History

The Cricketer Cup was conceived in 1966 by Tony Winlaw, currently our President, and Henry Lewis. Together they persuaded Ben Brocklehurst, owner of ‘The Cricketer, and E.W. ‘Jim’ Swanton, its editor, to support their idea of providing for public school alumni cricket clubs the equivalent of the Halford Hewitt in golf and the Arthur Dunn for soccer. The first competition was played in 1967, won by the Repton Pilgrims. Originally for 16 schools, the Cricketer Cup proved so popular that it was extended to 32 teams in 1969. The most significant organisational change came in 2003 when ‘The Cricketer’ was bought by ‘Wisden’ and the parent company made it clear it would no longer support the Cricketer Cup. The participating schools therefore took control of their own destiny, forming their own committee and drawing up their own rules. It was decided to keep the name in tribute to Ben Brocklehurst, who did so much to get the competition established and presented a fine silver trophy for the winners. In 2017 the Cricketer Cup celebrated its fiftieth anniversary with a splendid dinner for 800 people in London and a further celebratory event at the final that August at Arundel.

Of the original thirty-two schools, three have fallen by the wayside - Old Blundellians, Old Westminsters and Old Whitgiftians. Lancing Rovers did drop out for a time but returned in 2020. New schools to have joined are Old Bedfordians, Old Cranleighans, Old Eastbournians, Old Hurst Johnians and Old Millfieldians. The success of the Cricketer Trophy ensures that other schools are pushing for a place and underpins the health of alumni cricket clubs.

From 1967 to 1983 the Final was played on The Household Brigade’s ground at Burton Court in Chelsea. It has subsequently become peripatetic, moving first to the Westminster School ground in Vincent Square, then to the Bank of England’s ground at Roehampton. The 2003 Final was contested at the late Sir Paul Getty’s idyllic private ground at Wormsley, followed by six years at Richmond CC, brief stops at Shenley and Wimbledon CC, and now for the last three years in the beautiful setting of Arundel Castle. We have had a variety of sponsors, the champagne firms Pol Roger and Moet et Chandon supporting the first sixteen years at Burton Court. Patrick Forbes, managing director of Moet, was a true friend of the competition, creating the very special ambience at Burton Court and, for the winners, the trips to Epernay. Later we benefited from the generosity of Herbalife and Alan Lorenz, an Old Carthusian who supported us from 2005-2020. Now we have a new main sponsor in Nicholson Gin which has already made its mark with close involvement in the competition and the new Man of the Match Awards at each game of a bottle of gin. Manyatta Belts have also sponsored the competition over the past two years.

“The Cricketer Cup mixeS first class cricketers with weekend clubmen, while casting a certain doubt on exactly who was which.”

Ted Dexter - Sussex and England

In the inaugural final at Burton Court in 1967, the two finalists were both led by England players, Donald Carr (Repton Pilgrims) and Ted Dexter (Radley Rangers), who was then a current Test cricketer but captained Radley in every round. The roll call of famous players who appeared in that year included Peter May (Charterhouse Friars), Hubert Doggart (Old Wykehamists), Henry Blofeld and Colin Ingleby-Mackenzie (Eton Ramblers), and fifty-five year old Jack Davies (Old Tonbridgians), who had bowled Donald Bradman for a duck at Fenner’s in 1934 playing for Cambridge University. Peter May made a glorious century against Harrow Wanderers in the first round, but was then bowled second ball in the semi-final by John Hutton (Repton Pilgrims). Passing the young Hutton on his way back to the pavilion, May is reported to have whispered quietly to him: ‘Well bowled, but for God’s sake don’t tell your father.’ There are now 34 Test cricketers who have played in the Cricketer Cup including Andrew Strauss (Radley Rangers), Colin Cowdrey (Old Tonbridgians), Nawab of Pataudi (Old Wykehamists) and the three most recent - Rory Burns (Old Whitgiftians), Olly Pope (Old Cranleighans) and Zak Crawley (Old Tonbridgians). History was also made in 2002 when Clare Connor, the England Women’s captain, became the first woman to play in the Cricketer Cup, helping Old Brightonians to a win over Lancing Rovers and bowling eight overs of spin for only fourteen runs. She is now President Elect of MCC, the first woman to hold this post.

Over the years the finals have produced some memorable contests. In 1977 Nick Pocock, later to captain Hampshire, practically won the match single-handed, taking 4 for 16 as Oundle Rovers were bowled out for 117 and then making 98 not out in the Shrewsbury Saracens score of 118 for 1. In 1979 came still the closest final when Old Tonbridgians beat Uppingham Rovers by 5 runs, the 19-year-old Richard Ellison making the first of several final appearances for Tonbridge. In the rain-affected 1982 Final the Old Malvernian captain, Jeff Tolchard, formerly of Leicestershire, realised that his only hope of victory was to take the unprecedented decision to declare at 104 for 8 and rely on bowling out Old Wykehamists. His enterprise was almost rewarded, the last Winchester pair grimly hanging on to see them home on a superior run rate at 75 for 9. In 2000 James Bovill (Charterhouse Friars) took the only hat-trick in a final. Old Tonbridgians, captained by Jonathan Arscott, are the only side to have won the Cricketer Cup in three successive years - 2002, 2003, 2004.

Old Tonbridgians have been the most successful team in the history of the competition, winning it sixteen times, with six other appearances in the final. Their most recent win was in the 2019 final. All six of their most recent Test players have played for them in the Cricketer Cup - Colin Cowdrey, Roger Prideaux, Chris Cowdrey, Richard Ellison, Ed Smith and Zak Crawley. Not too far behind them are the Old Malvernians with ten wins and six other final appearances. They have also benefited from a steady supply of first-class cricketers and have been the most successful team in the last decade, with triumphs in 2010, 2015 and 2016. Of the newer sides Old Cranleighans have had the most success, winning the competition in 2014 and 2018. Oundle Rovers, Charterhouse Friars, Shrewsbury Saracens and Old Wykehamists have each won the cup three times. There have been only eight other winners in the history of the competition, and a further eight have reached at least one final, Harrow Wanderers having the melancholy record of losing all five finals in which they have been involved.

Many people have given freely of their time to ensure that the Cricketer Cup runs smoothly. Once ‘The Cricketer’ relinquished control in 2003, it was Joe Ullman (Charterhouse Friars) and Frank Russell (Repton Pilgrims) who became joint secretaries and David Walsh (Marlborough Blues) continued as treasurer. Nick Syrett (Bradfield Waifs) became the first chairman and was succeeded by Tony Monteuuis (Old Tonbridgians) in 2007. Rick Johnson (Old Cranleighans) became secretary in 2013, organising the anniversary dinner before handing over in 2017 to David Walsh, who relinquished the treasurership to Angus Pollock (Shrewsbury Saracens). Tim Elliott (Oundle Rovers) took over as chairman in 2018. Nick Pocock (Shrewsbury Saracens) is the current President, preceded by Anthony Winlaw (Harrow Wanderers), Joe Ullman (Charterhouse Friars) and George Chesterton (Old Malvernians).

The pandemic saw the Cricketer Cup cancelled in 2020 for the first time in its history but it returned in 2021, won for the first time by Old Millfieldians