Wisden Schools Cricketer of the Year award for Tonbridge’s Ollie Sykes

Former Tonbridge student Ollie Sykes has been named the Wisden Schools Cricketer of the Year.

He received the accolade at Wisden’s annual awards dinner, which took place at Lord’s cricket ground on Tuesday 16 April.

Ollie (HS 18-23) is the first Tonbridgian to win the award, which has been running since 2008. Previous winners include Jonny Bairstow (the first recipient) and Jos Buttler (in 2010), both of whom went on to have successful careers for England.

The winner is chosen by writers for the Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, the annual reference book known as “the Bible of Cricket”.

Ollie scored 935 runs and took 30 wickets for Tonbridge in the 2023 season. He made three centuries, including 148 in a win versus Harrow in the Cowdrey Cup, while his 157 against MCC means he will be a guest of the renowned Marylebone Cricket Club at Lord’s later this summer. Predominantly a batter, Ollie also ended up bowling some crucial spells in his final season for the School.

Rob Stephen, Tonbridge’s Master in Charge of Cricket, said: “Ollie made a huge contribution to cricket during his time at Tonbridge and this award is a testament to his talent and hard work over the years.

“As a School, we are incredibly proud of what he has achieved and look forward to seeing where his cricket takes him over the coming years. We also hope to see Ollie putting in some strong performances in the Cricketer Cup for the Old Tonbridgians!”

The 2024 Wisden Cricketers of the Year include Mitchell Starc, Usman Khawaja and Ash Gardner, all from Australia, alongside England’s Harry Brook and Mark Wood.

Wisden has included details of schools cricket as far back as its second edition in 1865, when it carried an account of a match between Eton and Harrow.

Above: Ollie pictured at Lord’s during the annual awards presentation on 16 April.