Cricket Central will be unveiled at a Community Open Day today attended by thousands of cricket lovers who will get a glimpse of where international super stars Pat Cummins, Steve Smith and Alyssa Healy will train.
Minister for Sport Alister Henskens said the NSW Government’s $30 million investment in the facility will ensure Cricket Central plays a key role in NSW continuing to produce cricketers that excel on the international stage.
“The best cricketers in Australia now have the best cricket facility in the world,” Mr Henskens said.
“Cricket Central will ensure NSW remains the dominant state in Australian domestic cricket and continues to produce international cricketers that go on to win Ashes Series and World Cups for decades to come.”
Cricket Central features an ICC-compliant oval, 15 indoor nets, 43 outdoor cricket lanes, a gym, function facilities and medical rooms.
The facility will be home to the NSW Blues and NSW Breakers squads as well as the Sydney Thunder and Sydney Sixers BBL and WBBL squads. It will also serve as headquarters for Cricket NSW’s 150 coaching and administrative staff.
Minister for Planning and Minister for Homes Anthony Roberts said Cricket Central was one of dozens of planning projects fast-tracked as part of the Government’s response to the pandemic to create thousands of jobs and attract billions of dollars of investment into the state’s economy.
“Sydney Olympic Park is located in the heart of Sydney and is becoming a thriving suburb with opportunities for the local community to ‘play on the big stage’ in world-class sporting facilities that are right at their backdoor,” Mr Roberts said.
“We are proud to partner with Cricket NSW to establish this game-changing facility, as we continue to create a totally integrated suburb that connects the community like nowhere else in the world.”
Cricket NSW CEO Lee Germon said the opening of Cricket Central was the culmination of a long-term project that saw major support from the NSW Government.
“This project has been years in the making with support from all levels of government and all of our building partners,” Mr Germon said.
“While it’s the home for our elite players and staff, it is also very much the home for all of those who play and love cricket in the state. It’s a place that brings all of cricket's communities together.”
Member for Parramatta Geoff Lee said the state-of-the-art facility will be central to the growth of cricket, not only in Sydney but across the State.
“Cricket Central also features dedicated multi-purpose community facilities that will be used by more than 35,000 club and community cricketers annually and bridge the gap between elite and community cricket,” Mr Lee said.
Cricket NSW has also been awarded $6.4 million in Round 1 of the NSW Government’s Centre of Excellence Program for the construction of a Cricket Learning and Community Centre, lighting on the main oval and turf nets, and additional community field as part of Stage 2 of the project.
For further information on the Centre of Excellence Program and to register your interest in Round 2 of the Program visit: https://www.sport.nsw.gov.au/grants.