Cricketers from Highbury Grove School are off to Lord’s Cricket Ground for the Middlesex County Finals for the first time in the school’s history.
The competition on Tuesday will pit the under-13 team against eight other schools, many of which are from outside London.
Brendan Moore, Head of Cricket at the school on Highbury Grove, said: “It is unusual for an inner London school to reach a final like this. We were up against some schools from outer London boroughs, and they usually have a lot more of an advantage as they have better facilities and more people to choose from.
“The boys are very excited and they’re quite confident. They’re aware that we have never been that far before. They really want to win.”
The players are hoping to build on their success at the beginning of this month, when pupils from the school made up eight of the nine players in the Islington Youth Games Cricket Team. The team was the first inner London team to make it to the Youth Games finals on March 11 at Lord’s in 15 years, and picked up the medal for 3rd place after being pipped to the post by Redbridge in the semi-final.
In May last year, Highbury Grove School opened a cricket academy at the school in partnership with Chance to Shine Cricket and Capital Kids Cricket, two charities that aim to promote cricket in inner London state schools. The academy is for pupils of all ages in the school. Next year, Highbury Grove hopes also to open up the academy to primary school pupils in the area.
Mr Moore said of the pupils: “They’re getting in lots of cricket, all year round, and really improving their game.”
