The Academy squad have been training in Adelaide

Plan A involved locating to Bisham Abbey in Buckinghamshire, but problems with planning permission (the buildings have listed status and the site covers an old burial ground) proved insurmountable, and a new venue was needed.

Three contenders emerged; Durham, Cambridge and Loughborough and it was the latter's existing facilities, combined with a proven track record in sports science and teaching that proved compelling.

"We're a key English Institute of Sport regional centre with a �15m development programme currently underway, mostly funded by Sport England, which includes a 50 metre swimming pool, sports administration block and a combined netball/badminton centre," said Dr Guy Jackson, Director of the University's Centre of Cricket Excellence.

Commitment to sport

With around 10 per cent of Loughborough's 15,000 students involved in sports education, and the campus also boasting athletics, gymnastics, tennis and hockey facilities, the opportunity for English cricket's elite to live and work in such a dedicated environment was a major attraction.

"The facilities and, more importantly, the expertise that accompanies them, will be extremely valuable," said Jackson.

"But the real bonus is our sports science and sports medicine departments, as good as any in the UK, with work ranging from bio-mechanics to acclimatisation techniques and dietary analysis."

With none of this available at Bisham, it is hard to understand why it was ever considered in the first place, other than because of its proximity to London.

Bisham was rejected

Neither does Bisham boast cricket pitches, while Loughborough, one of six ECB-appointed UCCE, has mature wickets, a sizeable playing area, nets and a groundsman.

Centrepiece of the Academy will be a new indoor cricket centre, sitting alongside the two existing outdoor pitches, and providing them with a new pavilion.

"Precise details haven't yet been determined," explained Jackson, "natural light is hugely important with an indoor cricket centre, but you've also got to keep heat out.

"Our original proposals for the roof design could not be met within the final budget, so we're revising them, which may affect the building's dimensions. But we've worked closely with Rod Marsh and looked at other indoor centres in the UK.

Authentic pitches

"It'll certainly be state of the art, with a flexible lane configuration, including a full-length wicket to closely replicate actual playing conditions, and the use of a Hawkeye camera arrangement.

"We're even examining ways of producing a more realistic net surface, not the traditional bright green, but brown."

It's a plan Jackson intends continuing outside.

"There are no Test Match standard net surfaces in the UK, but we're aspiring to create some, allowing us to simulate aspects of real playing conditions," he added.

Funding for the Academy comes principally from the Sport England Lottery Panel (�4m), with the University contributing �250,000 and underwriting the remaining �150,000 required for a contingency fund.

Sport England chairman Trevor Brooking

"We're seeking to cover our costs through fundraising and sponsorship. The site will be owned and run by the University, with the ECB renting it from us," said Jackson.

A design competition is likely for the indoor centre (a tendering process that should also help reduce construction costs) with pavilion, physiotherapy and conditioning rooms included.

Work should start on site by mid/late summer 2002, with completion roughly 12 months later.

While the centre's highest-profile users will be the Academy squad, national cricket development will also centre on Loughborough, with the various England youth teams using the facilities, along with the England Women's team and the Coach Education Office possibly relocating from Edgbaston.

While the Academy intake may well continue with their winter visits to their overseas counterparts, Loughborough University is currently finalising refurbishment of four Georgian residences.

They will accommodate the cream of England's young cricketers at other times because, while it's nice to go travelling, as the song says: "It's so much nicer to come home."