Headingley Cricket Ground has been home to The Yorkshire County Cricket Club (YCCC) since 1890 and has
hosted Test Matches since 1899. The world-renowned stadium is one of the few grounds in the world to
feature two international venues on one site.
When Headingley required a major refurbishment of their indoor cricket training facilities, the design team
led by GCP Chartered Architects introduced Gerflor, the international flooring expert, to deliver the ideal
sports floorcovering solution for this critical and much needed facility upgrade. Taraflex® Performance SL
(Sustainable Looselay) Olympic pedigree sports flooring was specified on this iconic project. The renovation
was completed ahead of the England vs India Test series to deliver performance, precision, and pace thanks
to the innovative looselay solution, which reduced installation times and cost on site.
Commenting on the project, Wayne Andrews, Gerflor Key Account Manager for Sport and Education said,
“This highly prestigious project came to us via The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and their
longstanding advisor GCP Chartered Architects. The Taraflex Performance SL flooring that was installed was
the natural choice for Headingley, as it is approved by the ECB and meets their rigorous requirements on
performance. They were seeking a world class sports surface that would ensure players can perform at their
best while staying protected.”
Taraflex Performance SL can withstand high impact ball bounce, support quick movement and repeated use,
whilst keeping athletes safe and comfortable with all the benefits of:
- True and consistent ball bounce, essential for realistic play and skill development
- Excellent shock absorption, reducing stress on joints during batting, bowling, and fielding drills
- Durable and high-performance surface, built to handle intensive play and heavy use across all levels
To meet the stringent criteria set by both YCCC and the ECB, the installation of the new Taraflex®
Performance SL vinyl sports floor needed to be both innovative and completed to a very high standard.
Established in 2008, Durant Cricket specialises in the design, manufacture, and installation of cricket
facilities including scoreboards, ground equipment, non-turf pitches, and netting systems.
All installations are carried out by their expert in-house team, managing projects from planning through to
completion.
Cristian Durant, Owner, and Managing Director explained, “This project was delivered on behalf of
Construction North Group Ltd CNG and GCP Chartered Architects. Our role focused on surfacing and safety
within the stadium’s high-performance zones. The programme began with over 800 m² of sub-floor
remediation, including extensive grinding and profiling to create an optimal base for new finishes. It was
critical to get this stage right, ensuring the surfaces would perform to elite standards over time.”
Inside the indoor training facility, Durant installed 351 m² of ECB-approved Gerflor Taraflex® Performance
SL in ‘Mint Green’, a durable and striking option for cricket training and was complemented with153 m² of
‘Clay’. Taraflex® Performance is also available as a fast track loose lay solution, and with it being specified in
this format for the project, no adhesives were required on site, which simplified the process and
significantly reduced installation time and cost.
Cristain Durant went on to add, “As a finishing touch, we marked out fresh crease lines, making the space
fully compliant and match-prep ready. These upgrades don’t just modernise the space, they support a
broader health and safety strategy by aligning with the latest ECB technical guidance.”
The colour scheme was developed by GCP Chartered Architects’ Matt Bonney with specialist input from
YCCC coaching staff and the ECB. GCP Chartered Architects have worked with the ECB for over 15 years
setting the standard for indoor training facilities, which include the development of design guidance. The
goal with this project was to deliver the most inclusive flooring solution in the country.
This was achieved by testing the contrast of 17 colour options against the red, white, and pink ball and with
consideration given to the three most common forms of colour-blindness. The testing process culminated
with a site review at the Gloucestershire County Cricket Club Bristol Cricket Centre indoor training facility,
also remodelled and refurbished by GCP in 2019, demonstrating performance under similar LED-ECB
compliant lighting.
Matt Bonney, Project Architect and Sustainability Lead at GCP Chartered Architects, explained that “Health
and safety are primary concerns for the ECB within indoor cricket centres. From considering LED light flicker
to material reflectivity, being able to track a ball travelling at 90 mph is critical. Historically, players with
red/green colour blindness have had difficulty picking up the red ball on a green floor. Through analysis of
the Gerflor colour range we could ensure that the Headingley facility achieves the highest standards for all
users.”
Headingley is no stranger to iconic cricket moments, such as the dramatic 1981 Ashes comeback when
England, led by Ian Botham and Bob Willis, overturned 500/1 odds to beat Australia. This legacy, combined
with its modern facilities, cements its reputation as one of the most famous cricket grounds in the world.
Wayne Andrews concluded, “The client is extremely pleased with both the performance and the aesthetics
of the Taraflex Performance SL sports flooring that was installed at Headingley Cricket Club. It’s worth
noting that this facility is where the England Cricket Team also train. Being specified for this elite training
venue underscores the speed, resilience, and high-performance standards that Gerflor sports flooring
consistently deliver.”
Cristian Durant ended by saying, “It was an honour to help raise the already high standards at such a
prestigious venue and to deliver it on time for a historic Test series. We are proud to work in collaboration
with Gerflor and GCP Chartered Architects and specify Taraflex sports floorings, thanks to their sporting
surfaces being of exceptional quality and their reliability when it comes to performance for cricket play and
other sporting applications.”
To prove compliance with ECB standards, GCP commissioned Labosport, international testing consultancy
via the main contractor CNG.
