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Schools Cricketer of the Year
Wisden has long carried details of schools cricket. As far back as 1865, the second edition included an account of the previous year’s Eton v Harrow match. These days the coverage runs to around 200 schools over 40 pages.
In 2008, Wisden introduced a new award, the Wisden Schools Cricketer of the Year. The aim was to help raise the profile of schools cricket, especially at state schools.
Each year’s winner is chosen on the basis of his or her performance in schools cricket, as reported in Wisden. The only criteria for a school’s inclusion are that it must not be age-restricted, must have a sixth form, and a fixture list of an acceptable standard (in Wisden’s judgment). There are notable exceptions, but the majority of schools featured are from the independent sector, reflecting the paucity of cricket in state schools and colleges, a trend Wisden is keen to help reverse.
Schools who wish to be considered for inclusion in future editions of Wisden should either write to:
John Wisden & Co
13 Old Aylesfield
Golden Pot
ALTON
GU34 4BY
or email: almanack@wisdenalmanack.com
Notional winners
A full list of past notional winners, backdated to 1900, appears in Wisden 2021 (page 127).
Actual winners
2007 J. M. Bairstow (St Peter’s School York, Yorkshire and England)
2008 J. W. A. Taylor (Shrewsbury School, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and England)
2009 J. C. Buttler (King’s College Taunton, Somerset, Lancashire and England)
2010 W. G. R. Vanderspar (Eton College and Leeds MCCU)
2011 D. J. Bell-Drummond (Millfield School, Kent and England Lions)
2012 T. B. Abell (Taunton School, Somerset and England Lions)
2013 T. Köhler-Cadmore (Malvern College, Worcestershire, Yorkshire and England Lions)
2014 D. E. Budge (Woodhouse Grove School and Scotland)
2015 B. A. Waring (Felsted School)
2016 A. J. Woodland (St Edward’s School and Cardiff MCCU)
2017 E. T. D Casterton (RGS High Wycombe)
2018 N. J. Tilley (Reed’s School)
2019 T. S. Muyeye (Eastbourne College and Kent)
2020 No award, due to the Covid pandemic
2021 J. G. Bethell (Rugby School and Warwickshire)