Unprecedented feat for Brighton College helps kids "buy into" cricket

Former Sussex player Mark Davis oversaw inaugural BOWS Cricket Festival triumph in 2023

"When I came into the job, Brighton College was seen as this academic hotbed. And certainly the academics are amazing, but the sport here is very, very strong."

Former Sussex cricketer Mark Davis joined Brighton College as director or cricket in the January before the Covid-19 outbreak. Since then he has worked tirelessly to change the narrative around how people on the south coast think of the school's cricket programme. 

"Traditionally, it's always been: 'If you want to play cricket, you’ve got to go to Bede’s or Eastbourne'… but it's not the case at all. We've produced fantastic players, excellent teams and the participation is great.

^{Brighton College's 1st XI Boys achieved an unprecedented feat in 2023}

"My objective is to get us on the cricketing map and I certainly believe that we should be right up there as one of the top schools in Sussex."

It is somewhat surprising that should be the perception of an institution boasting alumni including Matt Prior, Clare Connor, Sarah Taylor, Holly Colvin and Freya Davies.

Perhaps what was needed to rectify that was a slice of onfield success, which is exactly what the school’s 1st XI boys achieved in 2023 when they won the annual BOWS Cricket Festival for the first time.

^{Former Sussex player Mark Davis has been in charge at Brighton College since 2020}

Up against strong opposition from Oakham, Wellington and Sedbergh, the Brighton boys went undefeated on their way to lifting the trophy. 

"In previous years, we’ve struggled to win a game at the BOWS Festival, so it is moving in the right direction," Davis says. "It’s looking really strong for boys cricket in the next couple of years."

Among that group of players were the likes of Will Goss and Sam Topping, both of whom already have Sussex 2nd XI appearances on their CVs. And Davis's own 20-year history with Sussex CCC has proved valuable in establishing close links at Hove, with the County Ground just 10 minutes up the road from campus. 

"We’ve got loads of kids on the [Sussex Cricket] pathway – girls and boys – and quite a few of the official county players playing at the different age groups all the way through.

"We train at the County Ground five days a week, so we have different year groups training each evening from four until six."

Access to those additional facilities has come in handy while the school has spent time redeveloping its historic Home Ground square, with 10 new hybrid pitches in place. 

A stunning setting to play cricket, the picturesque location is the perfect place to inspire and engage, and represents a fitting place for as many kids as possible to get their first taste of the sport.

"Ultimately, participation's everything," enthuses Davis. "We make sure that we try and instil the love of the game into all these kids and we hope that one day they'll go on and play club cricket if they’re not elite cricketers. 

"That they'll watch the game and support the game. It's our duty at schools to make sure that the kids buy into the game of cricket."