International cricket ground in the world
# Ground team
1 Melbourne Cricket Ground 100,024 Melbourne Australia Victoria Bushrangers, Melbourne Stars
2 Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium 75,000[1] Kochi India Kerala Blasters FC
3 Eden Gardens 66,000 Kolkata India Bengal, Kolkata Knight Riders
4 Raipur International Cricket Stadium 65,000[2] Naya Raipur India Delhi Daredevils
5 Gaddafi Stadium 62,645 Lahore Pakistan Lahore Lions, Lahore Eagles
6 Pune International Cricket Centre 55,000 Pune India Maharashtra
7 Sardar Patel Stadium 55,000 Ahmedabad India Gujarat
8 Feroz Shah Kotla Ground 55,000 Delhi India Delhi,Delhi Daredevils
9 DY Patil Stadium 55,000 Navi Mumbai India Mumbai Indians
10 Adelaide Oval 53,583[3] Adelaide Australia Southern Redbacks, Adelaide Strikers
12 Docklands Stadium 53,359 Melbourne Australia Melbourne Renegades
13 SM.Benazir Bhutto Int.Cricket Stadium 50,000 Garhi KhudaBakhshPakistan Pakistan
14 Eden Park 50,000[4] Auckland New Zealand Auckland Aces
15 Sydney Cricket Ground 48,000 Sydney Australia New South Wales Blues, Sydney Sixers
Ground information
Location Kolkata
Coordinates 22°33'52?N 88°20'36?ECoordinates: 22°33'52?N 88°20'36?E
Establishment 1864
Capacity 67,549[1]
Owner Cricket Association of Bengal
Operator Cricket Association of Bengal
Tenants Indian Cricket Team
Bengal cricket team
Kolkata Knight Riders
End names
High Court End
Pavilion End
International information
First Test 5 – 8 Jan 1934: India v England
Last Test 6–8 November 2013: India v West Indies
First ODI 18 Feb 1987: India v Pakistan
Last ODI 13 November 2014: India v Sri Lanka
Domestic team information
Bengal cricket team (1908 – present)
Kolkata Knight Riders (2008 – present)
As of 4 December 2013
Source: Eden Gardens, Cricinfo
Picture
The stadium during a One-Day-International match: India vs Pakistan in January 2013
Eden Gardens is located in Kolkata
Eden Gardens is a cricket ground in Kolkata, India. It is the home of the Bengal cricket team and
the Indian Premier League's Kolkata Knight Riders, as well as being a venue for Test, One Day
International and Twenty20 International matches.[2] The largest cricket stadium in India by
seating capacity, it is widely acknowledged to be one of the most iconic cricket stadiums in the
world.[3] Eden Gardens has been called "cricket's answer to the Colosseum".[4]
History and capacity
Established in 1864, Eden Gardens currently holds 66,349 people[5][6] following renovations for
the Cricket World Cup 2011; a capacity down from an estimated 100,000 before the upgrade. Before
the 1987 World Cup, the capacity was said to be approximately 120,000; however, no official
figures have been recorded. Nonetheless, there have been six matches at this venue which were
attended by over 100 000 spectators.[2]
Before 1984 both cricket and derby football matches were played in Eden Garden. The stadium is in
the B. B. D. Bagh area of the city, near the State Secretariat and Calcutta High Court.
The first recorded Test at the venue was held in 1934, and its first One Day International in
1987.[2] The Hero Cup knockout matches were staged at Eden Gardens, the first matches played
under lights at the ground.[7] Sporting floodlights, bowlers deliver from the High Court End or
the Pavilion End of a pitch under curator Probir Mukherjee.[2] Eden Gardens is renowned for its
large and vociferous crowds. It is said that "a cricketer's cricketing education is not complete
till he has played in front of a packed Eden Gardens." The B.C. Roy Club House is named after
former Chief Minister of West Bengal Dr. B. C. Roy. The headquarters of the Cricket Association
of Bengal are at the Eden Gardens. The stadium hosts Indian Premier League matches and is the
home venue for Kolkata Knight Riders co-owned by the Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan.
