Darwen cricket dome a game-changer for state schools

An all-weather dome aimed at making cricket more accessible particularly to children at state schools has officially opened in Lancashire.

The indoor facility at Darwen Cricket Club is only the second of its kind in the whole country, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said.

The Darwen Dome features three full-length pitches and can transform into a flexible space for coaching, matches, and community events.

ECB chairman Richard Thompson said: "We want every child, regardless of where they go to school, to have the opportunity to fall in love with cricket."

'Levelling the playing field'

 

England's first indoor dome opened two years ago at the Park Avenue ground in Bradford, West Yorkshire.

The government recently pledged £1.5m towards building two more domes - a second one for Lancashire in Farington and the other in Luton, Bedfordshire - which are expected to open next year.

Thompson said: "This is a game-changer for state school cricket in the North West."

He said the Darwen Dome was a "powerful step towards levelling the playing field" and would "become a real community asset"