Cricket
June 2015Eton & Harrow Match
One of the longest running sporting fixtures in the world, this annual cricket match between England’s two prestigious public schools, Eton College and Harrow School, dates back to 1806, becoming an annual event in 1822.
Cricket was played in the English public schools from as early as 1726, and it was the boys themselves who organised an inter-school match at Lord’s Old Ground in 1806 (when Lord Byron represented Harrow). The match was a showcase for precocious cricketing talent, and many of the players went on to achieve cricketing fame.
In the 19th and early 20th century the Eton & Harrow Match was firmly rooted in the traditional season. It was a perennially popular event, attended by old boys, school friends, mothers, sisters and other prominent members of London society. The game made national newspaper headlines. It is still proving to be a popular day out, attracting larger crowds than many county matches.
