England Cricket Summer 2020

killerandflash said:

Cricket does have a significant issue with the lack of cricket played in state schools, my impression is that fast bowlers are more likely to be state school educated?

Anderson, Woakes, Wood, Stokes, Flintoff, Harmison, Hoggard, Finn, Plunkett were all state school educated for example

I think that's fair comment. The likes of Crawley, Sibley, Roy, Burns and Pope will have reaped the benefits of batting on decent tracks far more than bowlers would. 

However, this was the 2020 World Cup England U19 squad:

Kasey Aldridge (Somerset) - Millfield (Private)
George Balderson (Lancashire) - Cheadle Hulme (State)
Ben Charlesworth (Gloucestershire) - St Edward's (Private)
Tom Clark (Sussex) - Ardingly College (Private)
Jordan Cox (Kent) - Felsted (Private)
Scott Currie (Hampshire) - Unknown (State)
Blake Cullen (Middlesex) - Hampton (Private)
Harry Duke (Yorkshire) - Queen Elizabeth G S Wakefield (Private)
Joey Evison (Nottinghamshire) - Stamford (Private)
Lewis Goldsworthy (Somerset - Millfield (Private)
Jack Haynes (Worcestershire) - Malvern College (Private)
George Hill (Yorkshire) - Sedbergh (Private)
Dan Mousley (Warwickshire) - Bablake (Private)
Hamidullah Qadri (Kent) - Chellaston College (State)
Sam Young (Somerset) - Millfield (Private)

So, 12 of a squad of 15 were privately educated - or 80%. And only one, it would appear, from an ethnic background who happens to be state educated.

Even if we ignore how many state schools now play cricket, what percentage of young cricketers that do play club cricket go to private schools? Certainly not 80%.  In fact it is probably more in line with the national average of privately educated pupils which is actually 7% - or the equivalent of just one of the 15 man England squad referred to above. 

And what percentage of young cricketers come from an ethnic background? Far higher than the one player represented in this squad.

MrOneLung said:

Addick Addict said:

killerandflash said:

Cricket does have a significant issue with the lack of cricket played in state schools, my impression is that fast bowlers are more likely to be state school educated?

Anderson, Woakes, Wood, Stokes, Flintoff, Harmison, Hoggard, Finn, Plunkett were all state school educated for example

I think that's fair comment. The likes of Crawley, Sibley, Roy, Burns and Pope will have reaped the benefits of batting on decent tracks far more than bowlers would. 

However, this was the 2020 World Cup England U19 squad:

Kasey Aldridge (Somerset) - Millfield (Private)
George Balderson (Lancashire) - Cheadle Hulme (State)
Ben Charlesworth (Gloucestershire) - St Edward's (Private)
Tom Clark (Sussex) - Ardingly College (Private)
Jordan Cox (Kent) - Felsted (Private)
Scott Currie (Hampshire) - Unknown (State)
Blake Cullen (Middlesex) - Hampton (Private)
Harry Duke (Yorkshire) - Queen Elizabeth G S Wakefield (Private)
Joey Evison (Nottinghamshire) - Stamford (Private)
Lewis Goldsworthy (Somerset - Millfield (Private)
Jack Haynes (Worcestershire) - Malvern College (Private)
George Hill (Yorkshire) - Sedbergh (Private)
Dan Mousley (Warwickshire) - Bablake (Private)
Hamidullah Qadri (Kent) - Chellaston College (State)
Sam Young (Somerset) - Millfield (Private)

So, 12 of a squad of 15 were privately educated - or 80%. And only one, it would appear, from an ethnic background who happens to be state educated.

Even if we ignore how many state schools now play cricket, what percentage of young cricketers that do play club cricket go to private schools? Certainly not 80%.  In fact it is probably more in line with the national average of privately educated pupils which is actually 7% - or the equivalent of just one of the 15 man England squad referred to above. 

And what percentage of young cricketers come from an ethnic background? Far higher than the one player represented in this squad.

How many of them were on Sports scholarships ? 

I suspect a lot of them were on scholarships but it is the system that has been created whereby this is the pool that selectors are now fishing in that is wrong. 

In the old days selectors would look at clubs for recommendations and would view up and coming talent there. What has changed is that selectors are now touring the private school games on Saturdays and mid week. Those schools want to attract the so called "best" so will offer scholarships to talented players simply because it adds value to the school to have players that play county cricket. These boys aren't even allowed to play for their clubs when they have matches for the school such is the importance of such matches. 

These boys can avail themselves of not just the best facilities but also have available to them a head of cricket who, in most cases, is a former pro. That coach has a vested interest to produce star cricketers because it adds value to both him as a coach and the school and he will, by virtue of his status, also have the ear and trust of the county and area selectors. 

So how does a talented lad from east London say get to use such facilities and 1-2-1 coaching? He can't because he isn't "in the system", his parents probably can't afford £30-£40 per hour coaching and the chances of him actually being spotted or having the right background to be considered for a scholarship (and his parents be able to afford all the "extras" that come with going to a private school) are minimal. 

There is a lad, for example, who I know from playing against my son at county age group level. He came from a London borough who would pay someone to take him to games around the country because his parents couldn't, This was thanks to a benefactor who funded the whole charitable nature of "sport for all" in the borough. I believe that the money has now run out so the chances of anyone else benefiting in this way have all but gone. And that boy has never had or will ever get the same level of coaching that his counterparts at private schools do.

Now compare this boy's situation to the lad who goes to a private school. In a lot of cases the parents can afford to send their child to that school anyway. Zak Crawley was, undoubtedly, on a scholarship but he didn't need to rely on that. It wasn't the school that paid for his winter trips in the last few years to India and Perth. It was his parents. I also believe that ZaK lives in a flat paid for by his parents on or near the county ground in Canterbury so he can easily avail himself of the indoor facilities (Blackpool will no doubt confirm or deny this). Zak is fortunate but has still had to have the talent and fortitude to take advantage of his situation so I am not trying to undermine this in the way that Will Hutton did in his tweet.

But let's not kid ourselves that it is a level playing field because it simply isn't. Well not unless you happen to play at Tonbridge that is because you will not find a bump in any shape or form there! 

14 white lads from a squad of 15 England U19s of which 12 are privately educated, scholarship or otherwise, doesn't lie. The fact though that state educated Hamidullah Qadri made the squad is, perhaps, the real achievement.