Notable events
In 1946, an in-form Mushtaq Ali was dropped from the Indian team selected to play an
unofficial test against Australian Services XI. Following crowd protests (with slogans like "No
Mushtaq, No Test"), the selectors brought him back to play.[8]
Rioting occurred at the ground during the 1966/67 West Indies and 1969/70 Australian tours.
16 football fans died in a stampede after a derby league game between East Bengal and Mohun
Bagan on 16 August 1980.
Hosted the memorable World Cup final of 1987 which ended with Australia defeating England by
7 runs.
The 1996 World Cup semi-final was called off and Sri Lanka awarded the match after crowd
disturbances following an Indian batting collapse.
During the 2nd final of the 1997 Pepsi Independence Cup, the Test and ODI captains of the
Indian cricket team of all time (with a few notable exceptions) were given a lap of honour around
the stadium.
In 1999, leading Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar was run out after colliding with Pakistan's
Shoaib Akhtar. Akhtar had impeded Tendulkar and the crowd rioted, forcing the police to evict the
spectators. The match continued in front of an empty stadium.
Kapil Dev took an ODI hat-trick against the Sri Lankans in 1991 at the ground.
Harbhajan Singh took a hat-trick against Australia in 2000/01 at the ground. He became the
first Indian to take a hat-trick in Test cricket.
VVS Laxman scored 281 against Australia in 2000/01. This remains the highest score at the
ground. Australia were defeated despite holding the advantage for the majority of the game in
"the greatest come-from-behind victory of modern times".[2] It was only the third time in Test
history that a team had won after being forced to follow on.[9]
Eden Gardens hosted the historic 199th (penultimate) Test match of Sachin Tendulkar's career
against West Indies from 6-10 Nov 2013. India defeated West Indies by an innings and 51 runs in 3
days.
On its 150th anniversary, on 13th November, 2014, Eden Gardens witnessed the highest ever
score by batsman in One day internationals, a 264 off 173 balls scored by Rohit Sharma during the
4th one day international of Sri Lanka vs India at the venue.
Records
The top four Test cricket batting scores in this stadium were registered by India: 657–7 in
2001, 643–6 in 2010, 633–5 in 1998, and 631–7 in 2011.
The most runs in Test Matches Played here was scored by V.V.S. Laxman (1217 runs),[10]
followed by Mohammed Azharuddin (860 runs) and Rahul Dravid(962 runs). The most wickets taken
here was by Harbhajan Singh (46 wickets) followed by Anil Kumble (40 wickets) and Bishen Singh
Bedi (29 wickets).
Melbourne Cricket Ground The MCG, The "G"
Melbourne Cricket Ground logo.png
AFL Grand Final 2010 on the Melbourne Cricket Ground.jpg
Location East Melbourne, Victoria
Coordinates 37°49'12?S 144°59'0?ECoordinates: 37°49'12?S 144°59'0?E
Owner Government of Victoria
Operator Melbourne Cricket Club
Executive suites 109
Capacity 100,024
Record attendance 121,696 (1970 VFL Grand Final – Carlton v Collingwood)
Field size 171 m x 146 m[1]
Surface Grass (Oval)
Construction
Opened 1854
Construction cost
$150,000,000 (1992 Southern stand redevelopment)
$460,000,000 (2006 Northern stand redevelopment)
Tenants
Australia national cricket team
Victorian Bushrangers (1851–present)
The MCG in 1864
Engraving of a football match at the Richmond Paddock, 1860s. A pavilion at the MCG is on the left in the background.
