Cricket masterclass

Former England opening batsman Mal Loye held a cricket master class at The Leys, giving the benefit of his expertise to the school’s most promising players.

Mal found fame during England’s tour of Australia in 2007, when he replaced the injured Michael Vaughan and made his mark by scoring 36 runs from 36 balls. He focused on playing spin bowling, in particular the sweep shot. After watching a short video, the class put theory into practice in the sports hall and in the cricket nets. The coaching clinic was rounded off with a question-and-answer session.

The nine boys who attended were the school’s top-order batters from the first team, boys from The Leys sports academy and the school’s spin bowlers. The coaching staff was also present, in readiness for the start of the cricket season.

Andrew Gale (U6) said: “It was an honour to spend an evening with a cricketer of his standard.”

Richard Kaufman, head of cricket, said: “It was great to have someone of international experience come into the classroom where the boys could pick his brains.”