The players here are very lucky to have these facilities at their disposal Rod Marsh Feature: The Academy in depth

The Queen was at Loughborough University to open the �4.5 million complex which by 2007 is expected to produce all of England's stars.

The academy is billed as the biggest and most advanced facility of its kind anywhere in the world.

It has six nets with tracks tailored to assist different bowlers.

Bowling machines can dispatch 60 different deliveries at speeds of up to 100 mph.

Academy director Marsh said: "I think Australia will find the next 10 years much more difficult than they found the last 10.

"In England we now have the best facilities in the world and, as a player, there's no better place to be.

The Queen was an honoured guest at Loughborough

"We have the best facilities in the world here and it's a great place for the players to come in and work on their game on a daily basis.

"My job is to try and get these guys to a level where they are capable of representing England at international cricket.

"If I can get even one player from each Academy year into the Test side then I count that as success because in 10 years' time at that rate you've got the backbone of the team.

"The players here are very lucky to have these facilities at their disposal but they realise that and they're working very hard to make the most of it."

The opening of the Academy means England's brightest prospects will no longer be required to winter in Australia as they have done for the previous two years.