News
On Wednesday 18th November pupils across The Mill Hill School Foundation were given the once in a lifetime opportunity of having their questions answered by Sir Alastair Cook, CBE, in a virtual Q&A session.
Pupils posed all sorts of questions to the former England Cricket Captain, ranging from the pressures of facing the best bowlers in the world, to maintaining his discipline whilst batting, and how he juggled cricket and exams whilst he was at school.
During the Q&A, Sir Alastair was warm, honest and humble; a class performer on and off the field of play. There were so many fascinating parts of the evening pupils took away, and Sir Alastair’s sheer passion, hard work and discipline to make it to the top was very clear. The advice he gave on dealing with nerves and coping under pressure will have impacted all those who were listening, not only our cricketers.
What our pupils thought:
‘The chat with Alastair was memorable and informative. It was a rare opportunity to speak to an ex-England Captain and record-breaking test run scorer. I’m sure everyone got a valuable insight into at least one aspect of cricket to improve their game and mental resilience. Alastair is the perfect role model for young cricketers and was very approachable, which led to a relaxed and easy-going atmosphere during the meeting.’ Eddie, 1st XI Boys Captain
‘The Q&A was a great opportunity, especially during the pandemic, to widen our perspectives on the game and gain a more in-depth insight into what it is like to be a professional cricketer. Sir Alastair covered fascinating topics such as dealing with stress and nerves before games, and the level of commitment required to reach the top echelons of cricket. I was astonished by his competitive nature and his stories about the various matches he had played. It was a fantastic experience and one that I will never forget.’ Eve, 1st XI Girls Captain
‘On Wednesday 18th November, I met one of my cricketing idols, Sir Alastair Cook CBE. It was an honour to speak to him about his distinguished career and how he coped with being the best English batsman to play the game. Listening to how he scored so many runs was a unique opportunity, and discussing how he relied on his three shots; the sign of a legend. For me, this is one of the best cricketing moments of my life, even though I didn’t physically meet him. It was brilliant to pick his brains, and I loved every single minute of it.’ Ishaan 1st XI
By Mr Patel, Director of Cricket
