Tower Hamlets' first ever cricket square launched at Victoria Park

Lutfur Rahman, Executive Mayor of Tower Hamlets and Cllr Kamrul Hussain, Cabinet member for Culture and Recreation unveiled the cricket pitch facilities

Work to create the borough’s first ever grass cricket pitch and cricket square has begun at Victoria Park. 

On Wednesday 13 November, Lutfur Rahman, Executive Mayor of Tower Hamlets, Cllr Kamrul Hussain, Cabinet member for Culture and Recreation along with Josh Knappett, Facilities and Project Lead at Middlesex Cricket Board, Edward Griffin, Chair of the London Cricket Trust, Andrew Millar, UK editor of ESPNcricinfo, and Shahidul Alam Ratan, CEO of Capital Kids Cricket and founder member of Tower Hamlets CC, unveiled the cricket pitch facilities in the east area of the park.  

Lutfur Rahman, Executive Mayor of Tower Hamlets, said:

“A natural turf pitch enables players to develop and improve on their game. With work underway to create our very first grass cricket pitch at Victoria Park, I am confident that residents of all ages and backgrounds will have opportunities to play at the very highest standard of the sport.” 

The council has worked with the support of external strategic partners including the England & Wales Cricket Board, Middlesex Cricket in the Community, and London Cricket Trust, to develop the grass cricket pitch (fine turf wicket).  

The facility aims to increase the capacity and opportunity for children, young people, and adults, of all genders and backgrounds, to progress and excel in their cricket journey; allow more games to be played and allow clubs to play at the highest standards of Saturday and junior cricket leagues. 

Tower Hamlets is one of the largest growth areas of cricket in London. The facility will also allow the local Clubmark accredited club, Tower Hamlets CC to continue their progression up the cricket ladder and allow their junior players to join pathway cricket to Middlesex and England in the future. 

The full works at the Victoria Park pitch are due to be completed by June 2025. Tower Hamlets Council and its partners aim to invest over £150k in cricket facilities across the borough over the next two years. 

Cllr Kamrul Hussain, Cabinet Member for Culture and Recreation, said:

“I would like to thank our partners for their support in developing this brand-new facility which I hope will create generations of future cricket stars.”