The Board of the ICC Global Cricket Academy met in Dubai yesterday to discuss ongoing plans and to review progress on the major facilities under construction at Dubai Sports City.
Dubai Sports City is set to house the future headquarters of the ICC, as well as the ICC Global Cricket Academy. As a result, executives are confident that Dubai will play an increasingly important role in the promotion of regional and international cricket.
Board members at the meeting included ICC GCA Chairman Ehan Mani; ICC Chief Executive Malcolm Speed; ICC President Ray Mali; Chief Executive of Dubai Sports City, U. Balasubramaniam, ICC GCA Director of Coaching Rod Marsh and DSC President, Khalid Al Zarooni.
President-elect of the ICC, David Morgan, was also present for the meeting, commenting that the progress being made at Dubai Sports City was enormously positive.
"Even at this stage of construction, it is very clear that it [cricket stadium] will be a significant stadium which will have its own charm. The cricket facilities at Dubai Sports City will surely be attractive and helpful to many nations," said Morgan.
Given Dubai's central geographic location, executives believe that the advanced facilities at Dubai Sports City will be support the training programmes of major cricketing nations from the United Kingdom through to Australia, and will be particularly convenient for near neighbours India and Pakistan.
In addition, plans are in place to support the development of the ICC High Performance Program teams – such as Bermuda, Ireland, Kenya and Canada – whose national teams are being offered full support to take a wider role in international cricket.
One of the unique aspects of the project is the creation of foreign-style cricket pitches, or wickets, to reproduce the exact conditions to be found overseas. This will enable national Teams to prepare for major tests and international competitions in Dubai.
Dubai Sports City will also feature a 25,000-capacity cricket stadium, which is expandable to 30,000. Construction work on this major feature also proceeded significantly, with the core foundation and much of the exterior work completed.
The successful relocation of the ICC to Dubai, which has cemented its position in the heart of the cricket world, has been one of the major achievements under the leadership of Chief Executive Malcolm Speed.
"Having been involved with this project from the beginning, it is a great feeling to see it nearing completion," says Speed. "It will be truly world class and will be exciting to watch the finishing touches put on it before the first match is played here within the next 12 months."
Dubai Sports City – Graeme Gooch Praises the Cricket facilities
Graham Gooch Among Leading Cricketers Reviewing Dubai Sports City. English County Clubs Consider Dubai as Potential Training and Touring Base
One of the most successful international batsmen of his generation, Graham Gooch, OBE, was part of a major delegation from Essex County Cricket Club (CCC) that toured Dubai Sports City's cricket facilities this weekend.
Essex CCC Chief Executive David East was also a member of the delegation, which visited the Dubai Sports City Cricket Stadium, the 25,000 seat facility which will be completed later this year, as well as reviewing construction of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Global Cricket Academy and the new ICC headquarters building.
Gooch – former captain of both Essex and England – expressed his excitement at the prospect of the world's first city dedicated to sport, and in particular the range of venues and training centres being created specifically for cricket.
"Dubai Sports City is a truly amazing project, which will provide an incredible environment for people to live and to play sport. It will certainly help encourage the growth of the sport in the region, and there's a lot of potential for international sides to use it as a base for tours and training," said Gooch.
Essex is among the UK sides visiting the country to compete alongside the UAE National team in the Arabian Cricket Challenge, with Somerset, Lancashire, Sussex and Yorkshire. Delegations from all five cricketing counties are expected to visit the Dubai Sports City while they are in the UAE.
The ICC Global Cricket Academy will combine the most advanced sporting facilities and technologies available, with a staff of leading coaches and visiting professionals. Part of its attraction for visiting teams is that it will replicate the wickets of major grounds around the world, to provide an ideal location for overseas training.
Marc Archer, General Manager for the Global Cricket Academy, commented: "We're in discussion with a number of teams from almost every cricketing nation about the potential to use the facilities at Dubai Sports City for training. It's very exciting to see the enormously positive response that we're getting from countries like Essex – and from world-respected veterans like Graham Gooch."
Gooch, who is currently a specialist batting coach for Essex, was a key member of a team that won the county championship six times in the years 1979-1992, and also won every other major domestic trophy at least once in the same period.
"One of the most gratifying parts of being involved in Dubai Sports City has been the interest shown by people who could justifiably be called legends. From some of the greatest names in football and golf, through to cricketers who have made their mark on the sport's history, Dubai Sports City continues to welcome visits from the world's best," said U. Balasubramaniam, CEO, Dubai Sports City.