, which will drive competition, and competitive opportunities.”
Of course, for the vast majority of students, the game is there to be played for enjoyment, and for the team, and that ensures its broad appeal. “The lifeblood of the game is the new generation coming through now,” says Michael Powell. “Obviously, it’s your Jacobs and your Maias that are in the spotlight, but I think the most pleasing thing for me personally as a Director of Cricket is how many boys and now girls come back to the school and play for our Old Boys’ side and soon to be Old Girls’ side. And they are involved in cricket – be it at university, at a club or for charity.”
Ask why cricket keeps evolving and why it endures and Michael Powell has a good answer. “The kids look forward to the game and then they reflect on the game gone. There will be highs, there will be lows, just as there are in a family,” he says. “I think it’s the variety involved in the game – the chance for you to shine, the chance for you to show your skill within a team environment. Cricket combines the drama, the flair, the patience – I’ve always felt it mirrors life.”
Ludgrove School ludgrove.net
Bedford School bedfordschool.org.uk
Reed’s School reeds.surrey.sch.uk
Rugby School rugbyschool.co.uk
Further reading: Healthy competition – why school sports are so important
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