Lives in Cricket No 20 - Maurice Tompkin

cricket club in the village, they dropped the ‘Wanderers’ epithet as there was no need for it. The Countesthorpe club is now stronger than ever, running three adult teams that play on Saturdays, and nine junior teams, including several players who represent Leicestershire at the appropriate level. They play in Division One of the Leicestershire League, and in common with teams that play at just below the highest level, the best young players are poached by clubs in the higher division. Two former members, Shiv Thakor and Ben Collins have already played for the England Under-17 team. In 2011 Shiv scored a century on his first-class debut for Leicestershire v Loughborough University, breaking the county’s fifth-wicket record stand with James Taylor in the process. During his innings he broke Maurice’s 72-year-old record for the highest score by a Leicestershire batsman in his first first-class match. 130 Cricket at Countesthorpe