Cricket Scotland is pleased to announce it will shortly begin a public consultation process on a Facilities Strategy for Scottish cricket.
The announcement was made on Tuesday at Dalgety Bay Leisure Centre, where collaboration has taken place between Dunfermline Carnegie Cricket Club and Fife Sports and Leisure Trust that has seen a new two-lane indoor hardball cricket facility installed in the leisure centre’s main sports hall.
The upgraded facility provides local schools and cricket clubs greater opportunity to practice hardball cricket year-round and also creates another training venue for Cricket Scotland’s senior and Pathway squads.
Scotland Men’s U19 Head Coach Keegan Russell was on hand to offer a free coaching session to children from nearby Inverkeithing High School including members of local sides Dunfermline Carnegie Cricket Club and Glenrothes Cricket Club. Russell’s U19 squad are in final preparation for the ICC Men’s U19 World Cup, which begins in January in Zimbabwe.
The forthcoming consultation process with regional associations, clubs, communities and local authorities is likely to include a series of online and in-person events and will shape the strategic blueprint for Cricket Scotland’s focus and investment in this crucial area of the game.
The loss of Shawholm, home of Poloc Cricket Club in 2023, is one such example of why Cricket Scotland has conducted its first national assessment of indoor and outdoor facilities, in order to safeguard places to play the game in the future at all levels. As part of the strategy, the national governing body is investigating a series of options for a permanent home for Scottish cricket, as it builds towards co-hosting the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2030 with England and Ireland.
Fraser Reynolds, Cricket Scotland National Development Manager, said:
“It’s been extremely exciting to see the collaboration between Dunfermline Carnegie CC and Fife Sports and Leisure Trust come to fruition with the creation of this new nets facility, which will benefit cricket clubs and schools across the local area.
“Cricket, like many sports around the country, is under severe pressure in terms of available places to play this wonderful game, and it’s a key priority of Cricket Scotland to help redress this. What is clear however, is how import club and local authority partnerships such as this one are when it comes to promoting sport in communities.
“Our draft Facilities Strategy will shortly be consulted upon publicly, as we look to work with our regional associations, clubs and local authorities to create more suitable facilities across Scotland, for use at both club and community level as well as for our high-performance teams.”
Colin Glencorse, Head of Operations at Fife Sports and Leisure Trust, said:
“Access to facilities is a key factor in helping people become more active, particularly children and young people who are new to sport. Our partnership with Dunfermline Carnegie Cricket Club has enabled us to deliver a high-quality indoor training space that supports skills development, confidence building and sustained participation.
“This joined-up approach strengthens our support for local clubs and enhances the pathway into cricket across the area.”
Dejesh Deenadayalan, President of Dunfermline Carnegie Cricket Club, said:
“We’re delighted to be partnering with Fife Leisure Trust as we continue to grow cricket in Dunfermline and across Fife. At Dunfermline & Carnegie Cricket Club, we’re dedicated to driving participation and nurturing the next generation of players, offering a clear pathway for young talent to develop and succeed.
“Following the fantastic success of two senior team promotions last season, this is a truly exciting time for the club, and this partnership marks the beginning of even bigger ambitions for the future. We’d love to hear from anyone who shares our passion for local sport or is interested in supporting our journey ahead.”
