It is with pleasure that we announce that Desert Springs Resort, Europe’s only international award-winning luxury family resort with its very own dedicated Cricket Ground and Academy, located in Almeria, Andalucía, south-east Spain, has been awarded venue accreditation from the International Cricket Council (ICC) to host official One Day International (ODI) and T20I matches.
The Desert Springs Cricket Ground opened in 2018 with an eighteen (18) wicket square, constructed to ECB standards and specifications, complimented by a Marquee pavilion, sightscreens, scoreboard and associated facilities, is open all year round and provides an outstanding facility to practice and play cricket.
Desert Springs Cricket Ground
The Desert Springs Cricket Academy opened in 2013 comprises an international size world-class quality grass pitch complimented with a full length artificial grass wicket, twenty-four (24) grass wickets and run ups with nets and requisite training equipment.
Desert Springs Cricket Academy
Cricket España, a member of the International Cricket Council dedicated to promoting cricket playing among Spain’s sporting population were responsible for Desert Springs Resorts’ ICC application. Their mission is to promote cricket in Spain among young Spanish and non-Spanish residents through various clubs and academia, striving to help members develop cricketing skills through structured coaching and education programmes that prepare athletes to play cricket in Spain at national level.
The ICC accreditation determines that a venue meets with its stringent guidelines regarding the standards required for both the playing surfaces and ground amenities to qualify to host both ODI and T20I Internationals, all of which Desert Springs Resort has been granted, clearing the way for the existing twenty (20) ICC Member Countries with ODI status to play officially recognised and sanctioned international tournaments at the complex.
John Howden, CEO & General Secretary of Cricket España commented;
“In recent years Cricket España and Desert Springs Resort have worked closely together to develop and grow the game domestically in Spain, and on the International stage.
Everything a cricket team requires is provided for at Desert Springs world-class facilities.”
Desert Springs Resort Sales & Marketing Manager, Simon Coaker remarked;
“Desert Springs has had a long-held vision to host international cricket and the ICC accreditation is a great reward for the resort’s commitment and endeavour. In conjunction with the ICC and Cricket España we look forward to working together to attract high level international cricket to Spain and to help boost what is already a growing sport in this part of the world.”
“Desert Springs Resort provides both First Class Counties and ICC Nations with an alternative option to that of having to incur the expense of travelling long haul to the UAE or further to escape Europe’s winter in search of a warm-weather climate to both compete in officially recognised matches and complete their training camps on a world-class grass ground with the leading academy facilities in continental Europe.”
There are no ICC accredited venues in Europe other than in the established Test playing countries, Scotland and Holland. Accordingly, this accreditation is far reaching for cricket providing England, Ireland, Scotland and Holland a new venue for official ODI’s. The ICC now have an additional location for staging events and it provides an added stimulus for the development of cricket in Spain and other European cricket nations.
Resort accommodation for players, officials and spectators is provided in the villas, apartments & townhouses at Desert Springs Resort. Meals are served in the resort’s Crocodile Club Restaurant and the award-winning El Torrente Restaurant at the Club House. Guests benefit from resort gated security and full management and services that ensure all aspects of their stay are taken care of.
Resort Apartment Accommodation
Desert Springs Resort is served by three international airports, Almeria 45 minutes, Murcia/Corvera 70 minutes and Alicante 110 minutes away by car, making the area easily accessible with 2 1⁄2 hour chartered and scheduled flights from all parts of the UK and Ireland, as well easy access from the rest of Europe.
For further information about Desert Springs Cricket, please visit;
https://www.desertspringsresort.es/home/cricket/
For further information about Desert Springs Resort, please visit; www.desertspringsresort.es
