Cricketer Cup History

Origins & Development

The Cricketer Cup was conceived over a glass or two of port by AS (Tony) Winlaw and Henry Lewis during a game between I Zingari and South Wales Hunt in 1966.

On their return to London they met Ben Brocklehurst, owner of The Cricketer, in the bar of the Bath Club and after a few more drinks the idea of the competition was born.

Ben Brocklehurst and EW (Jim) Swanton, editor of The Cricketer, supported the idea of providing a public school alumni cricket competition equivalent to the Halford Hewitt competition in golf and the Arthur Dunn Cup in football.

The first competition took place in 1967, based on 55 overs per side (12 overs max per bowler).

Modern Era

In 2003 The Cricketer was bought by Wisden and the parent company made it clear that it would no longer support the competition. The participating schools therefore took control of their own destiny, forming their own committee of Joe Ullman (Charterhouse Friars) and Frank Russell (Repton Pilgrims) as joint secretaries and David Walsh (Marlborough Blues) as treasurer and EW Swanton (Old Cranleighans) as President.

Following the first Annual General Meeting of the competition, held at the Winchester House Club on 21st October 2004, the games were reduced to 50 overs per side (10 overs max per bowler).