Major League Cricket (MLC) announced today the establishment of a new Major League Cricket Center at Tollgate Farm Park, with installation of the first natural turf cricket pitches in the Seattle area. The ground is the home base for the Major League Cricket Academy Seattle, serving more than 200 youth cricketers playing in the Seattle Youth Cricket League.
Starting in the 2022 season, the Center will also be the home of the Seattle Thunderbolts. The Thunderbolts begin play this summer in the Toyota Minor League Cricket Championship presented by SLING TV, a national Twenty20 cricket competition for 27 city-based teams from across the United States.
The center features two grounds for both adult and youth play. Three turf wickets are located on each ground, allowing for season-long play. More than 200,000 pounds of natural clay have been installed, specially purposed for the northwestern climate.
“The establishment of Seattle’s Major League Cricket Center is another important step in the development of first-class training and playing facilities accelerating the rapid development of cricket across all levels in the United States,” said Jagan Nemani, Head of Major League Cricket Academies. “The Tollgate Farm Park facility will offer outstanding natural turf pitch playing conditions for Seattle’s aspiring youth and adult cricketers, serving as the home of the Seattle Thunderbolts in Minor League Cricket. I would also like to convey our gratitude to Suraj Viswanathan, USA Cricket board director, who volunteered to oversee the logistics of clay shipments and coordinate with city officials on permits.”
“With this significant investment in a first-class indoor and outdoor cricket center for the Seattle area, Major League Cricket has added another high-quality training and competition hub to support the growth of American cricket.” said Iain Higgins, CEO, USA Cricket. “USA Cricket looks forward to utilizing these outstanding facilities in the future for zonal and national training camps and matches.”
Tollgate Farm Park, located at 1300 W North Bend Way, North Bend, WA 98045, will offer one of the most scenic settings for cricket in the United States. With Mount Si as the backdrop to the cricket facility, the park offers stunning views of the surrounding Cascade Mountains, and the larger facility includes walking trails with interpretive signage highlighting area’s rich history.
“We are delighted to have such a beautiful ground with natural turf pitches as our home ground,” said Phani Chitneni, co-owner, Seattle Thunderbolts. “We are looking forward to hosting Minor League Cricket games at this venue from next year, building on the excitement from playing our inaugural season this summer and fall.
The addition of the Tollgate Farm Park adds an outdoor facility to the Major League Cricket Center in Seattle that also includes an 11,000 square foot, state-of-the-art indoor facility located in Bellevue Wa., that opened in 2020. This premium training center includes five cricket lanes, fitness and agility training areas, skill development pods and a cricket store.
ABOUT THE SEATTLE THUNDERBOLTS
The Seattle Thunderbolts are a founding member of the Toyota Minor League Cricket Championship, beginning play in summer 2021. Playing in the Western Division of the Pacific Conference, the Thunderbolts play their home games at Klahanie Park and Maymoor Park. The Thunderbolts are co-owned by Seattle Sports LLC, Phani Chitneni, Vijay Beniwal, and Salman Taj.
