Cricket will be the latest sport to have a presence on the Sport Ireland National Sports Campus, with the construction of world-class outdoor training facilities due to get underway shortly.
Cricket Ireland has brought forward plans for the development of a high-performance training centre at the Blanchardstown facility.
The project will see the development of 14 grass nets, a 90-metre outfield for fielding work and centre wicket practice, an artificial practice area and seating and storage areas for players, staff and equipment.
Cricket Ireland will fund the development of the new training area, which will be used by Ireland’s international and inter-provincial sides, with technical assistance from Sport Ireland.
The new facility will be located adjacent to the existing Sport Ireland Institute High Performance Training Centre on the Campus. This will enable Cricket Ireland avail of the training, analysis and rehab facilities on offer at the Institute.
Cricket Ireland Chief Executive, Warren Deutrom is looking forward to the development, saying: “The development of Cricket Ireland’s first-ever dedicated outdoor training centre is a huge step forward for Irish Cricket.
“For the first time, our performance squads – male and female, senior and junior, national, provincial and academy – will be able to train on a day-to-day basis in a state-of-the-art facility controlled by Cricket Ireland.
“We are grateful to the Government and Sport Ireland for providing us with the land, and of course to ICC (International Cricket Council) which is clearly growing its support for Ireland’s aspirations, with approval of first-class status for the Hanley Energy Interprovincial Competition, our elevation to the 12-team ODI structure, and additional $500k in 2016 and 2017 to help us afford the matches.”
