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REVIEW: Date night at Sixes Cricket Club in Manchester

November 9, 2021

What I loved about it:

I loved that it was a thoughtful combination of stylish, sporty and sophisticated, but you can still order a burger and a pint if you’re in the mood for some fast food. But what I loved most was having a go at batting the cricket balls in the simulators! Sixes is another great addition to our interactive sports bars in Manchester.

Location:

You’ll find Sixes at the Corn Exchange in Manchester City centre, but you need to access it from outside on Cathedral Street.

Suitable for:

We went here for a date night which it was totally suitable for, but it’s definitely also suitable for families with kids old enough to play in a batting simulator. I’d also recommend Sixes for corporate team building events and for stag, hen or birthday parties in Manchester.

Value for money (out of 10):

Website:

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THE DETAILS

THE VENUE

We were kindly invited to check out and review the new Sixes cricket club in Manchester city centre and it was the perfect opportunity for a date night! With two Sixes venues already in London and a fourth one newly opened in Birmingham, Manchester is its third home and it’s already proving to be very popular with people from people of all walks of life.
Situated in the Corn Exchange building, Sixes surprised us with a classic but humble exterior but a huge, stylish and modern interior that took us underground. Upon entering we admired the genuine cricket bats suspended above a descending staircase, that led us into the main room with a full bar, plenty of seating and batting cages.
The décor is striking – black and white geometric floor tiles compliment the industrious ceiling and metal cages well, with accents of deep red and marble detailing bringing it all together to create a luxurious feel. One thing that caught my attention right away was that despite this being a cricket bar, the sport element was tastefully done. By this, I mean it wasn’t overdone, which I feel was a good move for creating an inviting environment for those who want to enjoy the venue but don’t follow cricket.
There’s subtle artwork displayed around the venue which can be appreciated by everyone, with elegant spherical lights suspended around the venue with the Sixes logo printed on them.
Not far from the entrance is a doorway leading down into another large room complete with a bar, which is to be used for events and is equally striking. They’ve cleverly designed this room to be the opposite of the main room, with dark floor tiles and pillars, mood-lighting and pink accents. Sixes Manchester is truly a feast for the eyes.

THE CRICKET

Let’s get to the fun part – the cricket batting!
Inside Sixes Manchester there are three large, brilliantly constructed batting simulator cages and we had the pleasure of having a game in one.
Before entering the cage there is a small screen mounted on the outside where you input player details and what level of difficulty each player wants. Once inside the cage there’s a selection of cricket bats for beginners, mid-level and pros. At the other end there’s a projector and screen that displays all your personal game statistics, tells you what’s happening and when and best of all, shows you your virtual bowler hurtling towards you to bowl on a pitch. When he does throw, the transition between seeing him bowl and the ball being fired out of the machine towards you is seamless! We were able to get very immersed in the game and were very impressed with the excellent technology in use.
There are huge numbers on panels displayed between you and the screen and around it, with the number you hit (if you’re lucky!) determining your score with each bowl. There’s even a wicket and more panels behind you to make batting more realistic. To add to the brilliance, the digital bowler has his own “style” – on some bowls, he added a spin which threw us every time. Clever stuff!

THE FOOD AND DRINK

After Kov kicked my ass at cricket batting we moved onto the next best thing – the food!
From the selection of sharing plates we were treated to the sticky ox cheek mini buns, coronation bubble and squeak pakoras, house cured salmon board and warm cookie dough with ice cream skillet. Not a morsel was spared; the mini buns were juicy, full of flavour and not too sticky, the pakoras were addictively tasty with the perfect amount of spice, the salmon was a delicious and fancy dish (we loved the little side of crispy salmon skin that came with it!) and the cookie dough was just the right amount of a simple and comforting dessert.
Washed down with some cold pints of beer, this was a perfect amount of food between the two of us after an hour of playing in the cricket simulators. The drinks menu was pretty impressive too, with inviting cocktails and a nice selection of beers and everything in between.

So, all in all, this was the perfect date night and one we’d definitely repeat!
If you go as part of a large group just keep an eye out on the prices – the bigger the group, the more play time you’ll need so the more you’ll need to pay. It might seem pricey when you’re booking but in my opinion, it’s worth it for the experience of using sophisticated equipment in a high-quality venue.

Happy batting!

Like what you see? Check out my other blog posts to see what else I’ve been up to in and around Manchester, or check out my Instagram to see more! Just scroll down and hit the buttons

Sarah xXx

REVIEW

This is a Girl About review. I was invited by the management free of charge in exchange for an honest and frank review. All my opinions are my own and in no way have they been swayed by their kind invite. Girl About reviews are always 100% honest. We only publish reviews that, for the most part, are positive.