Aboriginal cricket team with their coach and captain Tom Wills, outside the MCC pavilion of the MCG, December 1866
Founded in November 1838 the Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) selected the current MCG site in 1853 after previously playing at several grounds around Melbourne. The club’s first game was against a military team at the Old Mint site, at the corner of William and Latrobe Streets. Burial Hill (now Flagstaff railway station) became its home ground in January 1839, but the area was already set aside for Botanical Gardens and the club was moved on in October 1846, to an area on the south bank of the Yarra about where the Herald and Weekly Times building is today. The area was subject to flooding, forcing the club to move again, this time to a ground in South Melbourne.
It was not long before the club was forced out again, this time because of the expansion of the railway. The South Melbourne ground was in the path of Victoria’s first steam railway line from Melbourne to Sandridge (now Port Melbourne). Governor La Trobe offered the MCC a choice of three sites; an area adjacent to the existing ground, a site at the junction of Flinders and Spring Streets or a ten-acre (about 4 hectares) section of the Government Paddock at Richmond next to Richmond Park.
This last option, which is now Yarra Park, had been used by Aborigines until 1835. Between 1835 and 1853 it was an agistment area for colonial troopers’ horses. In 1850 it was part of a 200-acre (81 ha) stretch set aside for public recreation extending from Governor La Trobe’s Jolimont Estate to the Yarra River. By 1853 it had become a busy promenade for Melbourne residents.
An MCC sub-committee chose the Richmond Park option because it was level enough for cricket but sloped enough to prevent inundation. That ground was located where the Richmond, or outer, end of the current MCG is now.
At the same time the Richmond Cricket Club was given occupancy rights to six acres (2.4 hectares) for another cricket ground on the eastern side of the Government Paddock.
At the time of the land grant the Government stipulated that the ground was to be used for cricket and cricket only. This condition remained until 1933[citation needed] when the State Government allowed the MCG’s uses to be broadened to include other purposes when not being used for cricket.
In 1863 a corridor of land running diagonally across Yarra Park was granted to the Hobson’s Bay Railway and divided Yarra Park from the river. The area closest to the river was also developed for sporting purposes in later years including Olympic venues in 1956.
Stadium development
Melbourne Cricket Ground in 1912
The first grandstand at the MCG was the original wooden members’ stand made in 1854, while the first public grandstand was a 200-metre long 6000-seat temporary structure built in 1861. Another grandstand seating 2000, facing one way to the cricket ground and the other way to the park where football was played, was built in 1876 for the 1877 visit of James Lillywhite’s English cricket team. It was during this tour that the first Test Match was played.
A view of the reconstruction of the Ponsford Stand in October 2003.
In 1881 the original members’ stand was sold to the Richmond Cricket Club for £55. A new brick stand, considered at the time to be the world’s finest cricket facility, was built in its place. The foundation stone was laid by Prince George of Wales and Prince Albert Victor on 4 July and the stand opened in December that year. It was also in 1881 that a telephone was installed at the ground, and the wickets and goal posts were changed from an east-west orientation to north-south. In 1882 a scoreboard was built which showed details of the batsman's name and how he was dismissed.
When the Lillywhite tour stand burnt down in 1884 it was replaced by a new stand which seated 450 members and 4500 public. In 1897, second-storey wings were added to ‘The Grandstand’, as it was known, increasing capacity to 9,000. In 1900 it was lit with electric light.
Heat lamps to aid grass growth
More stands were built in the early 20th century. An open wooden stand was on the south side of the ground in 1904 and the 2084-seat Grey Smith Stand (known as the New Stand until 1912) was erected for members in 1906. The 4000-seat Harrison Stand on the ground’s southern side was built in 1908 followed by the 8000-seat Wardill Stand in 1912. In the 15 years after 1897 the stand capacity at the ground increased to nearly 20,000.
In 1927 the second brick members’ stand was replaced at a cost of £60,000. The Harrison and Wardill Stands were demolished in 1936 to make way for the Southern Stand which was completed in 1937. The Southern Stand seated 18,200 under cover and 13,000 in the open and was the main public area of the MCG. It was where the famous Bay 13 was, the MCG’s equivalent to The Hill at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
The Northern Stand, also known as the Olympic Stand, was built to replace the old Grandstand for the 1956 Olympic Games. Ten years later, the Grey Smith Stand and the open concrete stand next to it were replaced by the Western Stand; the Duke of Edinburgh laid a foundation stone for the Western Stand on 3 March 1967, and it was completed in 1968. In 1986, the Western Stand was renamed the Ponsford Stand in honour of Victorian batsman Bill Ponsford.
