We begin our delve into The Prep’s fascinating archives and stories with the late Derek Underwood’s England cricket jumper and blazer. With Derek’s death earlier this year, it seems an appropriate way to start.

Derek brought the England jumper to donate to the Auction of Promises at our charity dinner for the inaugural First XI cricket tour to South Africa in 1997. It was auctioned that evening for a huge figure, and the buyer generously donated it back to the school. There will be more about that tour in a later article. 

Later, Derek kindly donated his MCC England blazer for the tour to Australia and India in 1979/80. The short tour (three matches) to Australia was arranged as part of the resolution with Kerry Packer (The Australian media tycoon who founded World Series Cricket, which was staged between 1977 and 1979). The Ashes were not at stake, and ‘Packer’ players were again available for national selection. There was a single test in India in February 1980 to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, also represented in the badge.

Derek attended The Prep in the mid to late 1950s and appeared, while still an Under 11, in the school’s First XI in 1956. His bowling at The Prep was described as ‘fast, hostile and promising’ by the Head of Cricket while his batting  ‘improved consistently’. At a much later juncture, Derek’s family company laid the artificial wickets that made up the outdoor cricket nets, once situated outside the Headmaster’s office.

‘Deadly’ ’Derek went on to become an England great. He debuted for Kent at 17 years of age and played his first test for England in 1966 against the West Indies. With his pacy, accurate left-arm spin, he was to take 297 wickets in 86 tests for England and is sixth on the table of all-time England wicket-takers and the top spinner on the list. He took nearly 2000 wickets for Kent. Derek was appointed an MBE for his services to cricket in 1981. He retired from cricket in 1987 and later became Kent’s Cricket President in 2006 and the President of the MCC in 2008. Derek died in April 2024, aged 78.

Meeting Derek at the charity dinner in 1997 was a real pleasure and honour. He was a true gentleman and one of my great heroes from Kent and England cricket (Alan Knott being the other). 

These are just two of the wonderful items (and stories)  related to the history of Dulwich Prep & Senior....more next time.