Students from Archbishop Tenison’s School this week enjoyed a cricket session on the hallowed turf of The Kia Oval outfield.
The school is a familiar site to cricket fans around the world, situated just on the other side of the road from the ground, its top floors allowing for a perfect raised view at all times. On a few occasions Archbishop Tenison’s (ABTS) has had even closer interactions with games, most memorably in the 2009 ICC World T20, when Chris Gayle and David Warner both landed giant sixes in the playground.
With cricket introduced as a summer sport this year, teachers got in touch with the club and an hour-long session was arranged this week, the students filing onto the field shortly after Surrey had finished training on Tuesday afternoon (May 25th).
Using a combination of hard and soft balls, the children – who had been learning the game in school during the start of the summer term – capped off their introduction to the sport by running, catching and throwing in one of the game’s most iconic locations.
The session was an extension of an ongoing relationship between the Club and the school that, pre Covid-19, included a Toast Club funded by Surrey CCC and the school enjoying regular use of the Ken Barrington Cricket Centre. The ground will also host a conference for ABTS staff next week.