Burnage Academy for Boys: A Hub for Year-Round Cricket in Manchester
Burnage Academy for boys is setting the standard for school-based cricket, becoming a hub for year-round participation and community engagement. Through a strong partnership with the Lancashire Cricket Foundation (LCF), the school delivers a programme that combines coaching, competitive opportunities, leadership development, and pathways for young players.
The programme is supported by Lancashire Cricket Foundation, ECB Cricket Cities, Active Manchester, Burnage Academy for Boys, the ECB IG Net Gains Programme, and the Open Schools Fund. Its success has led to plans to replicate the model in Blackburn, working with a secondary school and key community partners.
At the heart of the programme is the embedded presence of LCF Cricket Development Officer Arsalan Khalid, an ECB Level 2, award-winning coach. Arsalan has been central to connecting the school with local clubs, community groups, and street cricket teams, creating a network that ensures young people have access to high-quality coaching and clear pathways.
LCF delivers up to 30 hours of cricket each week at Burnage Academy, including MCC Foundation Hubs, indoor and outdoor coaching sessions, competitive fixtures, festivals, and coach development for staff.
The programme has produced some impressive results. Seven Burnage pupils have progressed into the LCF Inter-League Pathway squads, while the school won the Lancashire Schools Cup (Year 7) in 2025, competing against both state and fee-paying schools. MCC Foundation Hubs provide free coaching and match opportunities, opening doors to formal pathways for young cricketers.
The Chance to Shine Street programme has become a popular part of the academy’s offer. Using Tapeball, a fast-paced and informal version of cricket that doesn’t require protective equipment, the programme attracts young people from South Asian heritage communities.
Burnage Street teams have already made their mark: they were Northern Street Cricket champions and went on to represent Manchester at the National Street Finals at Nottingham University, narrowly missing out on the national title among 16 regional finalists.
Even as a boys-only school, Burnage Academy is making cricket accessible for girls through programmes like LCF Street, MCC Foundation Hubs, and Wicketz, with girls-only sessions run both in school and the community.
The programme is also creating future leaders. In 2025, 16 Young Leaders graduated, including 11 former Burnage pupils, completing a 32-hour programme where they ran their own cricket sessions. Alongside this, 36 staff members from Burnage and nearby schools have undertaken LCF Coach Development, with five now delivering coaching in schools and communities across Manchester.
To match growing participation, the school has invested in facilities, including four outdoor cricket net lanes and a non-turf pitch, developed through the ECB IG Net Gains Initiative with LCF. England and Lancashire bowler Saqib Mahmood visited to coach students and officially open the facilities.
Burnage Academy has become a central hub in the Manchester cricket network, welcoming three secondary schools, 14 primary schools, and a growing number of local clubs and community teams. In 2025, the school hosted 24 fixtures, a number expected to more than double in 2026.
Consultation with pupils, families, and staff highlighted a strong appetite for short-format, competitive cricket. In response, Burnage Cricket Club is being formed, providing a clear pathway between school, street, and community cricket, with fixtures against local clubs and peer schools.
With its proven impact, the Burnage model is now being rolled out in Blackburn, using the same approach: embedded delivery, year-round provision, inclusive formats, strong school–community links, and clear progression pathways.
Burnage Academy for Boys demonstrates how a school-based cricket programme, supported by skilled leadership and strong partnerships, can deliver lasting benefits for pupils, staff, and the wider community. Supported by Lancashire Cricket Foundation, ECB Cricket Cities, Active Manchester, Burnage Academy for Boys, ECB IG Net Gains Programme, and the Open Schools Fund, the programme has become a blueprint for inclusive urban cricket development.