The Desert Springs Cricket Ground has recently experienced an exceptional period of activity, hosting an outstanding line-up of English first-class counties and professional squads as preparations intensified ahead of the 2026 domestic season.
The Desert Springs ICC Accredited Cricket Ground
In recent weeks, the venue has welcomed a remarkable concentration of teams from the top tier of English professional cricket across both the men’s and women’s game. These include men’s full squad pre-season camps for Yorkshire, Somerset, Lancashire and Derbyshire County Cricket Clubs, alongside leading women’s professional sides Hampshire CCC Women, Durham CCC Women and The Blaze. In addition, specialist men’s bowling groups from Durham and Glamorgan, as well as academy programmes for Derbyshire and Lancashire, have all utilised the facilities.
The scale and overlap of activity represents one of the busiest and most significant periods of cricket ever hosted at Desert Springs.
This surge in demand follows disruption to traditional pre-season destinations in the Middle East, prompting several counties to relocate their training camps to southern Europe. Desert Springs has successfully accommodated a substantial number of these programmes, often at short notice, reinforcing its growing reputation as a reliable and high-quality pre-season base.
The shift also reflects a broader evolution in pre-season planning. Short-haul destinations such as Desert Springs Resort offer increased flexibility, enabling teams to adjust schedules more easily, while also delivering cost efficiencies without compromising preparation standards. This, in turn, allows clubs to travel with larger touring groups, including extended squads and support staff, while maximising valuable time on grass.
The quality of both facilities and playing surfaces has been widely praised by visiting teams.
Mark Chilton, Director of Cricket at Lancashire County Cricket Club, commented:
“The week has gone very well – the facilities are absolutely first class. We’re getting everything that we need out of the trip, getting the players back on the grass in preparation for the first weeks of the season. We were able to get out in the middle and complete a two-day fixture, which was invaluable, and it couldn’t have gone much better.”
Somerset Head Coach Jason Kerr added:
“It’s been outstanding. The facilities have been excellent and the players have maximised their time on grass. This trip has been invaluable in building on our winter work, and we’re looking forward to getting some competitive cricket in against strong opposition. The opportunity to play red-ball cricket against Yorkshire gives us that added competitive edge you simply can’t replicate in training.”
Similarly, The Blaze Head Coach Craig Cumming highlighted the consistency of conditions across all aspects of the venue:
“The surfaces have played really well. The new 50-over surface looks excellent – I’d like to bat on it myself. From the surfaces to the accommodation and the food, everything has been brilliant. We’ve absolutely loved our time here.”
Durham Women’s Assistant Coach Kyle Coetzer was equally emphatic in his assessment:
“Everything has been fantastic. The surfaces have played superbly, and the ground is as good as anywhere else in the world. The wickets have been very good throughout.”
Continued investment in infrastructure has further strengthened Desert Springs’ position as a leading pre-season destination. The venue is now capable of supporting multiple professional squads simultaneously within a fully integrated environment, combining high-quality playing and training surfaces with on-site accommodation, dining, and a secure, private setting.
The cricket facilities include an ICC approved match ground featuring eighteen grass wickets, supported by training facility with a twenty-four-bay grass wicket system, full run-ups and a dedicated fielding area; allowing multiple squads to train concurrently.
A number of competitive and scenario-based fixtures have also taken place during this period. Yorkshire County Cricket Club have undertaken both white-ball and red-ball preparation, including a T20 internal match and a two-day fixture against Somerset. Derbyshire and Hampshire Women have utilised the match ground for scenario-based match play, while Lancashire have staged a two-day 11 v 11 internal fixture as part of their programme.
In the women’s schedule, Hampshire Women completed two days of internal white-ball scenarios as part of their preparation, while Durham and The Blaze have competed in both T20 and 50-over fixtures on consecutive days, providing valuable match practice ahead of the season.
Alongside full squad camps, specialist training groups have also made extensive use of the facilities, with both Glamorgan and Durham running dedicated bowling programmes during their time at the resort.
Highlights of the various camps and fixtures can be found on the Desert Springs Cricket Instagram channel. Available via the following link: https://www.instagram.com/desertspringscricket/
Schedule of Visiting Teams:
18–22 February 2026 – Derbyshire CCC Academy (Men’s Academy)
8–18 March 2026 – Yorkshire CCC (Men’s full squad)
8–18 March 2026 – Somerset CCC (Men’s full squad)
13–18 March 2026 – Glamorgan CCC (Men’s bowling group)
13–18 March 2026 – Durham CCC (Men’s bowling group)
14–20 March 2026 – Derbyshire CCC (Men’s full squad)
18–24 March 2026 – Hampshire CCC (Women’s Full squad)
20–27 March 2026 – Lancashire CCC (Men’s full squad)
23–29 March 2026 – Durham CCC (Women’s Full squad)
23–29 March 2026 – The Blaze (Full squad)
25–30 March 2026 – Kent CCC Academy (Men’s Academy)
1–7 April 2026 – Lancashire CCC Academy (Men’s Academy)
Further activity is scheduled throughout spring, with a number of school groups visiting over the Easter period for a programme of fixtures and tournament play, including the Desert Springs Hundred. The venue will also host the ECB Mixed Disability Squad in May for a combined training and competition camp.
Looking ahead, Desert Springs aims to attract a similar level of professional activity in the build-up to the 2027 season, while distributing visits over a longer period. This will create greater opportunity for competitive fixtures to be scheduled and complete – adding an important final component to the professional pre-season programme.
