23rd Anniversary of a Cricket relationship

It has been said; “You can exhaust yourself at a game of cricket, but never the subject” – Sure our boys may get tired as they face a grueling fixture schedule but they continue to live the game and express their passion for cricket and our school.

Tradition, friendships, cricket and marketing our school all start on the 31st July when a group of prep brothers and staff leave our sunny shores to battle our Cornish cricket rivals. During this tour, King’s College Taunton, Newport CC (Wales) and Cornwall will host our Prep Cricket Team as they play in two county festivals and various other day fixtures.

Allow me some creative license from the Bard himself:

This Cricket Tour story shall the good man teach his son;
   From this day to the ending of the world,
   it shall be remembered-

    We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
    For he to-day that lives the Cricket tour with me
    Shall be my brother; 

    This day shall gentle his condition;
    Others shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,
    And hold their manhoods cheap

whiles any speaks
That toured with us on this Cricket Tour in 2017.

I love the reference from Shakespeare Henry V – Speech – Eve of St. Crispin’s Day and frequently share this connection with our boys to fuel our unity, sense of brotherhood and commitment to One and All.

Boys, the cricket battles are going to test you as the playing conditions and standards will be very different to our local conditions. However, you are all talented, well prepared and as a team have the right mixture of physical skills and mental fortitude. Added is your Saints DNA of grit and passion as well as the support and best wishes of your brothers and staff of the preparatory. Go make us proud.

To the parents of the touring boys: Thank you for the year- long dedication and drive towards fundraising for the tour. You have all not only served your sons but have served the preparatory in a manner that has been an example of team work, achievement of goals and furthermore, you have shown that fun can be had while working towards a dream.

To the staff joining our boys on tour; may you be blessed with many wonderful memories that is part of the gift that is our profession. Our preparatory wishes your favourable cricket results and we are sure you will use many moments to develop each individual boy. Enjoy reconnecting with our Cornish heritage while strengthening the current ties between the Cornwall Cricket Board and the Taunton festivals.  Immerse yourself fully in the tour taking time out of cricket to enjoy the locals and the sights.

This gift of travel is indeed an experience of a life time and will no doubt leave the entire tour with more than shouts of “Howzat?”, “Sticky wicket”, “Anyone for a Cornish pasty or some clotted cream?” or references to mud island and terrible weather…

But rather as Lord Byron writes:

“I am so convinced of the advantages of looking at mankind instead of reading about them, and of the bitter effects of staying at home with all the narrow prejudices of an Islander, that I think there should be a law amongst us to set our young men abroad for a term among the few allies our wars have left us.”

Carpe Diem UK Cricket Team 2017