Pandemic quirk helps extend cricket season at Stowe School

Former England wicketkeeper's son leads school's programme

The addition of cricket to Stowe's calendar for the first term of the year has a quirk of the pandemic to thank.

Contact rugby wasn't permitted when schools returned in the autumn of 2020, which opened the door for the cricket season to belatedly take place, with outfields pristine and pitches virtually unused after months of lockdown.

"None of our upper sixth had played in their final season, the appointed captain hadn't actually led the team," said James Knott, son of former England wicketkeeper Alan and the school's director of cricket.

"So, the head agreed that those who wanted could come back and play, coupled with those at the school. Within restrictions, competitive cricket was being played at that stage. We had a few games then, and it has just stayed in."

That, in itself, was only the case during 2020, but what was initially a practical shift of goodwill has become a permanent feature of Stowe's offering to pupils.

"We don't train as a squad or during sport afternoons, but we continue with our one-to-one programme and have a mini-net with a couple of bowlers, or something like that," Knott explained.

"So, they tick over during that period. Most of those in the first team are also county age-group cricketers, so we give them a break now until after the October half-term because they'll have played our term, then the summer, then have this cricket. That's particularly for the fast bowlers physically, but also mentally for the others. For those who didn't play much in the summer either for county or clubs, they have started back. By after half-term, everyone will be back in."

Rugby remains the main sport during these months, so matches take place on Sunday at the moment. Until Christmas, training sessions are mostly on an individual basis, with sixth form students permitted to use study sessions for their cricket.

That is the case for boys and girls, with the school's girls' programme growing fast: this was the first summer in which girls’ matches have been played on Saturdays, having beforehand been a midweek event.

"We're starting to get a few girls' cricket scholars in too, which is good," added Knott. "The one-to-ones are offered to those girls too, as well as those on county pathways or where we're fast-tracking them. It's a big programme to facilitate."