The MCG was the home of Australia’s first full colour video scoreboard, which replaced the old scoreboard in 1982, located on Level 4 of the Ponsford Stand, with a second video screen added in 1994 almost directly opposite, on Level 4 of the Olympic stand. In 1985, light towers were installed at the ground, allowing for night football and day-night cricket games.
Media Boxes at MCG
In 1988 inspections of the old Southern Stand found concrete cancer and provided the opportunity to replace the increasingly run-down 50-year-old facility. The projected cost of $100 million was outside what the Melbourne Cricket Club could afford so the Victorian Football League took the opportunity to part fund the project in return for a 30-year deal to share the ground. The new Great Southern Stand was completed in 1992, in time for the 1992 Cricket World Cup, at a final cost of $150 million.
The 1928 Members' stand, the 1956 Olympic stand and the 1968 Ponsford stand were demolished one by one between late 2003 to 2005 and replaced with a new structure in time for the 2006 Commonwealth Games.[7] Despite now standing as a single unbroken stand, the individual sections retain the names of Ponsford, Olympic and Members Stands. The redevelopment cost exceeded A$400 million and pushed the ground's capacity over the 100,000 mark. Since redevelopment, the highest attendance was the 2010 Grand Final of the AFL with 100,016.
From 2011 until 2013, the Victorian Government and the Melbourne Cricket Club funded a $55 million refurbishment of the facilities of Great Southern Stand, including renovations to entrance gates and ticket outlets, food and beverage outlets, public concourses, toilets, function rooms, replacement of seats on level 2, etc.; the grandstand itself will not be substantially modified as part of the refurbishment.[8] In 2013, it was announced that the Video screens originally installed as part of the Northern Stand redevelopment, would be removed and replaced with new scoreboards that are over 2 times larger than the former screens.[9] After the 2013 AFL season concluded, the old screens were dismantled and the new screens were assembled. The new scoreboards were unveiled to the public on 16 December 2013 before the first cricket game with the new screens 4 days later.[10]
A panoramic south view of the MCG in October 2003
A panoramic west view of the MCG in August 2009 during an AFL match between Essendon and Hawthorn.
Cricket
Early years
The first cricket match was played on 30 September 1854.
The first inter-colonial cricket match to be played at the MCG was between Victoria and New South Wales in March 1856. Victoria had played Tasmania (then known as Van Diemen's Land) as early as 1851 but the Victorians had included two professionals in the 1853 team upsetting the Tasmanians and causing a cooling of relations between the two colonies. To replace the disgruntled Tasmanians the Melbourne Cricket Club issued a challenge to play any team in the colonies for £1000. Sydney publican William Tunks accepted the challenge on behalf of New South Wales although the Victorians were criticised for playing for money. Ethics aside, New South Wales could not afford the £1000 and only managed to travel to Melbourne after half the team’s travel cost of £181 was put up by Sydney barrister Richard Driver.
The game eventually got under way on 26 March 1856. The Victorians, stung by criticism over the £1000 stake, argued over just about everything; the toss, who should bat first, whether different pitches should be used for the different innings and even what the umpires should wear.
Victoria won the toss but New South Wales captain George Gilbert successfully argued that the visiting team should decide who bats first. The MCG was a grassless desert and Gilbert, considering players fielded without boots, promptly sent Victoria into bat. Needing only 16 to win in the final innings, New South Wales collapsed to be 5 for 5 before Gilbert’s batting saved the game and the visitors won by three wickets.[11]
In subsequent years conditions at the MCG improved but the ever-ambitious Melburnians were always on the lookout for more than the usual diet of club and inter-colonial games. In 1861, Felix William Spiers and Christopher Pond, the proprietors of the Cafe de Paris in Bourke Street and caterers to the MCC, sent their agent, W.B. Mallam, to England to arrange for a cricket team to visit Australia.
