The Irish government has given the green light for the construction of a permanent international cricket stadium and High-Performance Centre in the capital city, Dublin. This development is a major milestone for Ireland cricket as it solidifies the country's role in hosting the 2030 T20 World Cup alongside England and Scotland.
Ireland has long struggled with the absence of a dedicated cricket facility, forcing the national team to play 'home' matches abroad. The lack of a permanent venue has not only hampered the growth of the sport but also resulted in missed opportunities, such as the postponement of the first-ever men's bilateral series against Australia earlier this year.
The new stadium, to be located at the National Sports Campus in Dublin, will address the longstanding issues faced by Cricket Ireland. Currently, the country relies on four ODI-rated grounds, Malahide, Clontarf, Stormont, and Bready, all of which are club cricket grounds with temporary seating.
The high costs associated with hosting matches at these venues, including the need for significant temporary infrastructure, have been a major hurdle. Warren Deutrom, CEO of Cricket Ireland, expressed his passion for the project
"Today's announcement is fantastic. It is a huge tribute to everybody involved at all levels in Irish cricket who have got us to the stage whereby the government genuinely regards us as a sport of national significance worthy of major investment," Deutrom said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
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Will help keep our product, our sport, on our shores: Warren Deutrom
The development will be completed in phases, with the first phase scheduled for completion in 2028. The initial stage includes the construction of a main cricket oval with a permanent seating capacity of 4,000, a high-performance centre, and essential facilities such as players' and officials' pavilions. The project will also feature both indoor and outdoor practice and training areas.
"For me, it is probably up there in terms of significance with the day that we became a Full Member of the ICC. These facilities will help drive the sport forward - they will significantly assist our highest-performing players nationally and provincially to prepare, train, and perform better on the world stage," he added.
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Warren believes that the new initiative will help them to make more pitches which will in turn assist them in hosting more matches.
"It's also going to increase the number of pitches that we can use, helping us ensure that we host more cricket in Ireland. Whether men's, women's, seniors, juniors, nationally or provincially, this new facility will help keep our product, our sport, on our shores," the CEO concluded.
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