Meet our new Head of Cricket: Damian Shirazi
King Edward VI School is delighted to welcome Damian Shirazi as our new Head of Cricket.
Damian brings a wealth of experience to KES, both as a player and coach. His playing career included representing Hampshire CCC, Nottinghamshire CCC, England U19s and British Universities, providing a strong foundation in elite cricket. While representing British Universities, he played against a New Zealand side which featured Black Caps legends Brendon McCullum and Daniel Vettori.
Following his playing career, Damian moved into coaching and cricket education. After coaching at Loughborough University, he went on to lead cricket programmes at Abingdon School, Dulwich College and most recently Epsom College, building an outstanding reputation over an 18-year career in schools' cricket.
During his time at Epsom College, Damian oversaw a remarkable period of growth and success. Cricket participation expanded from eight teams to more than 30 teams, creating opportunities for pupils of all abilities to enjoy and develop within the game. Alongside this growth, he led the school to an exceptional eight national titles and 18 county cup victories across boys' and girls' cricket. Many of his former pupils have gone on to represent county age-group sides, senior representative teams and professional counties. Beyond the school environment, Damian has also been heavily involved in both county pathway and academy cricket, supporting the development of talented young players.
Speaking about his move to KES, Damian said: "Having grown up in the area, the opportunity to return home and join a leading school with such a strong sporting and academic tradition was hugely appealing. Cricket at KES already has strong foundations and I am excited to build on that success. My aim is to continue raising standards, increase participation across the school and create opportunities for our players to achieve success at the highest levels while maintaining a genuine love for the game."
"I am also particularly excited about working across the wider KES family, alongside colleagues at both KES Prep and Prince's Mead. Developing a clear pathway for young cricketers from their earliest experiences in the game through to senior school cricket is a fantastic opportunity and I look forward to helping pupils of all ages fulfil their potential and develop a lifelong enjoyment of cricket."
We are delighted to welcome Damian to the KES family and look forward to the next chapter of cricket at the school under his leadership.
King Edward's has been named in the top 100 cricket schools by The Cricketer Magazine for the past six years. Find out more about cricket at KES.
