A major new chapter for community sport in the West Midlands has begun with the official opening of a new all-weather cricket dome at Sporting Khalsa FC, creating year-round opportunities for cricket participation and wider community activities.
Located alongside Sporting Khalsa’s existing football facilities in Willenhall, the new venue becomes the third ECB-funded cricket dome in England and Wales. Designed to provide access regardless of weather conditions, the facility is expected to benefit thousands of participants from across the region while helping to remove barriers that have traditionally limited access to the sport.
The opening represents a significant milestone not only for Sporting Khalsa but also for the England and Wales Cricket Board’s wider ambition to make cricket more accessible to communities that have historically been underrepresented within the game. The dome features three full-length cricket lanes and has been designed as a flexible space capable of hosting coaching sessions, training programmes, match play and community events throughout the year.
Sporting Khalsa, a Sikh charitable organisation with a strong track record of community engagement, has steadily expanded its sporting provision in recent years. The club serves one of the most ethnically diverse areas in the West Midlands and has earned recognition for its commitment to grassroots sport and community development. The addition of cricket further strengthens the club’s ambition of becoming a multi-sport hub for local residents.
The launch of the dome also coincides with the introduction of the ECB’s new £45 million Building Belonging in Cricket Fund. Financed through proceeds generated from The Hundred franchise sales, the fund will provide grants ranging from £50,000 to £1 million for projects across England and Wales aimed at increasing participation and improving facilities. Priority will be given to initiatives supporting women and girls, disabled participants, people from lower-income backgrounds and ethnically diverse communities.
ECB Chair Richard Thompson described the new facility as an important step towards opening the game to more people and highlighted the success of similar cricket domes already operating in Bradford and Darwen. He noted that facilities of this kind have proven capable of becoming community hubs that offer far more than cricket alone.
The Sporting Khalsa project was selected partly because of its urban location, allowing the ECB and its partners to demonstrate how high-quality cricket facilities can be successfully developed in areas where available space is limited but demand is high. The club has worked closely with Staffordshire Cricket Board throughout the development process and hopes the venue will inspire greater participation among young people and families across the region.
Speaking about the project, Sporting Khalsa Chair Rajinder Gill said the club’s vision has always been to provide facilities that act as a beacon for both the local community and the wider region. He described the cricket dome as another major addition to that vision and welcomed the opportunity to work alongside cricket partners to maximise its impact.
With further cricket domes already planned for locations including Luton and Lancashire, the opening at Sporting Khalsa signals a growing investment in grassroots infrastructure. For many in the West Midlands, however, the focus remains on what the new dome can deliver locally: a permanent, weather-proof space where future generations can discover, enjoy and develop their love for cricket.
