Back where it all started. And the importance of a hub for local cricket.

This week, I visited† the Ilford Cricket School, for the first time since I left school in 1980.

Where I, and countless numbers of local school children, have been introduced to the game since the facility opened more than 70 years ago.

The telephone number on the board by the front door has not updated since the “Big Number Change” in 2000, and some of the decor inside is possibly of the same vintage…

But it’s an indoor facility where otherwise there was none back then.

Where State schools and local clubs got to practice.

It demonstrates perfectly, for me, the importance of a local hub, no matter how humble, in promoting and supporting the game.

Would the London Borough of Redbridge be host to 7 Essex “Premier” clubs, each running three or more Saturday XIs and numerous junior sides, if the Cricket School had never found a home in Ilford?

I rather doubt it.

In the beginning

This is where I was first introduced to the game, back in 1973, when my local (State) Primary school decided to send some of us for coaching with Bill Morris.

And where, for the next 7 years, I learnt to play and to love the game, under the tutelage of Bill and his assistants, starting with John Lever (Ilford CC, Essex CCC & England) and then Stuart Turner (Buckhurst Hill CC & Essex).

At the time, I did not know anything of the status or history of the School, although the presence of Essex professionals on the coaching team, and the portrait of Trevor Bailey hanging in the office, suggested strong links with the County.

The facilities already felt tired back in the late 1970s, but they allowed club and school players to practice over the winter months, at a time when such facilities were rare indeed.

So many clubs, so many players.

I am certain that there is a story to be told about the School, and the vital role it has played in the development of the game of cricket in Redbridge, and the wider East London and Met Essex region.

Founded by Trevor Bailey and others in 1957 as the main training facility for Essex CCC before they moved to Chelmsford, the Cricket School has played a part in the development of so many County players — the Cricket School website lists Graham Gooch, John Lever, Robin Hobbs, Keith Fletcher, Nasser Hussain, Ian Pont, David East, Robert Rollins, Adrian Rollins, Ravi Bopara, Varun Chopra, James Foster — but I believe that the contribution made to the vibrant local cricket culture is possibly even more significant.

Back to the beginning

I had been reminded of the Cricket School by an email conversation with an Essex follower from “rural” Essex about the origins of the County sides over the years.

And a quick look on the website was enough to persuade me to book a few sessions through January. I’ve not been able to coach for a few months due to family commitments, and I was feeling the need to exercise. Maybe as pre-season preparation for another year with Essex Seniors, or to keep the arm limber ahead of coaching assignments in the summer.

† 20 minutes bowling — still can’t reliably turn an off break, but the arm ball was shaping quite nicely; 10 minutes with the sidearms; another 20 minutes bowling. Back for another 3 weeks.