OC PROFILE Anthony Wreford (L70)
The man that ran Lord’s In the wake of a phenomenal year for English cricket, former President of the MCC Anthony Wreford (L70) speaks to Director of Cricket Martin Bicknell about his days at the School, his remarkable career, and the exciting future of the sport MB: What do you remember about Charterhouse? AW: In my first year I captained the U15s and I also bowled a little bit. One night in the nets, Doug (Wright, Charterhouse Cricket Coach)
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challenged me to the ‘old handkerchief’ – I had to hit the handkerchief nine times out of twelve times before I was allowed to go back to the House! I remember Headmaster Oliver van Oss (BH65–73) came out. I was standing there while they argued about what was best for me – more cricket or going back to the House! Unsurprisingly, the Headmaster won. But Doug was a huge influence. I was an average bat and he turned me into an OK bowler. I played two and a half years in the 1st XI. We played many of the same schools. Harrow was a two-day game. But we never played Tonbridge, which is ironic as they are now huge rivals. MB: Why did you stop playing? AW: Cricket was always my love, as it had been my father’s and grandfather’s, but I went to Oxford and got smashed on the head (no helmets then!).
I spent eight hours unconscious in the infirmary – so no more cricket that summer. A few months after that I passed out driving on the M1 as I had delayed concussion. I just woke up in a hospital in Nottingham! So I missed a year’s cricket and then I just played for the Old Carthusians on tour, which is always great fun. I still wanted to keep involved in the sport though, so I kept my hand in on the admin side. One committee led to another until in the mid 90s I found myself invited to join the membership and general purposes committee of the MCC. MB: As part of the MCC you’re widely credited with the movement to introduce women to the club; why did you want to drive this? AW: The reason I did it was my mother. If she hadn’t driven me around in the school holidays and helped… well, she
