…so despite all the rain and frustrations associated with Irish cricket in the past few days there was plenty to celebrate for everyone connected with cricket at Regent House Grammar School in Newtownards. And in particular, former head of the PE Department Murray Lee, who retired a few years ago.
Murray played senior cricket with Downpatrick before he took over the reigns at Regent House, and although his rugby ambitions may have been higher than cricket in his early days, it soon became obvious that his focus was just as strong in the summer sport. Murray’s sporting pedigree was solid, but he had a tough act to follow as the previous incumbent at Regent was former Cregagh CC and Ireland opening batsman Charlie Corry, while of course, a previous headmaster was Ireland cricket and hockey legend James Macdonald. Regent also produced two cricket internationals in Walter Fawcett in the Fifties, and thirty years later Robin Haire, but the school was far from a leading light in Ulster schools cricket.
To their credit Murray and his colleague Eric Cinnamon brought Regent cricket to the forefront of Ulster and Irish Schools cricket in the Nineties and two of their star performers were none other than Andrew White and Ryan Haire. Their finest year was 1998 when they joined with skipper Peter Shields to spearhead Regent’s first School’s Cup win, and then they added the Gordon McCullough Memorial Cup. Andrew scored 85 and Peter 66 in the cup final win against Campbell College, while Ryan took 3 for 19. All three star pupils went on to play for Ireland, and I’m sure Murray has followed their careers with more than a passing interest. I’m also sure he was delighted this week when Andrew scored his third century for Ireland (109) against Canada, and at the same time Ryan scored 123 for the Ireland A team against the MCC.
“Whitey’s” innings was a timely reminder to anyone who doubted his ability to perform consistently at the highest level, while Ryan is finally getting the opportunity to showcase his undoubted talents. Both could play important roles in the rapidly expanding Irish fixture list in the next few years as they are at the peak of their prowess.
Over the years schoolmasters have never really got the credit they deserve for nurturing sporting talent, but Irish cricket has much to thank the teaching profession for down the years. Times have changed, and perhaps the schoolmasters don’t spend the long hours they once did organizing, coaching and developing schools cricket, but perhaps this highlights the commitment that was once put in by the older brigade. They weren’t all star performers, but most were fully committed to setting young cricketers on the right path, and when some of them reach the top of their game they had every right to enjoy the success of their former protégés.
In our day the big cricketing schools were BRA, Inst, Campbell College and Bangor, and unfortunately we had little contact with North-West schools. The BRA fixture was usually a solid drumming, made worse by the fact that it was an all day Saturday game, and this robbed us of club cricket that afternoon. Bangor usually hammered us as well, which was hard to take, as we wereneighbours and bitter rivals at both cricket and rugby. Somehow they always seemed better organized and stronger, but maybe they had better players as well!
It speaks volumes for Murray and Eric that they raised the standard of cricket at Regent to rival the big guns of Ulster Schools and win the schools Cup twice. But they did much more; they provided the grounding and nurtured the talent that fed local clubs like North Down, Ards and Donaghadee.
Not all Regent cricketers reached the dizzy heights of Andrew and Ryan, but many of them became good club cricketers and administrators, and through them the future of all three clubs will be guaranteed.
Clarence Hiles
Editor
