On Thursday 8 May 2025, Eton and Harrow met at Lord’s for their annual cricket match. First played in 1805, it is one of the longest running annual sports fixtures in the world.
Harrow won the toss and batted first; their opening batsmen started steadily despite an early wicket from one of Eton’s opening bowlers. The two sides were evenly matched when an intermission was called to commemorate Victory in Europe (VE) Day with a two-minute silence. This was a solemn moment, remembering such an important moment in history. After the silence, Eton’s restrictive fielding and tight bowling meant Harrow struggled to get easy runs. A couple of wickets fell before lunch, which put Eton in a good position going into the second session.
After the break, Harrow attacked with an aggressive batting style; this came with the consequence of losing quick wickets. An electric 50 from the Harrow number six batter put them back on track to a good total. After a flourish from the tailenders, Harrow finished on 282 runs. The pressure was now on Eton to respond.
During play, the Head Masters of both Eton and Harrow, accompanied by the respective Heads of School and Eton’s Provost, gathered in the Coronation Garden to lay a wreath. This moment of shared remembrance illustrated the significance of VE Day.
The Eton opening batsmen got off the mark quickly, but their wickets fell soon after. This brought the number three and four batters, two of Eton’s most experienced players, to the crease. Their partnership started well as the two batters scored quickly and looked comfortable in the middle. However, an unfortunate run-out saw the number four leave the crease, halting Eton’s momentum.
After the tea break, Eton’s runs slowed as they were put under pressure by Harrow spinners who bowled very well. As Eton’s batters went on the attack, more wickets fell, which made it even harder for them to reach the required total. Some late boundaries brought an exciting finish into sight, but in the end, Eton fell short with Harrow winning the match by 31 runs.
Overall, a fantastic day of cricket for players and supporters alike. We look forward to playing this fixture at Lord’s for hopefully many more years to come.
