Felsted School has been selected by The Cricketer magazine as one of the best schools in the country for the sport.
The judging panel for The Cricketer's Schools Guide 2024 assessed hundreds of UK schools based on their commitment to cricket in the curriculum, facilities, fixtures and coaching.
Felsted is included in the guide as one of the top 100 senior schools, and has also been praised for its dedication to girls' cricket throughout the prep and senior schools.
The school's director of cricket Jason Gallian said: “Cricket is very much an integral part of sport at Felsted, so it is very gratifying for the school to be recognised by The Cricketer."
Head of girls' cricket Lissy McLeod added: "We are consistently providing pathways into professional cricket for the most talented young players alongside encouraging pupils of all ages and abilities to be involved and enjoy the game."
Felsted's first cricket pitch was opened in 1805, and since then the school has produced many successful and international cricketers - notably Derek Pringle, Nick Knight, John Stephenson, and current professional players Jordan Cox, Grace Poole, Emma Jones and Jessica Olorenshaw.
Jason Gallian has played for Essex, Nottinghamshire and England, while Lissy McLeod is captain for the Berkshire county side Sunrisers and for Welsh Fire in The Hundred.
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Girls and boys are introduced to cricket at Felsted Prep School at the age of eight, with coaching continuing throughout the school and a full fixture list for both the boys' and the girls' teams.
Every year a match is played against an MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club) team on the school's main pitch - known as 'The Front' - and Felsted also competes in the national T20 competition.
Headteacher Chris Townsend said: "Our aim at Felsted is to widen access to cricket for many more boys and girls and we are proud to be a Performance Hub for MCC Girls and in partnership with regional women’s cricket hub the Sunrisers, running regular coaching sessions.
"It’s such a great sport and we are excited to be developing more and more young players."
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