Page 12 - Southwell School_The Chronicle December 2022

ALUMNI CRICKET STAR
DARYL MITCHELL (2000-2004)
aryl made his first-class debut for Northern for the 2001 2nd XI for frequent fixtures against the usual Districts at the end of the 2011-12 season and opponents, Kings, St Kents, Dilworth, St Peters and many gained attention by averaging 54.53 the following local schools...while remaining a valued member of the
year. He won a place in the New Zealand A squad to
tour India and Sri Lanka. Daryl continued smashing out centuries in successive innings during the following domestic season, making him the top choice to replace an injured black cap for New Zealand’s Test team in late 2019 in a memorable debut. His international debut against India was in a T20 International in February of that same year. Daryl scored his maiden Test hundred at the start of 2021 during a win over Pakistan in Christchurch and made his first ODI century that March.
At the 2021 T20 International World Cup in the UAE, Daryl played a major role in New Zealand making the final. Though New Zealand had a decidedly average tour of England in 2022, losing all three Tests, Daryl managed to arrive at the end of the summer season in a positive light with two 50’s and became the first New Zealander to score 3 consecutive test hundreds against England.
Of course, the fairytale had to start somewhere... and that
was at Southwell School circa 2000 when an enthusiastic 9 year old new student entering year 4 called Daryl joined the Southwell Falcons Cricket Team. From there the progression was fast, an impact player (and one of the youngest members)
Falcons. Daryl’s last two years were spent in the 1st XV, his last as Captain. A great springboard into the Northern Districts u14 Rep Team, of which he was Captain.
This leadership transferred from the Cricket Pitch and Daryl was Head boy in his final year at Southwell in 2004. In case you’re wondering... there was life outside Cricket too- as Captain of the Southwell 1st XI Soccer team, regular Opera cast member, part of the outstanding Winchester House, a golfer, Athletics Championship Runner up... the list was a long one.
Following Southwell was a short stint at St Pauls Collegiate, then an offshore move to Hale School in Perth, where
father John Mitchell was coaching Rugby. Since then Cricket has provided a whirlwind of international travel at varying locations with a brief return to Southwell in 2017 to marry Amy in All Hallows Chapel, followed by the recent arrival of two mini MItchells. Dary’s ability to deal effectively with the peaks, troughs and curveballs within an extremely high pres- sure sporting environment has been inspirational to many young cricketers and we look forward to following along for the next stages of the adventure. A talented all rounder in all aspects of life, on behalf of your massive fan club of current Southwell Students, we wish you all the best!
Per aspera ad Astrum