Docco's Diary | Cricket Tours

Before the Covid Pandemic 2020-2022 we often had sporting tours (mainly cricket and soccer), cultural trips to countries such as France, Germany and China, and “Tech tours” to the USA.

Also, many boys have received great benefit from an exchange to schools in United Kingdom, Canada and South Africa, for example.

We know that some experience overseas can be of great educational value for young people.

The SPSC Soccer tour to the UK in April of this year was much enjoyed by the boys, two teachers and the First XI Soccer coach. They had six matches against English schools in a two-week period. They were able to see a Premier League game, a Premier League Club’s training facilities and London sights such as Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament.

Image: David Docwra shows his support to the SPSC First XI while in England. Pictured with Coach Sean Inman, April 2023

St Peter’s College has had a wonderful tradition of successful cricket tours to England. It is excellent that this tradition can continue in 2023 after the disruption caused by the Covid Pandemic 2020-2022.

Sixteen boys and three teachers will leave for a cricket tour to the UK on Thursday 22nd June 2023 and return on Saturday 15th July. They will have fourteen days of cricket against a range of English schools. These schools include Wellington, Bradfield, Sherborne, Charterhouse, King’s, Worcester and King Edward’s, Birmingham, and Felsted. They will also play the MCC and have a game at Arundel Castle.

The first record we can find of a St Peter’s College overseas cricket tour was to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in 1928. Fourteen boys and two teachers travelled by boat. The boat trip took fourteen days! We played three schools and one club in mostly two-innings games. We had one win, one loss and two draws.

The excerpt below from the May 1928 School Magazine details the trip.

The first cricket tour to England was in 1981. It was led by Mr JW Curtis, coach of the First XI. The idea of a cricket team from St Peter’s College touring the UK first arose from a visit by Tonbridge School to Australia and to St Peter’s College during Easter 1980. In the 1980s it was common for many English schools to tour Australia and play cricket against us – usually in December or January.

Our 1981 tour went well. Seventeen boys and three teachers were away for four weeks. The 1981 School magazine records they “won the majority of their matches, but they also won a great deal of esteem for the School for the excellence of their sportsmanship and general demeanour”. Our boys stayed at Westminster School, Tonbridge School, King’s School Canterbury, Lancing College, Bedford School and Stamford School. Fourteen matches were scheduled. We won five, drew five and lost one. Three were cancelled due to rain.

In 1984 we toured Sri Lanka again. We won five matches, lost three and drew one.

Since 1986 there have been cricket tours to England approximately every three years. There were tours in 1989, 1992, 1995, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016 and 2019.

This 2023 tour is our 14th cricket tour to England.

All of the tours have been memorable. A warm welcome and generous hospitality is provided by the English schools on beautiful grounds with wonderful cricketing facilities. Games are hard fought but are played with good sportsmanship. Our boys improve their game by playing in the different English conditions. Bowlers learn that they have to pitch the ball up approximately four feet on English pitches where there is less bounce on softer wickets!

There is far more to these tours than the programme of cricket matches. There is the opportunity to see historical and interesting buildings, such as Westminster Abbey, Tower of London, and St Paul’s Cathedral, in one of the biggest cities of the world – London. Boys in 2023 will visit Lord’s Cricket Ground and see Day 4 of The Ashes Cricket Test. They will enjoy the beautiful English countryside and the friendliness of the people.

It is certain that the 2023 tour will provide an amazing experience for our young cricketers.

Researched and written by David Docwra
David Docwra retired from St Peter’s College in December 2015 after 37 years’ service and is fondly remembered by many as a dedicated teacher, a committed coach of squash, cricket and soccer, and most especially as a passionate Head of Hawkes House for 21 years. David remains connected to St Peter’s College and regularly provides historical articles for the St Peter’s Old Collegians newsletters.