Staff Spotlight – Head of Cricket, Mr Rikki Clarke

An interview with RIKKI CLARKE

In September 2021, King Edward’s appointed ex-professional Surrey and England cricketer Mr Rikki Clarke as the new Head of Cricket.

As the standard of sport continues to flourish at the School, Mr Clarke is responsible for expanding the opportunities for our current pupils as well as the wider School community.

Mr Clarke has had an extensive cricket career. He started with Surrey Youth Cricket at the age of 9 and matured into a respected and well-liked Surrey all-rounder. He won two Test and 20 ODI caps for England, all before the age of 25. Mr Clarke won three Championship titles in his county career including titles in 2002 and 2019 with Surrey and in 2012 with Warwickshire.

Mr Clarke spoke to the School about his move from playing cricket to teaching.

“I had a lot of support throughout my time as a professional player. At Surrey County, my team were fantastic. We sat down regularly and created a roadmap of where I wanted to be in the future. For me, wanting to teach was always there. I wanted to be part of a comforting and rewarding environment, and to keep the legacy of cricket strong. Working in a co-educational School like King Edward’s will help to maintain the strength of the sport for both boys and girls, and to provide multiple opportunities for growth no matter the skill level.”

Mrs Joanna Wright, Head, said, ‘The appointment of Mr Clarke is a wonderful opportunity for our School, and for our boys and girls to be taught by someone they consider a role model.’

It seems that Mr Clarke is unable to quell his passion for cricket; in addition to his role as Head of Cricket, he also runs ‘Rikki Clarke Cricket Academy’ which helps provide a springboard for aspiring cricketers across the Southeast. The academy is based at King Edward’s and children between the ages of 10-16, and all abilities, are welcome to register.