Photo Credit: Cricket Australia
The final stage of Australian Cricket’s ground-breaking National Cricket Campus has officially been unveiled today with the completion of the Allan Border Field redevelopment in Brisbane.
The revamped Allan Border Field and Ray Lindwall Oval at the Albion precinct of the Campus were officially handed over by principal construction partner Hutchinson Builders to Cricket Australia and Queensland Cricket this morning.
The Cricket Australia Board, led by Chair Dr Lachlan Henderson, joined with CA Chief Executive Officer Nick Hockley and representatives from all levels of government to mark the handover of Allan Border Field, which will come online for use next month.
The opening was attended by
- Hon Anika Wells MP, Federal Minister for Sport and Minister for Aged Care
- Hon Stirling Hinchcliffe, MP, Queensland Minister for Tourism, Innovation and Sport and Minister Assisting the Premier on Olympics and Paralympics Sport and Engagement
- Cr David McLachlan, Hamilton Ward, Brisbane City Council
- Mr Andrew Sly, Deputy Director General, DTIS
- Queensland Cricket Chair Chris Simpson and QC Board Directors
- Scott Hutchinson, Chairman, Hutchinson Builders
- Past and present Australian and Queensland players
The redevelopment featured an expansion of the main playing surface by 13 metres, a new and expanded wicket block with 11 turf pitches, field lighting, an electronic scoreboard, a new ground profile with enhanced drainage and irrigation, new sight screens and permanent camera positions for broadcast and analyst content capture.
The adjacent Ray Lindwall Oval features five new international training pitches, including a subcontinent pitch, additional field and training nets lighting and an activation area.
As Australian Cricket’s leading national infrastructure project, the $19 million project was supported by the Australian and Queensland Governments, Brisbane City Council, Cricket Australia, Queensland Cricket, and Northern Suburbs District Cricket Club.
The Campus project featured a three-stage construction schedule over the past three years across the Shaw Road Redevelopment (Stages A & B) at nearby Kalinga and the Allan Border Field Precinct Redevelopment (Stage C).
The Shaw Road complex features three floodlit ovals, a players’ pavilion, and turf training facilities at the home of Northern Suburbs District Cricket Club.
The completed National Cricket Campus provides facilities that can be utilised by international, national, and state teams, pathway programs and community cricket clubs.
It also encompasses the Bupa National Cricket Centre at Albion which sits adjacent to Allan Border Field.
Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley said the handover of Allan Border Field to complete the NCC project was cause for celebration.
“The National Cricket Campus has been a priority infrastructure project for Australian Cricket and today’s opening is a special moment for the many people who have worked so hard to turn this ambitious vision into reality,’’ he said.
“We thank the Australian Government, Queensland Government, Brisbane City Council, Queensland Cricket and Northern Suburbs District Cricket Club for their wonderful support of the project.
“The Allan Border Field redevelopment completes Queensland Cricket and Cricket Australia’s commitment to create a 365-day facility that provides a world class training and playing environment for our elite national and state teams, as well as a fantastic facility for community use as we work together to inspire and develop the next generation of Queensland and Australian cricketers.
“Cricket Australia thanks and congratulates the Queensland Cricket Board and staff, as well as staff at the Bupa National Cricket Centre for their dedication to the National Cricket Campus project and we look forward to seeing the redeveloped facilities in action.”
Queensland Cricket CEO Terry Svenson said the return of Allan Border Field to a playing and training role after 12 months of redevelopment work was welcomed.
“There will be Premier Cricket matches underway here late next month that will be the start of a busy season ahead,’’ he said.
“Allan Border Field will host international teams preparing ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022, as well as the Queensland Bulls and Queensland Fire teams playing Marsh Sheffield Shield, Marsh One Day Cup, Women’s National Cricket League and the WBBL Brisbane Heat returning to the venue for the first time in three years for the Weber Women’s Big Bash League that will be played under lights,” he said.
“It is a proud moment for Australian Cricket, with the overall NCC project standing as a product of an innovative and professional approach to its design and implementation.
“A special note of thanks to Hutchinson Builders, Trace Project Management and their associates and contractors for their hard work, especially in overcoming the challenges that the weather has thrown up during the life of the project,’’ Svenson said.
Queensland Sport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said the National Cricket Campus builds on Queensland’s reputation as Australia’s home of high-performance sport.
“Our climate and the high-performance technology built into the first-class National Cricket Campus makes Queensland the place to be for teams worldwide,” Mr Hinchliffe said.
“It’s terrific to see the Campus delivering more opportunities for girls to get involved in cricket and be inspired by elite state and national women’s teams.
“We want to show girls they too can achieve their dreams of representing their community, state, and country on the cricket pitch.
“The National Cricket Campus will be valuable sporting infrastructure for visiting international teams competing in this year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
“Completion of the Campus creates premium cricket destination that’s perfectly timed for a bumper year of cricket in Queensland.”
The Right Honourable, the Lord Mayor of Brisbane, Cr Adrian Schrinner, said the completion of the National Cricket Campus was a major milestone in Brisbane’s sporting history.
“This campus will be the place where cricketers will get the opportunity to train in facilities that are world class, from national cricketing stars to grass roots players of all ages and experiences,” Cr Schrinner said.
“Brisbane is Australia’s fastest growing capital and we’re proud to be investing in this state-of-the-art campus which will help foster our cricketing talent and grow our city’s reputation as Australia’s leading sports destination.”
