State school success: Knight-Stokes Cup shines at Lord’s

Last Thursday (September 10) Lord’s was bathed in milky September sunshine and awash with excited schoolchildren. The storied venue was hosting the inaugural Knight-Stokes Cup finals, a tournament contested by over 1,100 teams from 820 state schools. All competing schools were invited to Lord’s for the final; activities included sessions at the indoor performance centre and a cricket careers fair.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan is one of the founders of the tournament and despite his broadcasting commitments at the Edgbaston Test, he managed to travel to Lord’s in time for the girls’ final between Penistone Grammar School and Chelmsford County High School.

In conversation with The Cricket Paper, Vaughan described the origins of the competition.

“It was just a moment where I realised that it had never happened. Usually, the most simple ideas are the best ones. I'm not taking full credit; it was a conversation that I had with Mark Nicholas, who was the then president of the MCC.

“It needed a little bit of funding, a friend of mine, Ric Lewis is the founder of the Black Heart Foundation, provided it. And then Barclays came on board and the MCC Foundation.

“The team here at the MCC have been remarkable, the energy and the logistical side of how to put on a tournament, it's not easy and beyond my pay grade. It's just great to think that we've had 1,100 teams, over 400 in the girls game, which is just fantastic.”

Vaughan, who went to a state school in Sheffield, also explained the overarching aims of the tournament.

“The state sector needs to realise that it's wanted and also we want kids in the state sector to have cricket as a topic of conversation. And the only way you can do that is to give them an aspirational goal. And there's not many more aspirational goals than to get your school to play here at the home of cricket.

“The kids have been running amok in the pavilion, they've been everywhere! They've been on the balconies, they've been in and around the long room, on the turf, running around, and that's what it's all about, to give kids the opportunity and it's been a huge success in the first year.”

Vaughan is adamant that the final of the tournament will continue to be played at Lord’s, despite suggestions that the large volume of cricket played at Lord’s has negatively impacted on the preparation of wickets.

“I can pretty much guarantee that this (finals day) will certainly be happening here next year. Other games might miss out but I'm pretty sure this stays, because if not, we'll be campaigning outside of the Grace Gates!

“Lord’s has got a difficult job on at the minute. They know that the square needs a little bit of work and they'll get there. They're not shying away from the fact that they know they've got an issue. They will work it out.”

Former England fast bowler, Sajid Mahmood, has also been closely involved with the Knights-Stokes Cup. Mahmood, currently head of cricket at William Perkin, a state school in West London, is clearly passionate about expanding cricket in state schools.

“I think it's important that we get a lot of state schools involved because through lack of facilities or equipment, it's not really that accessible.

“I come from a state school background and back in the day, we were actually quite lucky, we had a big field, we never had a wicket or square but we just plumped some stumps in and we played the game. You look at some state schools and they don't even have that,” said Mahmood.

Mahmood also pointed out how a lack of cricket in state schools meant missing out on potential talent.

“A huge number of players in state schools get missed because a lot of times in county pathways, they have feeder schools and generally they are independent schools.

“They've got a lot more money, they do a lot more one-to-ones, therefore they get a little bit fast tracked. Their development is a little bit quicker, whereas state school parents and students can't really afford that. So hopefully a competition like this can also now be a feeder for counties.”

Perhaps the most poignant memory from the day was the unbridled excitement from the captain of Altrincham Grammar School, Aryan Dash, after his side had won the boy’s final.

“The experience has been absolutely amazing, stuff like being in the changing rooms where the international players and the greats of the game have been. We couldn't ask for anything more at the age of 15. I'm definitely looking forward to lunch, to be fair, I don't know how good it is, it must be absolutely amazing!”