ABOUT MIDDLESEX SCHOOLS CRICKET


Middlesex Schools Cricket aim is to help bridge the gap between club and county cricket by giving playing opportunities and access to county level programmes for training and support from International elite coaches.


Our Venue for the trials and indoor programme is Nishkam School, 152 Syon Lane, TW7 5PN.


Middlesex Schools Cricket is not part of S.C.A.M. (Schools Cricket Association of Middlesex). S.C.A.M. co-ordinate and manage the Middlesex county schools tournament and are run by Middlesex County Cricket Club.
Middlesex County Cricket Club is a different organisation to ours, we are not affiliated in any way to them.


The programme is aimed at players who are not currently in county age group squads from Middlesex and surrounding counties (The only exceptions are for players who have been with us before making it into county age group cricket, or identified through our skills coaching partner Elite Cricket Performance Academy training programmes - www.elitecricketpa.com or partner organisations). Players would be borough, regional, or regional select level, they might be recommended by our scouting team too.

We do not accept players who are currently playing with other Non-county organisations that play Representative cricket against Counties, National teams, Districts and Boroughs. This is to allow for a wider pool of players who get the experience of playing at this level and developing their skills.


The programme will aid to support players in their: tactical, mental, strength and conditioning development and help them develop leadership skill through cricket. With a match programme that includes 40-50 over cricket, 2 day fixtures, domestic tours to face various counties for 3-5 days of cricket and international tours, we feel that our programme helps players develop the skills that 121 skills coaches are missing in their sessions. Our programme also helps parents understand their role and importance in their childs journey and will help through our mental wellbeing programme guide parents on the types of constructive conversations we can have with our players.


Players will having gone through this programme feel more confident about what counties are looking for and feel less nervous in the key games that lead upto their selection having had experience of playing at that level.


Our programme has seen players who were not in County Age Group squads making it into the CAG squads and even onto county EPP/Academy programmes in their first year of county cricket. We have numerous players who have represented International youths and some have made their International mens debuts.


Middlesex Schools Cricket (Through Elite Cricket Performance Academy) run free schools sessions for state schools in various boroughs to get more state school children into cricket and helping PE Teachers with their session plans and with the GCSE programmes for PE with cricket as a students option. Teachers of the schools that we visit are given session plans, drills and invited to attend Masterclass sessions to learn more about the sport all free of charge to support state schools delivery of cricket.


We have a programme lead by Jim Clarke (2 time Middlesex Coach of the Year) which will visit State Schools both Primary and Secondary Schools.


We have a School Leadership through Cricket programme which is run with the assistance of the Eshaki Foundation to develop leadership skills through cricket in State Schools.


In the 1980s and 1990s an organisation called “Middlesex Schools Cricket Association” existed which ran a series of fixtures against various opponents taking in talent from the various schools in Middlesex that sent players in for trials.


If you view this weblink (England Schools Cricket Association) http://www.escaonline.co.uk/news/ you will see a reference to this organisation from Colin Tufnell MBE (A copy is enclosed at the bottom of this web page).

 

This link will show you the original tie which was presented to the players -

https://x.com/ACricketCoach/status/1656381261299044360?s=20

 

Notice the logo that we use is a modern take on the older logo and we have opted to not use the word ‘Association’ and that we are a privately owned and run organisation. This new logo was approved by the then Head of Commercial at Middlesex CCC in writing (15/07/2021).


Letter on the ESCA News Website Page


Dr David English CBE

The First Bunbury Festival 1987

I was a member of the Middlesex Schools Cricket Association in 1986 when we were informed that it was our turn to organise and run the ESCA u15 Festival. At that time the school county associations took it in turn to stage this important festival. The festival would be staged at a public school with accommodation and 2 grounds. We at Middlesex had few schools with the required facilities and ran our games with no spare funding.


However, Cyril Cooper (then General Secretary of ESCA) proposed a meeting with a ‘show biz’ personality who might be able to help. I was designated for the meeting. My school allowed  time from school to meet David English at a local pub for lunch. It was not long before David, with  his enthusiasm and fun, convinced me that our ESCA festival could be staged. He talked about his ideas and together we outlined the first Bunbury Festival. We got so carried away that I was late back to school for my afternoon lesson!

Over the next 6 months I met with David several times and was able to convince my committee at SCAM that with his help and enthusiasm we could stage the festival. Harrow school became the base for accommodation and practise facilities. Uxbridge CC, Winchmore Hill CC, Ealing CC, Brentham CC, Finchley CC (David’s club) and Harrow CC agreed to provide the venues for the games. David also got Brian Johnson of the BBC commentary team to entertain the players on the presentation evening in one of the school Halls. The final festival dinner was to be staged at Harrow CC. The London Borough of Harrow provided transport to the Venues. It was exciting working with David as we approached the Festival Week.


Unfortunately the week turned out to be the wettest of the summer 1987. Only the Uxbridge games were able to be played to a result. The 2 day game at Harrow CC was a total washout although 6 balls were staged so that the BBC could record John Crawley playing a few shots. Colin Moynihan (Minister of Sport) came to the ground but apart from meeting everyone was not able to see a ball bowled.

David made a hugely funny speech and presented awards  at the after game dinner in the new Harrow pavilion. I am now the proud owner of one of the first Bunbury dolls!


David English has supported the annual ESCA Festival since then and has added other Bunbury competitions to his portfolio. The brief mention at the World Cup Final does not do justice to a man who has fostered the careers of many of England’s finest players.


Colin Tufnell   MBE

LEADERSHIP

CHAIRPERSON

Alankar Ghag

Director Of Cricket

Prashant Patel - L4 Cohort 21
& MSc Biomechanics

Boys CAG U12s

Wynand Van Wyngaard

Boys CAG U15s

Chris Frost - Level 2

Head of Mental Well-Being

Supreet Oberoi

Head of Event Management

Carole Crane

Co-Ordinator

Sunita D'Mello

Head of Programme

Nandan Phadnis - BCCI Coach Educator and Level 3

Boys CAG U13s & Head Scout

Kal Shah - Level 2

Head of Girls Cricket 

Sangy Theivendra

CHILD WELFARE OFFICERS

Alankar Ghag & Prashant Patel

Key Advisor & Secretary

Keith Harrington-Myers

Boys CAG U11s 

Karl Sylvester - Level 3

Boys CAG U14s

Josh Frost

Head of Fielding/Throwing

Will Lintern - Great Britain Baseball

Strength and Conditioning

Rahul Patwardhan - YOS