All about cricket?

12th July 2019

Thank you to all staff, children and parents for all your efforts this week – the first week of the new school year!.

It’s always that little bit more interesting when we have our new year 7s in. On the whole they have been very good and have managed themselves well around the school building. We know that there are some pinch points during the day, as all children get used to their new timetables and movement but, as always, we’ll get there!

We only have one more week to go before the well earned summer break. We will make sure that next week is as positive as possible and that all of the children and the staff can leave the school with a smile on their faces next Friday afternoon.

I haven’t mentioned sport that much recently (have I?). I cannot let this weekend go by without mention of the England cricket team. I will be like many of you I hope, watching the game on Sunday. I am excited that the game will be on terrestrial television.

As I discussed a couple of weeks ago, the exposure of a sport on national television can have a significant impact upon how that sport is perceived. For far too long cricket has been shown only on pay per view or through subscription. This must be affecting the perception of the game in the wider community. As we have seen with the women’s World Cup, mass exposure does create a very different feel about sport in general or a specific sport that’s in the limelight. I hope that England do fantastically well on Sunday and bring that trophy home but of equal importance to me is the exposure the game will receive.

We have a strong cricketing tradition here at Oakwood but far too many of our children don’t get the opportunity to see the great game. Across the country, I hope there will be many people watching cricket and watching the World Cup final on Sunday. Hopefully cheering England on and, more importantly, having access to a game that is so important to the national identity.

‘No cricket team in the world depends on one or two players. The team always plays to win.’ Virat Kohli

‘You can cut the tension with a cricket stump.’ Murray Walker

One more week to go!