Students in the U13s, U15s, and U19s were given an insight into the cricketing skills of batting, bowling and fielding. They were also coached in the mental skills required by the game by cricketers who now play for the Lashings World XI, the village cricket team with a galaxy of world stars. The School of Excellence was developed last year under the guidance of Peter Such after he successfully set up Essex County Cricket Club Academy.

Tom Newman, Master in Charge of Cricket at Malvern College next season, said: “It is a great privilege for the boys and girls at Malvern College to be coached by cricketing legends like Henry Olonga of Zimbabwe and Peter Such of England. They will gain a huge amount from the experience and it will inspire them all for the rest of the season.
“We open our new Indoor Cricket School in September 2009 and this will be run in conjunction with Worcester CCC. I am sure that events like today’s coaching course and the development of top class facilities will enhance cricket at Malvern and contribute to our reputation as a centre of educational and sporting excellence.”
The Lashings School of Excellence coaching programme was piloted last year and will visit around seven schools this summer, reaching many more over the next few years as the demand grows. The School of Excellence believes that the bedrock of any cricket club is its young players and their development is central to ensuring the long-term future of the game.
Peter Such, coach and director of the Lashings School of Excellence, said: “The future of the sport is in the hands of young players, so we thought it would be a great idea to bring this array of major players from the past and present into schools to pass on their golden knowledge. We hope to motivate young people to take up cricket or to develop their cricketing skills and set them on the road to achieving their ambitions within the game.”

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