Lancashire Cricket’s interim chairperson, Paralympic cyclist and swimmer Dame Sarah Storey, said: “We really can work from the very grassroots of the sport, all the way through to the very elite end and it’s an incredible opportunity.
“I’m sure when we first get children through the doors here, we will be able to follow their journeys from that community pitch… to the professional pitch… and, who knows, from here they could go on to represent England one day, too.
“It provides us with the opportunity to reach right to the north of the county and all the way across to the south. We’re a huge county in Lancashire and it’s really important that we get to showcase what’s on offer to all children and all communities.”
She added that the pavilion also provided the space needed to host indoor events for disability cricket, boosting the sport’s credentials as “one of the most inclusive”.