King Edward VI named as one of the top 100 schools for cricket in the country

13 December 2022

We are delighted to have been listed as one of the Top 100 cricket schools, by The Cricketer Magazine in their School Guide 2023. King Edward's selection was based on an extensive set of criteria, which included a compelling commitment to cricket in the curriculum, facilities, fixture programmes and coaching.

At King Edward’s, cricket forms one of our core sports and is taught in the Spring and Summer Terms. With fifteen boys’ teams and thirteen girls’ teams, our athletes have been part of approximately 130 fixtures across the past year. A number of our players also play club cricket and some have gained selection to county squads.

Our students benefit from some of the best facilities in the region, including our Wellington Sports Ground, which provides 33 acres of levelled playing fields which allows seven games to simultaneously play on high-class wickets.

King Edward VI School and Stroud School, King Edward VI Preparatory are the official Education Partners for Hampshire County Cricket Club and Official Supporter of the Ageas Bowl. The Hampshire Cricket Pathway comprises of approximately 800 children across Hampshire and during this partnership, participants have both trained and played fixtures at our Wellington Sports Grounds.

Alex Penn, Head of Cricket, commented ‘We are thrilled to be listed in the top 100 for the third year running. Our vision for cricket here at King Edward’s has equality and enjoyment at the centre of everything we do. We have had many highlights over the last few years, including the launch of girls’ cricket in 2019, County and Regional Cup successes and more of our students entering County pathways for cricket than ever before. We look forward to hosting a new cricket event with the Cricketer Magazine in the new year and will continue to progress our offering as being the Hampshire's first choice school for cricket" 

The Cricketer researches and produces the Schools' Guide annually, with the 2023 edition being supported by Durant Cricket – one of the country’s leading suppliers of cricket ground equipment.

Cristian Durant, managing director of Durant Cricket, commented: “We have supported The Cricketer’s sterling coverage of school’s cricket, which showcases the fantastic job coaches and staff are doing for grassroots cricket, for many years. Long may it continue. Enjoy the winter, and best of luck for the 2023 season.

We look forward to the return of cricket in 2023. Watch below to hear Alex Penn, Head of Cricket at KES and Jack Parker, Director of Sport at Stroud talk all things cricket 3-18.