By Graham Hardcastle, ECB Reporters Network
“How amazing would it be to see an All Star step out as a Tier One women’s cricketer - to see that entire journey happen at one place.”
It is a dream that is a step closer to reality as Lancashire’s state-of-the-art Farington cricket facility enjoyed a significant milestone earlier this month.
The Red Rose County celebrated one year since the start of the construction on their ambitious multi-million-pound Farington Project. It is a venue that will not only supplement their main headquarters at Emirates Old Trafford, but also provide a single location for use from the grassroots game to the elite level.
Lancashire chief executive officer Daniel Gidney believes the venue, which will feature two ovals side by side as well as world-class training facilities, is “unique to anywhere in the world” and will provide opportunities for more people to engage with the game.
“To have an elite and community oval with 18 wickets on each square, it’s absolutely fantastic,” Gidney says.
The venue is located just off the M6 on the outskirts of Preston – where one of Lancashire’s favourite sons Andrew Flintoff began his own journey – and with Blackburn, Blackpool, Chorley and Leyland all within striking distance will become a hub not only to host Lancashire’s elite men’s and women’s teams, but also the likes of the ACE Programme, All Stars and Dynamos sessions and a place for school kids to be introduced to the game.
“The Leader of Lancashire County Council, Philippa Williamson, is really keen to work with us on a schools programme and activating that to get that sort of cricket played on there,” Gidney said.
“That’s something we’re really excited about. The north west has a really vibrant club system, and this is a fantastic opportunity for us to get into schools, and state schools in particular, across Lancashire and create a community hub where schools have somewhere to go and play.”
Earlier this summer, Williamson was invited to Emirates Old Trafford during a Rothesay County Championship match to discuss the project.
“We’re really, really excited about this,” she said. “For us, it’s a great opportunity to bring something into the county which benefits the whole of the community. There’s the chance to create jobs, lots of opportunities for young people, but also to really promote cricket, particularly through our schools.
“It’s really like nothing else which exists in Lancashire at the moment. The scale of it, this is a huge site with state-of-the-art facilities. I think it will really inspire people to develop their cricketing interest, whether that’s as a spectator or a player.”
Professional cricket will be a huge focus, of course. Lancashire see the need for a second venue in order to ease the burden on Emirates Old Trafford, where men’s and women’s first-team cricket is played added to international matches and the Hundred.
As director of cricket performance Mark Chilton puts it: “Ultimately, Emirates Old Trafford was built for one professional team.
“But the progress of the women’s game - they quite rightly get the opportunity to play and practice there - has challenged the resources there. To have another site which we have control over with elite facilities is game-changing.”
But there is no doubt that growing the game within the county, inspiring the next generation, is at the forefront of their minds.
One will be an elite oval, where men’s and women’s first-team cricket will - all being well - be played from late 2026 onwards. The other will be the community oval.
Eric Wright Construction are in charge of the building project which also includes outdoor nets, a pavilion, gym facilities and grass banks all the way around both ovals.
Having had to convert a greenfield site - it was originally a farmer’s field - there has been no wastage. The grass banks will be formed from what has been dug up, for example.
It is overall a bigger site than Emirates Old Trafford and will be a Centre of Excellence for the men’s and women’s age-groups. It will also provide the club with a training base for both men’s and women’s teams, whilst Second XI, Academy, disability cricket and age-group matches will also be played there.
“We’ve had ECB experts on there, and we believe that the outfield and square could be as good as here (Emirates Old Trafford),” said Gidney.
Chilton continued: “The net area we have is almost going to be a 365-day facility to use. It’s going to be covered, it’s going to be lit, and we will be able to drive some cricket and development cricket through that virtually all year round.
“All those things are great opportunities for us.”
While professional cricket is not planned until 2026 for Farington, the hope is that late next summer things will be ready to host things such as age-group and community cricket.
Jen Barden is the Lancashire Cricket Foundation’s Executive Director, and she said: “We’ve got so many community teams and events which will benefit from having such a high-class facility to utilise.
“The women’s and girls game is growing rapidly, both at the performance end but also out in the club and community setting.
“Elements such as All Stars and Dynamos programme are where we see that entry level and opportunity. To be able to access high-quality facilities, we see that as an amazing chance to inspire them.
“How amazing would it be to see an All Star step out as a Tier One women’s cricketer - to see that entire journey happen at one place.
“We also have schools open days in the summer at Emirates Old Trafford, and that’s something we could replicate at Farington. We’re really keen for them to watch the game, but also to play the game.
“We’ve got activities such as Street Cricket. They play out in the community. But to have some of our Street Cricket games being played on Farington will be amazing.
“We’ve got our ACE Programme, where they are forming schools links but also community links, which feed into an Elite Academy. That will progress, and as time goes by we hope to see them playing at Farington as well.
“We know that children don’t always have access to a club, because it might not be on their doorstep or they’re not really sure how to access it. But most children go to school, that’s where everybody is and where our target market can be.
“Although we already go into a huge number of schools and offer a range of competitions and engagements, the bit that’s missing is that facility element.
“At present, we’re restricted in how we can host those big competitions. Side by side, two ovals will give that opportunity.
“That’s how Farington enables us to give access to cricket out and about within Lancashire and not just Manchester.
“With this facility, hopefully it can mean that cricket for life is instilled in that young child.”