Free-to-air Broadcasting: Cricket Participation

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Tuesday 9th September 2025 Westminster Hall

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

Again, it is a real pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms McVey. This has been a special afternoon for me; I hope it has been special for you as well.

I commend the hon. Member for Cheltenham (Max Wilkinson) for setting the scene so incredibly well and so clearly outlining his love of cricket. As someone who is maybe not as enthusiastic, but who loved cricket during my time at school at Coleraine Inst back in the late ’60s and early ’70s—that has completely aged me—I can never understand why cricket is not more highly regarded. Indeed, some in those days might have seen the sport as upper class, but nothing could be further from the truth. Cricket is for everyone, and I believe that allowing more cricket to be broadcast will open the door to many others.

I am going to speak about the Irish cricket team. I hope I will not offend any English cricketers when I mention that the Ireland team, which is north and south—people from both sides of the community and both countries play for the Irish team; Ireland’s national team represents both the Republic and Northern Ireland—has increased the sport’s profile with key victories, for instance knocking out England in the 2011 cricket world cup. That boosted national interest and led to a boom in grassroots participation. That culminated in Ireland being granted elite test match status by the International Cricket Council in 2017, which was another step up in the level of cricket back home.

We have plans for the future, with Cricket Ireland initiating projects to build world-class facilities to support the sport’s growth, and the board has approved a strategic £1 million investment for phase one of a major redevelopment at the Northern Ireland Civil Service Sports Association at Stormont in Belfast. Just some four weeks ago, I attended an event at which games from both sides of the community were promoted. I spoke to the guy in charge of cricket and was really encouraged by what he told me they were going to do. This investment will transform the international venue of Stormont to host matches for the 2030 T20 world cup, which Ireland is co-hosting. We anticipate great things for that tournament, which will be an opportunity to celebrate right across the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and Ireland south—a cricket tournament in which we will be sharing venues for this special moment.

Despite the positive momentum, cricket in Northern Ireland still faces challenges. Although investment is under way, a lack of quality training and playing facilities remains a barrier to expansion—the hon. Member for Cheltenham set that point in perspective for his constituency and his area. The co-hosting of the 2030 T20 world cup, while a major boost, has faced funding challenges in Northern Ireland. A funding shortfall was reported in July 2025, just a few months ago, requiring consultation with Government partners to secure necessary investment. The Northern Ireland Assembly Member Gordon Lyons has been in touch with the Minister here to see how they could advance. I look forward to the Minister’s contribution, as I think we all do, because the Minister always brings energy and enthusiasm for the subject matter, and today it is cricket. I wonder whether the hon. Lady has played cricket. If she has, I am sure she would have been dynamic. There is no doubt about that.

On trying to find a way forward, it is important to have a joint approach delivering the cricket world cup, if we are hoping to sponsor it jointly. Cricket faces strong competition from more established sports in Northern Ireland, such as soccer, rugby and Gaelic games. For the sport to thrive it needs to be more widely available and accessible. I support the motion, as it would allow cricket to be a riveting game that is understandable and available to people throughout the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.