Cricket NSW’s new Centre of Excellence gets official unveiling

Cricket in NSW has a new home following yesterday’s official opening of Cricket NSW’s new state-of-the-art $60 million Centre of Excellence at Sydney Olympic Park.

Cricket Central, which will also be home to the NSW Blues and NSW Breakers squads, as well as the Sydney Thunder and Sydney Sixers BBL and WBBL squads, was unveiled at a Community Open Day with lovers of the game viewing its ICC-compliant oval, 15 indoor nets, 43 outdoor cricket lanes, gym, function facilities and medical rooms.

Advising that 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, NSW Minister for Sport, Alister Henskens stated “the best cricketers in Australia now have the best cricket facility in the world

“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.”

NSW Planning Minister Anthony Roberts said the facility was among the planning projects fast-tracked as part of the NSW Government’s response to the pandemic.

Minister Roberts noted “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.

“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,” he said.

“It’s a place that brings all of cricket’s communities together.”

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 go to www.sport.nsw.gov.au/grants

Images courtesy of Cricket NSW.