Cricket was the first sport ever played at Framlingham College. Our pupils have had the privilege of playing cricket in the shadow of the castle since the opening of the College in 1865, when a team of Masters and Boys took on a Town and Neighbourhood XI. From those humble beginnings, the College never looked back and has pursued a progressive and ambitious cricket programme ever since.
Within the first few decades, the College had its own cricket professional and had invested in new wooden sightscreens to replace the “dingy canvas sheets”. Exactly a century ago, the Reverend Rupert Kneese took the bold steps to establish the Quilibets Cricket Club with a view to providing pupils with an opportunity to play against local village sides in the company of Masters, Old Boys and friends of the school, a move that was praised by the 1934 Cricketer Magazine.
Some old traditions remain very much alive with the 1st XI still wearing the hooped caps that appeared in an issue of the Boy’s Own Paper in 1919. In other ways Framlingham College has been leading the way, with girls’ cricket thriving since the 1980s.
Director of Sport, Chris Gange
Sport plays a key role in the broader education of our pupils, and cricket, with its unique challenges and rewards, offers lessons that extend far beyond the boundary. It is a game that teaches:
Every match presents new situations to navigate, reinforcing the importance of both individual skill and collective effort. Learning to manage success and setbacks alike is a crucial part of the experience, and it is always rewarding to see young players develop their understanding of the game’s complexities while forging friendships and memories along the way.
Framlingham College delivers exceptional provision regardless of age or ability, instilling a passion for the game, which inspires pupils and coaches. This ultimately leads to high performance and pupils pursuing the sport beyond the College, whether at club, university or elite level.
Whether cricket is a core priority or just a fun way to keep fit and socially active, we help every child create their own cricketing story.
A Brief History of Cricket at Framlingham
We are rightly extremely proud of our long cricketing heritage at Framlingham College going back to 1865, with many pupils going on to play for county cricket, such as David Larter (England & Northants C.C.C.), Ashley Cowan (Essex C.C.C.), Rob Newton (Northants C.C.C.) and Freddie Heldreich (Northants C.C.C.), as well as Hollie DringRichardson (Essex C.C.C.) and Sophie Singer (Kent C.C.C.).
There has also been a longstanding tradition of high calibre cricketers on the 1st XI coaching staff. The early impetus for this was provided by Headmaster, Rev Dr O.D. Inskip, who in 1883 appointed the College’s first ever professional coach, Harry Upton of Surrey C.C.C. This progress was sustained by Inskips successor, F.W. Stocks (1913-29), who had been an Oxford Blue and played county cricket for Leicestershire.
Other leading lights in the cricketing world included Phil Mead (England & Hampshire C.C.C.), O.F. sporting legend Norman Borrett (Essex C.C.C., 1937-46), Stuart Westley (Gloucestershire C.C.C., 1968-76), Peter Hayes (Cambridge University, 1974-77), and Suffolk’s finest ever bowler and cricket professional, Colin Rutterford. Colin also transformed the Back into one of the finest grounds in East Anglia. Coaches of note over the years have included Nick Peters, who opened the bowling for Surrey (1998-9) and former Yorkshire (1981-93), Sussex (1994-98) and England international, Paul Jarvis.
Paul Taylor, Headmaster between 2009-2019 was well-known on the first-class cricket circuit. On our current staff, Director of Sport Chris Gange played Somerset C.C.C. 2 XI, 1st XI Girl’s coach Robert Earl played for Warwickshire C.C.C., whilst Andy Northcote played indoor cricket for South Africa as well as for Western Province and internationally for Italy. Andy also holds a Guinness World Record for the longest cricket net by a male cricketer, clocking an impressive, continuous, 50 hours and 14 minutes.
DavidLarter
AshleyCowan
RobNewton
FreddieHeldreich
HollieDring-Richardson
KEY MILESTONES AT FRAMLINGHAM COLLEGE
• 1865 The College plays its first ever fixture against a Town and Neighbourhood cricket XI.
• 1883 Harry Upton of Surrey becomes the College’s first cricket professional.
• 1883 George T Heigham is the first boy to score a century for the College. He racks up 197 versus Woodbridge Grammar School.
• 1895 Herbert Jones aged 16 scores 218 not out against Woodbridge. The record for the biggest individual score on The Back stands to this day.
• 1895 New wooden sightscreens replace the “dingy canvas sheets” for cricket.
