Sport England Backs Big Bash Indoor Cricket League

Sport England has backed the Big Bash Indoor Cricket League (BBICL) with a small grant aimed at long-term sustainability. The investment focuses on practical tools and capacity—a bigger venue for 2019, in-house kit printing, and media equipment—so Sheffield’s indoor cricket can run affordably and grow year-round.

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After an initial unsuccessful bid in early 2018, organisers refined their case around sustainability—how BBICL would keep improving and stay affordable beyond any single grant cycle. That approach landed support later in the year, with the award confirmed in 2019.

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What the grant enables.

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Bigger venue for the 2019 season (Astrea Academy): more space, better viewing, and a better playing experience.
Media & tech (camcorder, mics, tripods) to capture games and grow BBICL’s digital reach.
In-house kit printing (vinyl cutter + heat press) so teams can have names and numbers at low cost, season after season.
Live scoring & stats continue via CricClubs to keep players and fans engaged.
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Why it matters.

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This isn’t about one-off purchases—it’s the infrastructure for a sustainable league: tools the organisers own, a venue that can scale participation, and media that brings the community along. It supports BBICL’s plan to grow players, teams and matches across 2019–2021 while keeping fees fair.

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Award

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The Managers said...

“This is the second attempt at applying and the perseverance paid off. We're excited to improve and increase participation in our cricket leagues over the coming years. Thanks to Sport England for believing in our vision"

— Hamzah Hussain

Chair, BBICL

“This support lets us keep costs down for the community while raising the quality—bigger spaces, better media coverage, same community feel”

— Muhammad Adnan

Board Member, BBICL

What's Next?

BBICL 2019 kicks off 27 Sept 2019 at Astrea Academy, the first step in delivering a bigger, better indoor season for Sheffield. With in-house kit printing and upgraded media coverage, the focus is simple: make participation affordable, improve the experience every year, and grow a league built to last.