2023 Schools Guide Names All Three Stamford Schools in ‘The UK Best Schools for Cricket’ Guide

The Stamford Endowed Schools is delighted to confirm it has been listed in all three categories of The Cricketer 2023 Schools Guide to the UK’s best schools for cricket. Stamford Junior School, Stamford High School and Stamford School have all been listed, with a top 20 place for Stamford High School, top 50 for Stamford Junior School and top 100 for Stamford School.

Michael O’Connor, Sports Coach and Head of Girls Cricket at Stamford High School, commented “The listing by The Cricketer shows the strength of girl’s cricket in general at the school and demonstrates the hard work that we have put into the programme, as well as how hard the students work. We are very pleased to have received the listing.”

Dean Headley, Director of Cricket at Stamford Endowed Schools, adds: “To have a place in all three categories for The Cricketers 2023 schools guide is really something to celebrate. The recognition just shows the effort all our staff have put in to making cricket really part of our sports provision at the Stamford Endowed Schools. From Year 5/6 to Year 13, cricket is part of our culture, and these listings really highlight this.”

L-R: Mr Doig, Stamford Junior School, Mr Headley, Director of Cricket at Stamford Endowed Schools, and Mr O’Connor, Stamford High School

The Stamford Endowed Schools is running a Cricket Take Over week on its social media channels to celebrate the listings from the 21st November with testimonials from Old Stamfordians Zak Chappell, Joey Evison and Josh Hull.

- Zak Chappell (OS 14) currently plays for Derbyshire County Cricket Club. Zak has also played for Nottingham CCC and Leicestershire CCC

- Joey Evison (OS 20) currently plays for Nottinghamshire CCC. Evison made his England U19 debut in the summer of 2019

- Josh Hull (OS 22) has just signed a two-year deal with Leicestershire CCC

The Cricketer’s Schools Guide 2023 lists the UK’s best schools for cricket, with state and private schools well represented in the top 100, with the best all-girls and prep/junior schools also picked out by The Cricketer’s judging panel. This year’s guide features the top 100 senior, top 50 prep/junior and top 20 all-girls schools for cricket in a bumper 156-page supplement. 2023’s successful roll call of schools – which features both state-funded and private establishments – was finalised after an exhaustive selection process that saw a huge number submit entries for inclusion in the guide. All entries were then judged against an extensive set of criteria, which included a compelling commitment to cricket in the curriculum, facilities, fixture programmes and coaching.

The Cricketer gathered entries and compiled the leading lists, consulting former England star Lydia Greenway and her coaching initiative Cricket For Girls to select the top 20 all-girls schools. The Cricketer magazine editor Huw Turbervill said: “I’ve read some inspirational stories working on this year’s guide. Take Mim Aldred, an allrounder playing in the boys’ 1st XI at Dragon School in Oxford. On tour she hit an unbeaten 50, then came back to bowl a triple-wicket maiden in the last over with the opposition requiring two to win. These really are tomorrow’s heroes today.”