Cricket in Redbridge gets a boost

Cricket in Redbridge will get a massive boost due to £800,000 funding to improve playing facilities in the borough.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) provided the funding to help ensure the sport becomes accessible and inclusive to everyone in Redbridge. The borough is a real hotbed of cricket, with an estimated 7,000 people, including men, women and children, playing the game.

We’re also fortunate to have some homegrown players from Redbridge who have played professionally. A prime example is Nasser Hussain, who lived in Ilford and went on to captain England between 1999 and 2003. It was in our borough where Nasser honed his cricket skills.

A large portion of the investment will go towards helping improve cricket pitches in our parks. We have installed seven non-turf pitches in locations across the borough, and work will take place over three years to improve the quality of cricket pitches. The funding will also extend to providing new sprinkler systems to pitches and installing hybrid pitches.

Cllr Kam Rai, Deputy Leader of Redbridge Council, said:

“Cricket has always been a popular sport in our borough, and you can see how much people enjoy playing the game when you visit one of our amazing parks at the weekend or throughout the summer.

“We’re thankful to the ECB for this funding that will deliver massive improvements to facilities across the borough. We also hope it encourages the next generation of cricket players to participate. Who knows, we may have a future Nasser Hussain, Joe Root or Nat Sciver-Brunt in our midst.”

Find out more about cricket pitches and cricket clubs in Redbridge