The Indian co-owner of the Hundred franchise Manchester Super Giants has acquired 2½ acres of land behind Old Trafford to develop a state-of-the-art cricket training facility. The purchase, costing several million pounds, is part of a broader plan to enhance Lancashire’s cricket infrastructure and support the long-term growth of the sport in the region.
The RPSG group, which holds a 70 percent stake in the Super Giants and owns other franchises including the IPL’s Lucknow Super Giants and the SA20’s Durban Super Giants, originally bought 49 percent of the Hundred team from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) before acquiring an additional 21 percent from Lancashire for £80 million.
Dr Sanjiv Goenka, chairman of the RPSG group, emphasized the strategic nature of the investment during an interview. “We could have chosen to do this in India, but we chose to invest in Manchester and Old Trafford because we really see the potential there,” he said. He highlighted Manchester’s rich sporting heritage and the iconic status of Old Trafford as key reasons behind their decision, expressing a desire to build a lasting legacy in the area.
The newly acquired site sits behind Lancashire’s indoor school and was previously part of the county’s landholdings before being sold in 1962. More recently, the area housed a large B&Q store and freight yard. Lancashire had sought to repurchase the land, but RPSG successfully outbid developers who had permission to build around 600 homes on the site. The group plans to create a facility comparable to the Nursery Ground at Lord’s, with the advantage of a significantly larger footprint.
The new complex will provide Lancashire with an outdoor ground for year-round training, alongside upgraded indoor net facilities, including a gym and advanced sports science and medical amenities. These improvements will be accessible to players from Lancashire’s men's and women’s teams, as well as those across the Super Giants franchise network.
“It’s about building for the future,” Goenka said, adding that fans will have opportunities to observe training sessions in the new facility. The training ground is intended to serve all Super Giants franchises worldwide, offering a venue for camps and player development.
The investment signals RPSG’s commitment to Lancashire and English cricket’s evolving landscape. Private ownership of Hundred teams, including RPSG’s involvement, marks a significant shift for the sport in England. While some observers have expressed concerns about the Hundred’s impact on the domestic cricket calendar—limiting international fixtures and compressing the T20 Blast—the direct investment in player facilities at Old Trafford counters fears of asset stripping.
Goenka acknowledged that returns on such investments would take time, noting, “The Hundred has done brilliantly over the last few years, but there is so much more to come. It is not like instant coffee. It takes time.” Drawing on experience gained from the IPL, where he formed the Lucknow Super Giants in 2021, Goenka indicated plans to apply lessons from India’s premier T20 league to Manchester.
Overall, this development reflects a long-term vision to strengthen Lancashire cricket and support the growth of the Hundred competition, balancing commercial ambitions with sustained investment in player welfare and infrastructure.