We are proud to announce that Old Boy Richard Greenwood has been awarded the OBE for his services to national and international rugby. Speaking to the School about the award, Richard had this to say:

It is a source of great joy, pride and fulfilment that I have been recognised by this award.

Rugby has been my lifelong passion. It is a great team game, so I am above all a team player, and my debt is to all my team-mates who have supported me through the years. I dedicate this award to all of them, who have made it possible for me.

Merchant Taylors’ School, Crosby; Cambridge University, who helped launch my international career; my England team-mates in the late 1960s; most of all, my Lancashire pals from 1961 to 1971, who gave me such a wonderful platform; my colleagues at the Wooden Spoon, the children’s charity of rugby; and now the great team I am working with at Rhyl Rugby.

The best team of all is my family – the Greenwoods, the Maziaks, the Stewarts and the Bradford-Nutters – all of whom have given me wonderful support, encouragement, and occasionally a well-merited kick up the backside.

“Primus inter pares” is my daughter Emma, who took the initiative in putting me forward for this award. I offer a huge thank you to all those who have contributed to Emma’s application – an overwhelming tide of support, indeed.

Then there are the rugby clubs I have played for – Waterloo, Rome, Blackburn and Preston Grasshoppers – great places for a rugby bloke to have plied his trade, and now Rhyl, to put the icing on my rugby cake.

My warmest thanks and appreciation to all concerned.

Richard Greenwood

Merchant Taylors’ 1st XI won its annual fixture against MCC by 7 wickets. The School’s bowlers worked very hard in the morning session to restrict MCC to 110 for 3 at lunch. With the temperature pushing 30 degrees this was a fine effort. After lunch MCC improved their scoring rate but the School bowlers stuck to their task very well. Isaac Lea with 2 for 50 and Jackson Darkes-Sutcliffe with 2 for 53 were the wicket takers. MCC declared on 221 for 4 – a challenging but simultaneously inviting target.

Openers Ehren Agarwal and Kunal Mahambrey put on a splendid partnership of 110 which set up what proved to be a straightforward victory charge. When Ehren (63) and Kunal (41) were out Isaac Lea (33) and Alex Rankin (50 not out) continued to play positively and the game was won by 7 wickets with 8 overs to spare. After the game Chris Bell awarded the Simon Bell Trophy to Merchants’ winning captain Tom Barker in memory of his son Simon.

Simon was a student at Merchant Taylors’ from 1982 to 1987. He had two passions in life – Liverpool Football Club, and the game of cricket. He represented Merchant Taylors, the Northern Club and Lancashire in his age group. He was a more than useful batsman and an extremely accurate and skilful medium paced bowler, who honed his skills with hours of dedicated practice, often spending summer evenings bowling at one stump in the nets at Northern until it got dark. Simon very sadly lost his life in the tragedy at Hillsborough in 1989. As a mark of respect and in his memory the Northern Club and the Camels Club (former MT cricketers ) started playing an annual match for the Simon Bell Trophy. In recent years this fixture has happened only intermittently, so Mark Edwards, who was a friend of Simon’s at school suggested switching the focus of the trophy to the School’s annual match against MCC. From now on the winner of the game will be awarded the trophy at the end of the game. In the event of a draw it will stay, like the Ryder Cup, with the team which holds it. It is an appropriate way to remember and honour Simon Bell.