Shrewsbury Cricket Celebrates a Record-Breaking Season

As we come to the end of the county cricket season, here is an update of our boys’ cricket teams recent successes.

Cricket at Shrewsbury has a long and illustrious history, but those who represented the school in 2026 have a legitimate claim to have been a part of our most successful season ever.  The 1st XI and U15 boys teams both reached the finals of their respective competitions for the first time in our history, with the U15s emerging victorious as ESCA One Day Cup champions.  Our cricketers have now reached six national finals in the last six years, with four national titles being brought back to Shrewsbury as a result.

The 1st XI boys recorded more victories than any other school in the country, and in doing so broke their all-time highest-score records in all 3 formats of the game, while Harrison V was the leading wicket-taker in school’s cricket. Our U14 boys were crowned as County Champions, while our U15s won the Shropshire T20 title and reached the Midlands T20 final. 1st XI boys captain Freddie O had earlier guided Ireland to the Super 6 stage of the ICC U19 World Cup in Zimbabwe in January and February.

Following the conclusion of the term, the 1st XI boys travelled to Eton College to compete against two of the strongest school teams in the country (hosts Eton, along with Stowe), as well as Australian opposition in the form of Canberra’s ACT champions Radford College for the much-coveted Silk Trophy.

The Salopians displayed huge courage in the face of significant adversity in all three games, and despite a batting collapse in the winner-takes-all clash against Eton, produced an outstanding bowling and fielding display to win by 31 runs to complete a clean sweep of three victories in three days, and claimed the prestigious trophy with a 100% record for a second-year running.

Two days after their Silk Trophy triumph, they travelled to the beautiful Wormsley cricket ground on Sir John Paul Getty's estate to contest the National Schools U18 T20 Cup title.  Their thrilling run to the final saw a stunning victory over defending champions Rugby, as well as nail-biting finishes against Uppingham and Scarborough.  Despite a valiant effort, they were defeated by a King's Taunton side who featured Somerset 1st XI star and England U19 captain Thomas Rew, and have been labelled by many as the best English school cricket team in living memory.  Liam G finished as the leading run scorer in the competition, and the achievement of finishing as runners-up in the premier U18 school cricket competition is one that our players should take huge satisfaction from.

Just 4 days after events at Wormsley, our U15 boys took part in their own national final, against a Merchant Taylor's side brimming with talent from their partners Middlesex CCC.  Having restricted their opponents to 201 from 40 overs, Oscar H’s 71 saw Shrewsbury to the brink of victory. However, a spirited fightback from Merchant Taylor's left the score at 200-9 with 3 balls remaining.  Third Former Bruno D then lofted the ball down the ground, scampering the 2 required for victory with his partner Connor H to the jubilation of the players, coaches, and many Salopian supporters in attendance.  Captain J lifted the trophy shortly after, and in doing so confirmed that our U15 Boys were crowned as national champions.

This means that our U15 and U18 boys were both ranked in the top 2 nationally, and the ESCA U15 One Day Cup was added to the 3 other titles claimed earlier in the season, bringing to an end a stellar 12 weeks of cricket for our pupils.

Gurjeevan A was later selected to represent the Midlands at the Bunbury Festival, while Oscar H and Bryan M also featured in the selection process.  We are immeasurably proud of their achievements.

Cricket Professional Adam Shantry said:

"It has been wonderful to spend the summer reflecting on a season that contained so many team and individual highlights. While we always seek to prioritise effort and enjoyment over attainment, this year's achievements have been a natural and welcome by-product of the enormous amount of work our pupils have put in throughout the year.

“To reach six national finals in as many years, and to win four of them speaks volumes about the qualities our pupils exhibit every day. We are incredibly proud of every one of them."