Barclays Knight-Stokes Cup
A new national hardball competition for state schools
The Final of the Barclays Knight-Stokes Cup will take place at Lord's on Thursday 10 September.
Discounted Kit and Equipment
One of the recurring themes when discussing possible barriers in access to cricket in state schools is the affordability of cricket kit and equipment. We are delighted to have been approached by several notable cricket brands who have offered discounts for all competing schools. The list of organisations includes MCC's own Official Kit Supplier, Gray-Nicolls, who will be supplying match balls for every fixture in the Barclays Knight-Stokes Cup.
Each brand has freely offered these discounts for competing schools and have received no official designation with MCC or the MCC Foundation through these offers. Please ensure you speak directly to the organisation regarding your transactions.
| Gray-Nicolls | Products: Assorted kit, as well as items such as stumps, scorebooks and scoreboards.
Discount: 15% off items in the collection. Discounted items must be purchased via the link below.
How to access: Visit the Gray-Nicolls Barclays Knight-Stokes Cup Collection. Enter the promotion code A_KNIGHTSTOKES26 at the checkout |
| Newbery | Products: 12 sets of playing kits
Discount: 35% off all items in the collection. Discounted items must be purchased via the link below
How to access: Enter Newbery's exclusive Barclays Knight-Stokes Cup webpage by using the passcode BKSCUP. |
| Maiden Cricket | Products: Bespoke cricket clothing for girls, including playing tops and trousers, or kit bundles covering three sets of pads, gloves and a team bag. A team package combining kit and equipment is also available.
Discount: Submit the form to access your exclusive discount
How to access: Visit the Maiden Cricket webpage and complete the BKSC X Maiden contact form for all details on your discounts for girls' clothing and equipment |
| Icon Sports | Products: Assorted playing and training kits including personalised caps and shirts.
Discount: Up to 40% off items in the playing kits range
How to access: Browse Icon Sports' Barclays Knight-Stokes Cup kit range and select 'Request a Quote' to enquire about your discounts |
| Net World Sports | Products: Equipment bundles, including full team kits, protective gear, stumps and fielding equipment
Discount: 20% off all items across Net World's entire Cricket collection
How to access: View Networld's Junior Cricket Equipment page and enter the promotion code MCC20 at the checkout for your discount |
| V-Sports | Products: A complete starter kit from Hunts County, including full batting gear, keeping gloves and two bats
Price: £700 £475
How to access: See V-Sports' exclusive starter pack. You can also get 10% additional cricket items (not included in the starter kit) with the discount code MCCBKS10 |
| Sharks Cricket | Products: Assorted playing and training kit (shirts and trousers) across all sizes
Discount: 10% off all kits
How to access: Visit Sharks Cricket's dedicated Barclays Knight-Stokes Cup webpage and contact Sharks Cricket for a quote
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| Reeqip | You may also wish to view several re-used cricket kit and equipment at affordable prices via Reeqip. |
Named after two of England's greatest state-educated cricketers, the Barclays Knight-Stokes Cup will be run by MCC and the MCC Foundation. The competition aims to inspire young people to take up cricket and to increase opportunities to play the game with friends at school.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which schools can compete in the Barclays Knight-Stokes Cup?All non-fee-paying State Secondary Schools and Grammar Schools in the UK and the Republic of Ireland are eligible to enter the Barclays Knight-Stokes Cup. A State Secondary School or Grammar School is defined as a “Government-funded school.
Who can take part in the Barclays Knight-Stokes Cup?All children who attend a state secondary school across the UK and the Republic of Ireland within the below age groups are eligible to take part in the Barclays Knight-Stokes Cup. There will be flexibility on age with specific competition rules to be confirmed following consultation with County Cricket Boards (CCBs) and Foundations and other stakeholders. The initial target audience is U15 (school year 10 in England/Wales or equivalent in Scotland/Ireland).
What is the purpose of the Barclays Knight-Stokes Cup?State school hardball cricket has not had the platform of a national competition ever before. The Barclays Knight-Stokes Cup is a brand-new and exciting opportunity for state secondary school hardball cricket to be championed on a national stage, showcasing the immense cricketing talent of state-educated boys and girls. The boys’ and girls’ finals are to take place on the Main Ground at the Lord’s, the iconic Home of Cricket.
What is the structure of the Barclays Knight-Stokes Cup?It is the aim of the competition to engage with all counties to run a county competition at U15 age groups for boys and girls to produce a county winner by the end of June 2026. Each county winner will then progress to national knockout rounds (including regional finals, quarter finals and semi-finals) before the school holidays commence in late July. The finals day date is to be confirmed but will likely be held in September 2026.
How is the Barclays Knight-Stokes Cup funded?The initial funding for the competition came through The Black Heart Foundation. The competition is named after the principal sponsor, Barclays, who seek to champion grassroots cricket and support making cricket a game for all.
My school does not currently have the resources to join this competition, what support can we receive?There can be many barriers to accessing hardball cricket for state schools, this competition seeks to reduce and remove barriers. The MCC Foundation seeks to work with local delivery partners to facilitate arrangements for access to cricket grounds, including independent schools and cricket clubs which have come forward to support the initiative. The MCC Foundation intends to facilitate relationships with local and national cricket kit recycling schemes and other organisations to support schools in overcoming this barrier. As part of longer-term development plans, we will be creating a teacher CPD programme to upskill teachers to deliver hardball cricket.
For any further questions on the competition, please contact Andy Turnbull, MCCF’s Barclays Knight-Stokes Cup Competitions Officer, via andy.turnbull@mccfoundation.org.uk.