• 1925 The Reverand Rupert Kneese establishes the Quilibets Cricket Club
• 1936 The College’s terrifying bowling machine, already twenty-eight years old when anonymously donated in 1936, was said to catapult a ball at great speed and frequently leapt alarmingly in the air with each delivery.
• 1937 Phil Mead, England cricket international, scorer of 55,000 first class runs and College cricket professional, becomes a regular for the Quilibets.
• 1957 New cricket pavilion opened by the Duke of Norfolk.
• 1989 Girls play their first cricket match.
• 1996 Matthew Truman sets a new school record of 1,161 runs in a season, at an average of 72.56 – more than any other schoolboy cricketer that year.
• 1997 Ashley Cowan (OF) is selected to tour the West Indies with the England cricket team.
• 2007 Robert Newton becomes the first schoolboy to score a double century against the MCC with 207 not out.
SophieSinger
Cricket at Framlingham Today
In light of its relatively small size, the number of teams the College fields is really quite remarkable. The number of fixtures for both boys’ and girls’ cricket throughout the age ranges are at an all-time high. All pupils are encouraged to participate and develop a lifelong love of the game, while extra opportunities for ‘stretch & challenge’ are made available for those with still more serious ambitions in the sport. Pupils are exposed to a wide variety of formats: from 11-a-side House matches in coloured clothing, 100 ball cricket, declaration and 50 over cricket.
We enjoy the benefits of a formal partnership with Northamptonshire CCC, which allows us access to fixtures with one another, the sharing of facilities and opportunities for College pupils to train with Northamptonshire CCC. We also have official links with MCC Universities, Essex CCC, Somerset CCC, Worcestershire CCC and Suffolk CCC, whilst hosting an MCC Foundation Hub Programme for local sports clubs and state schools (U11-U16) for both boys and girls.
The continued development of the College fixture list, which now includes the new East of England Independent Cricket League (Eagles Nest inc. The Leys, RHS, Brentwood, Ipswich, and Felsted) across all teams and levels, is another exciting initiative. This allows players at a variety of stages to be seen by a number of county coaches plus have the chance to play an end of season fixture in a league invitational XI against an Essex CCC age group / academy side.
Our aim is to extend our commitment to cricket beyond the Summer Term, as we look to host fixtures in September and October, and create a mini season for those top end cricketers in the first month of the Autumn Term for continued cricket development.
“This is all indicative of the fact that the College cricket programme really is working across all our age groups. Every pupil has access to at least one cricket session / week during the off season, whilst across the Prep and Senior we run over 30 teams during the Summer Term.
- CHRIS GANGE, DIRECTOR OF SPORT
Future Proof Cricket at Framlingham
Maintaining our position at the forefront of schools’ cricket in the region will only happen if we are able to attract high class coaches, recruit pupils with an ambition in the sport and crucially maintain a high standard of cricketing facilities.
As part of our efforts to modernise our cricketing programme at Framlingham, we are launching a new initiative aimed at raising £150,000 to support, as a priority, the redevelopment of our outdoor nets at both the Prep and the Senior Schools, whilst also funding a new pavilion at the Prep School.
FRAMLINGHAM COLLEGE
The proposed cricket facility will be strategically located near the existing cricket nets and will feature a high-quality, 40m x 30m cricket surface. The dynamic base structure design will enable bowlers to utilise full-length run-ups and wear spikes, ensuring a realistic and professional training environment.
The surface will be equipped with six retractable lanes, allowing the area to function as a single open space for multisport training or be configured into a maximum of six individual lanes. This adaptable design will provide exceptional flexibility, supporting a wide range of training activities, including advanced fielding drills, square-style cricket practice as well as training for additional sports.
This whole system can be taken down and stored across the winter period or at any time to suit the school. At the end of the season, we can ensure the middle nets are set into their boxes, leaving the two outer nets along with the back nets in place, to create a U shape of netting so the artificial area could be used for recreational activities/hockey drills etc.
The area will be fully integrated with a power supply, facilitating the year-round operation of equipment such as bowling machines. This design aims to enhance the overall quality of the cricket training programme.
FRAMLINGHAM COLLEGE PREP SCHOOL
There has been a requirement, for a few years now, to renovate our pavilion at the Prep School. Having researched various options, we have received a design which we believe will provide pupils and parents with a wonderful space to entertain whilst hosting visiting schools/teams.
