Cricket at Bedford 

Cricket has a long and established history at Bedford with records dating back to 1866. Today, the sport continues to flourish with iconic former England and Nottinghamshire cricketer Derek Randall as the School’s professional.

In the last 30 years Bedford School has produced a host of first class and international standard players. Amongst these are:

Ian Peck - Cambridge University, Combined Universities, Northamptonshire
Marc Snell, England U15 Captain
Toby Bailey – Northamptonshire
Adrian Shankar – Cambridge University (Captain), Lancashire
Will Smith –British Universities, Nottinghamshire, Durham (Current Captain)
Alastair Cook – Essex & England.
Alastair has now played 52 tests and scored 10 test centuries. He was named England’s 79th Test Captain for the 2010 Bangladesh tour, having been Vice Captain since 2008. Alastair has the record for the most runs scored in a 1st XI season (1452 at 121, including 2 double centuries).
Alex Wakely – England U19 (Captain), Northamptonshire
James Kettleborough (current 1st XI Captain) – England U18
Christian Davis – (current 1st XI) – England U18

The Summer Term has changed in recent years with more and more boys sitting more and more exams. However the fixture list remains strong both in terms of the quality of opponents and in the number of sides fielded. 13 Teams regularly represent the School. Each year there are matches against Australian Touring Teams whilst traditions such as the two day games against Tonbridge and the Old Boys and old school fixtures against Dulwich and Harrow remain. Similarly each year the Fitt-Townsend Trophy (named after former masteri/c cricket Cyril Fitt and Haileybury’s former Head Groundsman) is competed for by all the teams who participate in the Haileybury block fixture. This captures the essence of Bedford School Cricket. Each performance is valued as both future Test players and club stalwarts are encouraged and enthused.

There is a keenly contested House competition each summer, as well as a catching competition that culminates in a heaving pavilion and the awarding of the Derek Randall Catcher’s Cup. In 2009 it was won by Ben Beazley, the 2nd XI wicket-keeper.

The School has toured regularly in recent years competing in the Sir Garfield Sobers Tournament in 1998, where they reached the semi-finals and 2001. In December 2004 a squad of 28 boys visited Australia playing 15 fixtures and visiting the MCG for the Boxing Day Test Match. In 2008, 32 boys played schools and clubs on the Caribbean islands of St. Lucia and Antigua, and in the February half term 2010 a 1st XI squad will play 5 matches in Cape Town by way of preparation for the 2010 summer term.

Click here to read about the 2009 season