One of cricket’s greatest ever players paid a special, and impromptu, visit to Bedford School today (Tuesday), sharing stories from his remarkable career and urging young players to believe in themselves.
Sir Vivian Richards, the West Indies icon widely regarded as one of the finest batters the game has ever seen, spent the day at the school, speaking to pupils, staff and invited guests, including representatives from six local cricket clubs, the Bedford Afro Caribbean Society and the Bedford School Afro Caribbean Society.
During his visit, Sir Viv spoke about his career, the modern game and the importance of sport in schools, before taking questions from pupils and guests.
Cricket pathway
Ian McGowan, Bedford School’s director of sport, said the visit was a coup for the school, which prides itself on the strength of its cricket programme, giving pupils opportunities to train year-round and compete at a high level.
“They have the opportunity to train throughout the winter, which is unique,” he said. “We have three full-time professional staff on the books here, and they work with the boys in small group or team squad sessions or indeed on a one-to-one or two-to-one basis.
“So the boys have got brilliant provision here. During the summer, which is just around the corner, they get the chance to play on the wonderful pitches here at Bedford School and play a really competitive circuit in the east of the country.”
He added that the school’s cricket story is not just about England internationals such as former captain Sir Alastair Cook, but about supporting pupils from a range of backgrounds and nationalities.
“It’s very much an international feel here at the school, but community-based,” he said.
“That’s why it was so lovely today to invite our colleagues at the Afro-Caribbean Society of Bedford to come in and share in this experience with Sir Vivian, and also the local cricket clubs. We want Bedford School to be part of the community.
Sir Viv himself was pleased to talk to the Bedford Independent about the school’s cricketing history, including the fact that England’s second-highest run scorer, Alastair Cook, first found his talent for the game there.
“It’s so great to see there’s a huge picture of him [Sir Alastair Cook] on the wall. This particular room is dedicated to him as well. I think that’s a great achievement for a choir boy,” he joked.
Confidence is key
Among the pupils most excited to meet Sir Viv was Zarell Harding, a promising fast bowler from Barbados who now studies at Bedford School.
“It’s amazing that I get to meet him because he was my hero since I was growing up,” he said. “I was watching how brave he was to bat without a helmet, that’s crazy. To meet him face to face now is brilliant.”
Asked what he would take away from the day, Harding said one message stood out above all others.
“He said a lot of inspiring stuff,” he said. “One thing that stood out to me is that he said confidence. Not to be overly cocky, but have that confidence. Like, [tell myself] ‘I am good’.”
Harding, who said his grandfather first introduced him to cricket back in Barbados, was singled out by McGowan as one of several pupils with real promise.
“There’s a boy in our first XI at the moment called Zarell Harding,” he said. “We’ve got really big hopes for Zarell. He’s a brilliant lad, trains very, very hard and can bowl the ball quickly. In any sport, whenever you can do things at pace, you’ve got a bright future.”
Modern cricket
Sir Viv also offered his view on the modern game, saying cricket remains in a good place and that T20 had helped keep the sport vibrant.
“I think it is in a good place,” he told the Bedford Independent. “At one point, maybe the low attendance that you would have had at Test match level. Ever since the invention of T20 cricket, it has certainly put a few more bums on seats.
“It’s an exciting format. It’s a format that meets the modern-day individual, and T20 has helped to keep the longer version of the game alive.”
Closing the visit, Sir Viv praised the school and the pupils he had met during the day.
“I’m highly impressed with what I was seeing here at your school,” he said. “Some of the questions asked by the young fellows today were so special, and I can see why you guys are here at this particular institution.”
For Ian McGowan, those words seemed to sum up the visit.
“This was a rare chance for young cricketers to meet one of the sport’s most famous names. It gives us a chance to allow the boys to see up close and personal what a sporting legend looks like, how he conducts himself,” he said. “That’s really important for our boys.
“We wanted, if we could, to give boys the opportunity to meet someone they could aspire to be like, and he’s come here today, and I think he’s really inspired the next generation of young cricketers in Bedford.
“Being a cricketer at Bedford School is cool, and there’s no one cooler on the planet from a cricketing perspective than Sir Vivian,” he added.
