Park Ward lacked a cricket club that truly catered to the needs of its local community, especially children from underprivileged backgrounds. With support from the Cricket Asylum, Mohammed organised a community cricket day at King Cross Rugby Club, where cricket hadn’t been played in over a decade. More than 100 children between the ages of 9 and 11 attended, showing a clear appetite for the sport.
From this, King Cross Juniors was born, launching with four junior teams, offering the opportunity for children in the area to learn the sport free of charge, play fixtures and create new friendships.
With no home ground, they shared a worn pitch with rugby and football clubs, with no permanent wicket. Still, their enthusiasm shone through and against all odds, they won the Under-11 League Cup in their first season.
By 2023, the club had expanded to six teams and over 150 children. The vision remained clear: to make cricket accessible regardless of financial status.
However, with a lack of a permanent and suitable home and no available fields in Park Ward, the club had no choice but to relocate to Greetland, four and a half miles away.
Due to this about a third of the children stopped attending due to travel barriers. Determined to find a solution to this, Mohammed borrowed a minibus from the Himmat Project to pick up and transport children to training and matches and the club’s numbers continued to grow.
By last year, King Cross Juniors has grown to include 9 teams and over 250 registered children, with more than 200 participating in the ECB Dynamos programme—reaching over 400 children at least once a week.
This makes it the largest junior cricket set-up in England, although it remains the only cricket club without a permanent home ground.
The club’s activities have led to over 10,000 single sports-related events, including trips to Yorkshire cricket grounds and meet-the-player experiences.
With thanks to funding from Active Calderdale, the club was able to temporarily move to Warley Cricket Club, closer to Park Ward. However, this temporary home for the club is not a long-term solution and they continue to search for their perfect home ground.
King Cross Juniors faces significant challenges. Despite its immense impact, it operates without stable support or funding.
This is more than just a cricket club. It’s a community lifeline. Parents have stepped up as volunteer coaches and local businesses have donated generously to provide things such as kits.
In 2024 alone, the club won 101 trophies, including the Under-15s league title and league wins for Under-9s, with Under-11s reaching two cup finals. But their biggest challenge remains unchanged: they still have no home.
Building a permanent home will cost around £1 million. Mohammed, who volunteers for the club alongside his full-time job, continues to fight for the club’s future.
He says: “I’m catering to my community’s needs, but we’re being overlooked.. Who suffers? The children suffer.”
King Cross Juniors represents more than cricket—it’s about belonging, opportunity, and hope but without urgent support, this vital lifeline for hundreds of young people is at risk.
If you would like to help or find out more about King Cross Juniors Cricket Club, you can view their Facebook page here.
