To this day, the tradition of no sixes being scored on the senior pitch has been maintained.
Festivals at Malvern
Cricket Festivals have been taking place at Malvern College for the last thirty years, allowing us to witness players go from strength to strength as they work their way through county-level age groups, with some players going on to continue their careers as professional players.
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In 2024, we look forward to hosting our own festival, bringing the best of our facilities across our Family of Schools, with our experienced team for a truly memorable experience.
Cricket at Malvern College
Since Malvern College opened in 1865, cricket has remained a matter of primary importance to the well-rounded education of pupils in its attendance. To quote 'Malvern College A 150th Anniversary Portrait' by Roy Allen, "It is no disrespect to the other sports to say that cricket and Malven have had a very special relationship."
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P.G. Wodehouse wrote: "Cricket is the greater game at Malvern, and the school has attained that enviable position when anyone who has been a member of the first eleven finds a reputation ready-made on leaving school. 'He must be pretty good. He was in the Malvern team,' is the sort of thing one constantly hears."
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From producing professional cricketers and inspiring worldwide publications, to leaving legacies and phenomenons, Malvern College cricket pitches have played a great part in the lives of many.
Timeline
1872
1877
1909
"The Wrykyn playing field were formed of a series of huge steps, cut out of the hill. At the top of the hill came the school. On the first terrace was a sort of informal practice ground where, though no games were played on it, there was a good deal of punting and drop-kicking in the winter and fielding practice in the summer. The next terrace was the biggest of all and formed the first element cricket ground, a beautiful piece of turf, a shade too narrow for its length, bounded on the terrace side by a sharply sloping bank, some fifteen feet deep and on the other side by the precipice leading to the next terrace. At the far end of the ground stood the pavilion, and beside it is a little ivy-covered rabbit hutch for the scorers. Old Wrykynians always claimed it was the prettiest school ground in England. It certainly has the finest view. From the veranda of the pavilion you could look over three counties."
The senior turf was levelled from a previously sloping pitch, creating the first terrace. This would have been done with pick and shovel, and horse and cart.
The Cricket Pavilion block was built - originally constructed to include the gymnasium, workshops, laboratory, Five courts and Grub Shop.
Malvern cricket inspired a schoolboy story from P.G.Wodehouse, 'Mike at Wrykyn'.
Final widening of the First Team Cricket Pitch
1903
County-level cricket festivals are held at Malvern College
Malvern College Cricket Festival is established, with matches played across Malvern College, Abberley Hall and The Downs Malvern
1991
2022
2024
Festivals continue across Malvern College and The Downs Malvern, with Colwall Cricket Club also hosting some fixtures.
England Player Alumni
R.E. Foster
G.H. Simpson-Hayward
D.J. Knight
F.T. Mann
G.B. Legge
E.R.T. Holmes
R.W. Tolchard
The only ever dual international player, representing England in Cricket and Football. In 1985 he entered the record books with 287 innings for England against Australia. At the time this was the highest individual score ever by a debutant and the highest by an Englishman in Australia.
