Cricket stars inspire students at St Swithun’s

Southern Vipers cricketing stars Nancy Harman and Alice Monaghan recently paid a visit to St Swithun’s School in Winchester to inspire the next generation of cricketers.

The pair helped the school celebrate its inclusion in The Cricketer Magazine’s Schools Guide as one of the top 20 all-girls cricketing schools in the country.

Cricket is increasingly becoming a key part of the summer months at St Swithun’s with the under-15 team reaching the national indoor finals at Lord’s last summer. Plans are underway to build another artificial pitch alongside nets on the front fields next year to continue this momentum.

Alice and Nancy joined pupils in both the senior and prep schools for indoor cricket training sessions before enjoying a Q&A session with senior pupils. The discussion included how it feels to play in The Hundred, being resilient when things aren’t going your way and tips for professional cricketing success.

Nancy said: “It was a really fun afternoon. We were really impressed with both the cricketing talent the girls displayed and the passion they clearly have for the game. I introduced a few of the pupils to the delights of leg-spin bowling so who knows, we might have some future international stars on our hands.”

St Swithun’s Head of cricket Sara Heffernan said: “It was a hugely inspirational day for the girls. The opportunity to get some practical tips on their games was invaluable alongside the chance to hear about how Alice and Nancy got into cricket and their journey towards becoming professional players.

“Next summer, parents and visitors will see cricket everywhere as soon as they enter the schools grounds. It will be a stunning sight.”