HUW TURBERVILL discovers the exceptional facilities at the Yorkshire collegiate, making it a perfect venue to test the latest bats on the market
You know a school means business when you see a sign on the wall for a 'Wicketkeepers' Club'. Held on Tuesdays, it is tempting to think of characters in flowerpot hats, comparing chamois inners and sharing stories of breathtaking catches and razor-sharp stumpings.
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the thorough approach to our beloved game at Queen Ethelburga's Collegiate in Yorkshire, however. The school also stages a batting masterclass on Mondays, and a fast-bowling clinic on Fridays. And young cricketers are also given individual learning plans, video analysis, strength and conditioning sessions, guidance for mental well-being, lifestyle/nutritional advice, and even dreaded ice baths.
No wonder Yorkshire batter Finlay Bean went on to greater things after being at the independent school between 2017–2019.
About 14 miles from York and 15 from Harrogate, QE, as it is known, made for an excellent venue for The Cricketer as we tested the new bats of 2026 for the Club Cricket Guide.
The facilities were exceptional – including indoor nets in a vast sports hall bedecked in the school's colours of royal blue and tangerine.
Head of cricket Shrikant Wagh and coach Dan Ranasinghe were on hand to share their expertise; a dozen or so of the school's highly promising youngsters batted and bowled; and the icing on the cake was the guest appearance of Yorkshire and former England batter Adam Lyth.
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Lyth provided coaching advice and took questions from students (The Cricketer)
He told the youngsters how he had been preparing for the new season. The 38-year-old, who played seven Tests for England in 2015, made his senior Yorkshire debut in 2006, but his enthusiasm seems undiminished.
The pupils listening to him included Louie Wilson, a leg-spinning allrounder; wicketkeeper-batter George Hanson; and Enzo Campagna, a hard-hitting allrounder and seamer. They are all with Yorkshire's academy. Alongside that trio were Zach Barton, a seamer on Durham's books, and Leona Robinson, who was on the Yorkshire girls' pathway. It was fascinating to hear that there had even been talk of Campagna playing for Italy in this year's senior T20 World Cup, such is his promise.
The seamers bowled a session of pace at Lyth, then the spinners took their turn. The experienced pro looked tested. He told them how he spends hours at a time in the Headingley nets grooving a certain shot. He has also been practising range hitting this winter. He said the senior players had been turning the bowling machine up to 96mph. "I really enjoy fast bowling," he said. He also gave the youngsters a fascinating insight into the approaches of his Yorkshire teammates Joe Root and Harry Brook.
The pupils told him that they do range hitting too – they have all tried to eclipse a shot by Bean at Queen Ethelburga's that is said to have travelled 100 yards over the new outdoor nets.
It really was an enlightening session.
The school was established in 1912, and there are records of cricket matches taking place there four years later. There are about 1,300 boys and girls at the school, and they can play in teams for boys, from under-10 to first XI, and girls from under-10 to under-16 (softball and hardball). The boys' first XI have about 25 matches a season, including in the National Schools T20, the AOC T20 League, and the Emeriti Schools' T20 Festival. In total, last year, the school played 90 fixtures.
Pupils and teachers still talk about the glorious summer of 2023. The 1st XI won the inaugural U18 Regional T20 Plate Final (Yorkshire and North-East Region) and the Emeriti Schools Cup in the space of three days at the end of the season.
One of the school's girls' teams also featured on the uplifting BBC TV programme, Freddie Flintoff's Field of Dreams.
The ability to host floodlit matches allows the cricket season to be extended with fixtures until the end of September each season. The occasions, often on Friday nights, are exciting and atmospheric. For the more traditional cricket fan, red ball/declaration matches are staged on Sundays. MCC, The Forty Club and Yorkshire Gentlemen are among the visitors for those, while St Peter's School, York and Scarborough College are among the main school rivals.
There are two squares and four astroturf wickets, plus a six-lane outdoor net, in a vast 42-acre 'sports village'. The facilities, with 4G pitches, have been used by Yorkshire CCC age-group squads, and football clubs Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United and Sheffield Wednesday.
Wagh was an allrounder who played in the Ranji Trophy for Vidarbha, and in the Indian Premier League for Rajasthan Royals in 2009/10 and Pune Warriors in 2011. He is in his second year of teaching at the school. "Boys' and girls' cricket here is strong," he said. "I'm pleased with the look of the 1st XI this year. We have a lot of allrounders so that is ideal for T20, and we have a number of promising under-15s as well. It's been great to get cricketers into county set-ups, including Yorkshire and Durham.
"I've been a professional cricketer so I feel I can explain the pathway to becoming a pro, but an all-round, holistic approach to school life is also vital, especially at 14, 15 and 16. It's also important to keep motivation going through the winter when there are no matches. We have a great staff here, so the pupils are in safe hands."
Related: Yorkshire and Lancashire benefit from Queen Ethelburga's floodlit cricket "USP"
Queen Ethelburga's students pictured with The Cricketer team (The Cricketer)
As well as Bean, Dominic Leech (2017-2019) came through the school; the seamer played for England Under-19s while at QE, and after several years at Yorkshire, is now with Northants. Harry Crawshaw (2019-2021) played in the Blast for Durham and toured Sri Lanka with England Under-19s; while Bilal Anjam (2015–2017) represented Yorkshire second XI, and is now a high-performance coach at Headingley.
A current pupil not in attendance on the day was Joseph Hall, who plays for Derbyshire Under-18s.
The school has extended the hand of friendship to local state schools. Kwik Cricket and summer fun day events have been staged, welcoming pupils from Roecliffe Primary School, Killinghall CE Primary School, Outwood Primary Academy, Alne and Great Ouseburn Community Primary School, all led by student volunteers.
The school has also spread the word globally about cricket. Students of American, French, Fijian, Nepalese, Nigerian, Russian and Ukrainian heritage have all represented the school in cricket fixtures.
Ranasinghe played for New Rover CC near Headingley and joined Queen Ethelburga's teaching staff in September after four years coaching Yorkshire CCC age-group sides.
"Cricket is one of five major sports here," he said. "Numbers at practice are always excellent from juniors to seniors. We have sessions before school and during lunchtimes. When youngsters turn up at 7am with a beaming smile, it makes me feel great. The facilities are exceptional. Other schools and clubs request that they can play here under the floodlights. We have even played matches in early October.
"Being here is like going on a great journey – it's fun for the youngsters, enjoyable, and they do get challenged. The environment for learning is massive."
Click here to know more about Queen Ethelburga's.
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