Yorkshire have revealed new plans to boost cricket across Bradford with the regeneration of Bradford Park Avenue.
In a partnership between Yorkshire County Cricket Club, the Yorkshire Cricket Board, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), and Bradford Council, the “iconic” venue could be restored to its former glory to spearhead the development of inner-city cricket.
Although the initial focus will be on increasing grass-roots participation, there is also the prospect of first-class cricket potentially returning to the ground for the first time since 1996.
As part of work funded by Sport England, Bradford has been targeted by the ECB as one of five cities in which the national governing body wants to engage more closely with South-Asian communities.
However, recent data has highlighted a gap, said by the ECB to be the biggest in the country, between the number of facilities available and those needed to satisfy demand.
Figures in Bradford Council’s new playing pitch strategy, released last month, suggest a shortage of 18 cricket grounds across the district, with that figure rising to 25 venues by 2021.
Park Avenue is cited in the strategy as having “poor changing facilities”, but a “good-quality pitch”, and the ground has a covenant that means it can only be redeveloped for cricketing purposes.
Mark Arthur, Yorkshire chief executive, confirmed the club had visited the site with council officials to assess its current state.
“Because there is a shortage of pitches in the Bradford area, this is a fantastic opportunity for us to regenerate Park Avenue for the benefit of the community,” he said.
“There is also the potential for disability cricket, women’s cricket, academy cricket, and maybe one day in the future, there may be a time where the odd first-class game could go there, particularly in 2019, when we are scheduled in Yorkshire to host an Ashes Test, a one-day international against Australia, and probably four World Cup matches here in Leeds.
“This will put huge pressure on our pitch facilities at Headingley, and if Bradford Park Avenue was up to first-class standards by that time, there is no reason why we couldn’t look to take the odd game there.
“But, fundamentally, this is about community use, and a flagship opportunity for the ECB in that it is probably the best-situated inner-city ground in a city with one of the fastest-growing populations in the country.
Cricket could return to Bradford Park Avenue as part of plans to rejuvenate the ground http://t.co/wqAmPpV0qU#YCCCpic.twitter.com/V2uKROjCQr
— Yorkshire CCC (@Yorkshireccc) December 11, 2014
Yorkshire hope to complete a feasibility study of the ground early in the new year, but the first phase of the project could include a range of modern practice pitches designated for club and community use.
The scheme is expected to provide better facilities - such as artificial and grass nets - and engagement with the sport for Bradford's Asian community, a large number of which are cricket lovers, at a time when participation is on the wane.
Figures published last month showed a decline in the number of people playing cricket nationwide from 908,000 in 2013 to 844,000 this year. Part of that is due to a lack of provision.
Dan Musson, the ECB’s facilities and investment manager, said: “We want new spaces to play cricket in Bradford and an iconic facility in Park Avenue that can connect the local community right through to elite.