The structure of the pavilion will consist of a 6m x 2m treated timber wall framing alongside:
• Timber painted front balustrade or black metal estate fence
• Galvanised guttering and down pipe
• Oak topped low walls
• Open fronted slatted bench seating around the entire interior walls
Here at the Prep School, we are hugely excited by the prospect of a new Pavilion - a dedicated space to host players and families for our rugby and cricket matches. We have a wonderful design in place, generously provided by Mr Wray of Suffolk Hut Makers .
- SIMON ROCHE, HEADMASTER, FRAMLINGHAM COLLEGE PREP SCHOOL
SOCIAL AND FINANCIAL RETURNS ON INVESTMENT
There are a number of ways in which those interested in investing in our cricketing facilities can support the College. This can be done either by setting up a smaller regular gift, donating a one-off gift or by making a significant donation in exchange for recognition through naming rights of various facilities.
Outlined below are the various naming rights opportunities available, with further information on tax efficient philanthropy at the back of this brochure.
NAMING RIGHTS
• Framlingham Senior School: Pavilion - £50,000 for ten years or £100,000 for the lifetime of the facility
• Framlingham Senior School: Cricket Nets - £10,000 / net (6 nets) for the lifetime of the facility
• Framlingham Prep School: Pavilion - £25,000 for the lifetime of the facility
Every donation and every pledge, no matter the amount, will make a difference.
The Cycling Centurians Fundraiser
PLAY YOUR ROLE AND ‘GO INTO BAT’ TO SUPPORT THE FUTURE OF FRAMLINGHAM CRICKET
THE EVENT
The College will be organising a fundraising event ‘The Cycling Centurians’ enabling pupils, parents, staff and OFs to contribute either financially or as a volunteer. The ride will include two groups of cyclists who will finish together at the College on Sunday 7th September 2025, ideally during the tea interval of a fixture being played on The Back between a Framlingham College XI v Quilibets C.C.
• Group 1: Circa 20 people (6th Form pupils only, parents, staff and OFs) will cycle 100 miles from Lord’s Cricket Ground to Framlingham College. They would aim to finish at a similar time to...
• Group 2: Circa 80 people (pupils from Year 8-13, parents, staff and OFs) who would cycle circa 50 miles on a circular route starting / finishing at Framlingham College.
FUNDRAISING
The fundraising will consist of four key aspects, although we may look to organise smaller additional events if required to raise further funds:
• Cyclists Fundraising: Cyclists commit to raising a minimum of £1000 (Lords Century Group) or £500 (Framlingham Half-Century Group)
• Buy a Plaque: Each person who raises or donates £500 will have a plaque with their name installed in the new pavilion at Framlingham College Prep School.
• Naming Rights: Naming rights will be offered for pavilions on both campuses as well as each individual outdoor net at the Senior School.
• To help raise funds for this project, Simon Roche will be running 100 miles in 24 hours - from Lord’s, St John’s Wood to Framlingham College. He then hopes to bowl a delivery during the Framlingham College XI v Quilibets C.C game taking place on The Back, so he can say ‘I am coming off the long run’.
CYCLISTS
If you would like to take part either as a cyclist (either group) or volunteer (support vehicles, food and drink stations) then please do let me know by emailing acook@framlinghamcollege.co.uk.
“We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.”
— SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL
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(Please make cheques payable to Albert Memorial College and write Cricket Legacy on reverse).
Please return this form to: Andrew Cook, Framlingham Foundation, Framlingham College, College Road, Framlingham, Suffolk, IP13 9EY
In addition to the Foundation receiving an additional 25p in the £1 from UK taxpayers via Gift Aid, donors are eligible for income tax relief as outlined below (based on 40% tax rate).
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£1,000
David Larter (Rendlesham 1951-1957)
The following is taken from Richard Sayers’ biography “David Larter, Bowling Fast: The Highs and Lows”:
During his time at Framlingham College, Larter was known for his spectacular bowling. In his final year, at the age of 17, Larter took 52 wickets at an average of just 9.5 runs each.
In 1957, having left his school career behind him, Larter played for Suffolk in the Minor Counties Championship, taking 14 wickets in four matches at 20.35 runs apiece. His exploits caught the eye of Northamptonshire, where he made his first-class debut in 1960.
Larter then went on to represent England in ten Tests and take part in two Ashes Tours between 1962 and 1965. His statistics over the six-year period of his first-class career were highly impressive, claiming 666 first-class wickets at an average of 19.53.
