Scarborough College’s Nathan Valentine on his first day at Whanganui Collegiate School

Independent day and boarding school Scarborough College in North Yorkshire has begun a cricket exchange programme with a top New Zealand school.

Whanganui Collegiate School was established in 1854 and is a member of The Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference. However, in 2012 it integrated into the state system after requiring a financial bailout from the New Zealand government.

The exchange saw two Scarborough boys arrive for this term in New Zealand while Whanganui pupils will spend next term at Scarborough College. The plan is to continue the scheme every year.

Nathan Valentine arrived down under two days ago from Scarborough and went straight into the nets joining the Kiwi school’s Cricket 1st XI as they trained.

Whanganui’s headmaster, Wayne Brown said: “I am delighted to share this exciting collaboration between the two schools that enhances our commitment to fostering global citizenship and character development among our students through the sport. This cricket exchange programme not only provides a unique sporting opportunity but also promotes cultural exchange, building bridges between young minds from different parts of the world.”

Scarborough College’s headmaster Guy Emmett commented: “Despite being far apart, this exchange embodies the essence of shared learning, cultural enrichment, and the unifying force of cricket. I look forward to our students having teammates from across the world during the exchange, but also in the future, beyond their time at our two schools.

Whanganui’s director of cricket Tom Dryden said: “There is immense excitement surrounding adding two quality Scarborough College cricketers into the squad. The further opportunity for two of our cricketers to travel to England and experience cricket and life over there for a term is outstanding and one our boys will truly relish. Having visited Scarborough College before commencing my role at WCS, I can testify to the alignment of values, character development and sporting prowess between the two schools, and cannot wait for this relationship to build through the years.