Anthony McGrath
Yorkshire and England cricketer, Anthony McGrath, studied for his BTEC National Diploma in Leisure Studies at Bradford College in 1993 and 1994.
Cricket Club in 1995 when he was just 19 and the
following year he played for England on their tour
of Pakistan. After his early promise he had some
leaner times but he was Yorkshire’s top bowler in
2002 though he was only 6th in the batting. In
2003 he became Captain of Yorkshire and created
headlines with his bowling and batting for England
against Zimbabwe. He stepped down as Captain at
the end of that season as he didn’t think he could
do the role justice due to England duties.
Anthony
played in 4 Tests and 14 one-day internationals.
He signed a new contract with Yorkshire in 2007
and was only 69 runs short of reaching 1000 first
class runs for a 3rd consecutive season because
he missed 2 championship matches through
illness and injury. His score was enough to take
his county-career aggregate past 10,000. He
made his current career-best score of 188 against
Warwickshire at Edgbaston in 2007. Anthony is
currently Vice-Captain of Yorkshire and is playing
on magnificent form.
Anthony was already a keen cricketer, playing
for Bankfoot when he came to College aged 16.
He entered the 6th Form at Yorkshire Martyrs
and was one of 6 pupils wanting to study BTEC
National Diploma in Leisure Studies, which was
a new course for the school. The course was
jointly delivered with Bradford College under the
leadership of College Lecturer, John Tiffany, who
also coached Anthony at Bankfoot.
“I was mad on sport and so I knew I wanted to
do this new course which was just getting off
the ground. We came to College for an induction
and then did some classes in College and some
in school. I particularly remember going on a
residential in the Lake District. I signed as a
professional while I was still doing the BTEC and I
have been playing ever since.”
John Tiffany, who retired from Bradford College
2 years ago, remembers “Anthony was the most
talented sportsperson I ever taught at College.
The students planned the outdoor pursuits camp
at Windermere as part of their course and did
climbing, sailing and all sorts of outdoor activities.
I arranged for him to come back to College in
November 2000 to open what was then the new
Bodyworks Gym in the Westbrook Building.”
Photograph supplied by Yorkshire County Cricket Club