Cricket Ireland has entered a strategic partnership with Square One Academy and the University of Brighton, creating a new education and high-performance option for emerging male and female players.
Up to three nominated male and three nominated female Irish cricketers will be able to enrol each year, combining undergraduate or postgraduate study with a structured cricket development programme at the university’s Falmer campus.
The partnership is aimed particularly at the important transition between underage pathway cricket and the emerging or senior international game, when players can face difficult choices between education and continuing their sporting development.
It will provide Cricket Ireland with an additional environment in which players can remain connected to the national performance pathway while accessing regular coaching, sports science, performance analysis, strength and conditioning, psychology, nutrition and recovery support.
Square One operates from a purpose-built, 2,200-square-metre indoor facility at the University of Brighton. The venue contains nine indoor net lanes with full-length run-ups, ball-tracking technology, advanced bowling machines and two indoor cricket courts. The university describes it as the largest indoor cricket academy in the UK and the second-largest indoor cricket facility in the world.
The wider Square One Academy programme offers 60 fully funded places annually to University of Brighton students, with players receiving between 15 and 20 hours of high-performance cricket provision each week alongside their academic studies.
The Cricket Ireland partnership will extend beyond player placement. The organisations intend to explore overseas training camps, coach development, shared performance knowledge and the creation of meaningful fixtures for male and female emerging teams.
“This is about developing cricketers with a focus on personal development in an environment where cricket, education and athlete development work hand in hand,” said Cricket Ireland High Performance Coach and Emerging Player Development Lead Pete Johnston.
“This partnership offers an opportunity for players to pursue a university degree while training within a high-performance programme that will mirror many of the environments found in the professional game.
“Importantly, this strengthens our existing pathway. Our ambition is to provide talented Irish players with the opportunity to develop and gain valuable experiences, all while receiving an education and remaining fully integrated with cricket.”
The equal allocation of potential places to male and female players is an important feature of the agreement and reflects Cricket Ireland’s broader commitment to developing both performance pathways.
It also provides another potential answer to a challenge faced across Irish sport: how to retain talented athletes during the years when education, employment and sporting demands can begin to compete with one another.
Johnston acknowledged that the timing of the announcement could make entry for the 2026 academic year difficult, although some players may still be able to explore available courses through the UCAS clearing system. The main intake of Cricket Ireland-nominated players is expected to begin in 2027.
Square One co-founder Rob Ferley said the academy had been designed to enable players to continue their education while training in a high-performance environment every day.
“For emerging Irish cricketers, this partnership provides the opportunity to develop as students, people and athletes, while remaining connected to Cricket Ireland’s wider performance pathway,” he said.
University of Brighton Vice-Chancellor Professor Donna Whitehead said the partnership would allow talented Irish players to pursue their sporting ambitions while benefiting from a university education.
“Through our partnership with Square One Academy, student athletes can access outstanding facilities, expert support and a learning environment that enables them to succeed both on and off the field,” she said.
Sport for Business Perspective
The agreement broadens the development options available beyond Cricket Ireland’s domestic structures and facilities without losing contact with the players involved.
It is a practical dual-career initiative, offering the security of an academic qualification alongside the daily training, specialist coaching and performance services required to progress towards senior international cricket.
The value of the partnership will ultimately be measured by how successfully it helps promising players navigate the space between pathway potential and established senior performance. The combination of education, high-performance support and structured collaboration gives Cricket Ireland another significant tool with which to bridge that gap.
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Image Credit: Cricket Ireland and Square One
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