Mallam found a team and, captained by Heathfield Stephenson, it arrived in Australia on Christmas Eve 1861 to be met by a crowd of more than 3000 people. The team was taken on a parade through the streets wearing white-trimmed hats with blue ribbons given to them for the occasion. Wherever they went they were mobbed and cheered by crowds to the point where the tour sponsors had to take them out of Melbourne so that they could train undisturbed.
Their first game was at the MCG on New Year’s Day 1862, against a Victorian XVIII. The Englishmen also wore coloured sashes around their waists to identify each player and were presented with hats to shade them from the sun. Some estimates put the crowd at the MCG that day at 25,000. It must have been quite a picture with a new 6000 seat grandstand, coloured marquees ringing the ground and a carnival outside. Stephenson said that the ground was better than any in England. The Victorians however, were no match for the English at cricket and the visitors won by an innings and 96 runs.
Over the four days of the ‘test’ more than 45,000 people attended and the profits for Speirs and Pond from this game alone was enough to fund the whole tour. At that time it was the largest number of people to ever watch a cricket match anywhere in the world. Local cricket authorities went out of their way to cater for the needs of the team and the sponsors. They provided grounds and sponsors booths without charge and let the sponsors keep the gate takings. The sponsors however, were not so generous in return. They quibbled with the Melbourne Cricket Club about paying £175 for damages to the MCG despite a prior arrangement to do so.
The last match of the tour was against a Victorian XXII at the MCG after which the English team planted an elm tree outside the ground.
Following the success of this tour, a number of other English teams also visited in subsequent years. George Parr’s side came out in 1863–64 and there were two tours by sides led by W.G. Grace. The fourth tour was led by James Lillywhite.
First Test match
The MCG in 1878. The first Test cricket match was played at the MCG in 1877
Up until the fourth tour in 1877, led by Lillywhite, touring teams had played first-class games against the individual colonial sides, but Lillywhite felt that his side had done well enough against New South Wales to warrant a game against an All Australian team.
When Lillywhite headed off to New Zealand he left Melbourne cricketer John Conway to arrange the match for their return. Conway ignored the cricket associations in each colony and selected his own Australian team, negotiating directly with the players. Not only was the team he selected of doubtful representation but it was also probably not the strongest available as some players had declined to take part for various reasons. Demon bowler Fred Spofforth refused to play because wicket-keeper Billy Murdoch was not selected. Paceman Frank Allan was at Warnambool Agricultural Show and Australia’s best all-rounder Edwin Evans could not get away from work. In the end only five Australian-born players were selected.
The same could be said for Lillywhite’s team which, being selected from only four counties, meant that some of England’s best players did not take part. In addition, the team had a rough voyage back across the Tasman Sea and many members had been seasick. The game was due to be played on 15 March, the day after their arrival, but most had not yet fully recovered. On top of that, wicket-keeper Ted Pooley was still in a New Zealand prison after a brawl in a Christchurch pub.
England was nonetheless favourite to win the game and the first ever Test match began with a crowd of only 1000 watching. The Australians elected Dave Gregory from New South Wales as Australia’s first ever captain and on winning the toss he decided to bat.
A view of the Great Southern Stand during the 1998 Boxing Day Test match. The Olympic Stand (now demolished) is visible at the bottom left of the photo
Charles Bannerman scored an unbeaten 165 before retiring hurt. Sydney Cricket Ground curator, Ned Gregory, playing in his one and only Test for Australia, scored Test cricket’s first duck. Australia racked up 245 and 104 while England scored 196 and 108 giving Australia victory by 45 runs. The win hinged on Bannerman’s century and a superb bowling performance by Tom Kendall who took of 7 for 55 in England’s second innings.
