ACG Cricket Sports Ground

While there are many sports and activities tourists can partake in, while in Phuket, such as tennis, golf and surfing, one of the lesser known but most pivotal in the youth community is cricket. Established in 2011, the ACG Cricket Sports Ground is now home to the Phuket Cricket League as well as the official venue for the Thai National Youth Cricket Games in 2012.

Cricket first became popular in Thailand in the early 1900’s as a recreational sport mostly played by expats and children of elite Thai families. It wasn’t until the 1960-70’s that it was recognized internationally, leading Thailand to become a member of the ICC in 2005. It was around this time that the founder, Alan Cooke, conceived the idea of the ACG Cricket Sports Ground to help the development and promotion of Thai Youth Cricket. Land was acquired and development slowly began, although there would be an almost five years delay that would not see construction resumed until 2011. Once underway, the community rallied around the ACG project and development only took about a year to complete with all of its resources such as architectural fees, electrical, engineering services, quantity surveying and even legal fees provided at no cost.

The first of its kind, the ACG Cricket Sports Ground has paved the way for the development of other sports clubs in Phuket. Located in a quiet area of Thalang, approximately five minutes north of the Heroines Monument, the immense cricket ground boasts a 300 meters double level clubhouse with changing rooms and toilets on the ground floor, the infamous Boundary Bar that serves a variety of home style pub food as well as snooker tables and dart boards. The ground contains the beautiful and well maintained cricket field with flood lighting for evening games, two practice nets and an all weather playing strip. There is also ample space for parking.