Cricket at the OPS
| Pre-Season Training Selection Policy / Games Lessons Fixtures |
Pre-Season Training
Cricket is the main boys sport during the summer term here at the OPS, although throughout the winter many OPS pupils have been involved in cricket training of one sort or another. Whether involved in winter net sessions during activity sessions, pre-season training for the 1st XI, training at the Oratory Cricket Academy run by the Oratory senior school during the Lent term, local club sides or county/district trials and practices… for some the cricket season never seems to end!
Before the term even starts many boys sign up for the Easter cricket course; this year’s (2008) course saw boys from Year 2 all the way up to Year 8 prepare for the forthcoming season, a purposeful yet enjoyable refresher course for some and an exciting and important introduction to cricket for any who are new to the game.
Selection Policy / Games Lessons
Whilst coaches ensure during practice sessions that all boys get an equal opportunity to develop all aspects of their game and work in a safe environment to gain confidence, the nature of cricket means that this is not always the case during matches. Not every one of the XI will bowl in one game, perhaps some of the XI will not bat… this is an aspect of the game which needs parental support and understanding; the number 11 who wasn’t required one afternoon may suddenly be called on to hit the winning runs the following day!
Two teams (A/B) per year group play competitive fixtures against other schools and, although numbers for matches are fixed, rotation between teams ensures competition for places and rotation in the B squads for the U9, U10 and U11 year groups ensures that as many boys as possible have an opportunity to represent the school competitively during the season.
Fixtures
During the summer term, Year 3 (U8s) play a couple of matches competitively against other schools using a soft ball (wind ball), giving additional confidence and negating the need for cumbersome padding. Their short summer fixture list culminates in the traditional house matches when all the boys in Year 3 show off their new-found skills in front of a large friendly crowd of spectators, parents, relatives and older siblings.
From Year 4 all matches are played with a cricket ball and a busy calendar of fixtures for all age groups ensures as many boys as possible get an opportunity to represent the school. With block fixtures against St. Andrew’s, Lambrook Haileybury, Aldro, Cheam, Crosfields, St. John’s Beaumont, Farleigh, Moulsford, Ridgeway/Claires Court, Dragon, Winchester House, Papplewick and Prior Park, the 2008 season is very busy!
All year groups also compete against one another in the house matches. This is a further opportunity for all boys to participate in a competitive environment; parents are of course welcome to attend on these fiercely competitive afternoons as well as school fixtures!
Beyond the conventional school fixture list we host our annual Colts 6-a-side tournament. The 1st XI have started to compete in the national JET competition and hope to improve on their quarter-final position in 2007. This year U11, U12 and U13 OPS sides will also be competing in the Berkshire knockout cups.