A fortnight later there was a return game, although it was really more of a benefit for the English team. Australia included Spofforth, Murdoch and T.J.D. Cooper in the side but this time the honours went to England who won by four wickets.
Two years later Lord Harris brought another England team out and during England’s first innings in the Test at the MCG, Fred Spofforth took the first hat-trick in Test cricket. He bagged two hauls of 6 for 48 and 7 for 62 in Australia’s ten wicket win.
Later cricket
On Boxing Day 1866 an Indigenous Australian cricket team played at the MCG with 11,000 spectators against an MCC team. A few players in that match were in a later team that toured England in 1868. Some also played in three other matches at the ground before 1869.
The MCG in the early 2000s, showing (left to right) the Ponsford Stand, the Members Stand, and the Olympic Stand, all now demolished and replaced by newer structures
By the 1880s the tradition of England-Australia cricket tours was well established, with a total of eight Tests having been played, five of them at the MCG, two at the Sydney Cricket Ground and one at The Oval in London. In 1882, England lost to a visiting Australian team in England for the first time. The match was played at The Oval in August on what was said to be a difficult pitch. Australian bowler Fred Spofforth decimated the English batting after a shocking start by the Australians and the result was a nailbiting finish in which Australia won by seven runs – still one of the closest finishes in Test cricket history. The defeat was widely recorded in the English press and a mock obituary was published in The Sporting Times, lamenting the death of English cricket and noted that "the body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia".
A domestic one-day match being played under floodlights.
Later that year, the Honourable Ivo Bligh led a team of eight amateurs and four professionals to Australia to recover them, with the first two matches of the tour played at the MCG. The first[12] being a timeless match (as was the custom in those days) that commenced on 30 December. On New Year's Day the attendance was 23,000, and Australia won the match by nine wickets in three days. The second match[13] commenced on 19 January 1883 and was won comfortably by England by an innings and 27 runs.
Cricket crowd at the MCG
Two further matches were played by the tourists in Sydney, with the first being won by England and the second by Australia. The second Sydney match was subsequently deemed to not be of Test status, so England had won with the series and had "recovered The Ashes" as Bligh had set out to do. A group of Melbourne women presented Bligh with a small urn and the Ashes tradition was then firmly established.
Donald Bradman's record at the MCG is an average of 128 runs in 17 innings. In the 11 Tests that he played there, he made at least one century in nine of them.
Australia’s highest first class score was posted at the MCG when Victoria made 1107 against New South Wales in 1926–27. Jack Ryder scored 295 for the Vics and hit six sixes in the process.
Highlights and lowlights
Australia vs Pakistan, 1st Test, 2010
One of the most sensational incidents in Test cricket occurred at the MCG during the Melbourne test of the 1954–55 England tour of Australia. Big cracks had appeared in the pitch during a very hot Saturday’s play and on the rest day Sunday, groundsman Jack House watered the pitch to close them up. This was illegal and the story was leaked by The Age newspaper. The teams agreed to finish the match and England won by 128 runs after Frank Tyson took 7 for 27 in the final innings.
An incident in the second Test of the 1960–61 series involved the West Indies player Joe Solomon being given out after his hat fell on the stumps after being bowled at by Richie Benaud. The crowd sided with the West Indies over the Australians.
The match had everything. England’s Derek Randall scored 174, Australia’s Rod Marsh also got a century, Lillee took 11 wickets, and David Hookes, in his first test, smacked five fours in a row off England captain Tony Greig’s bowling. Rick McCosker who opened for Australia suffered a fractured jaw after being hit by a sharply rising delivery. He left the field but came back in the second innings with his head swathed in bandages. Australia won the match by 45 runs, exactly the same margin as the first test in 1877.
An incident occurred in 1981 when Indian batsmen Sunil Gavaskar and Chetan Chauhan walked off the field in a test against Australia. Gavaskar was unhappy with the umpire’s decision to give him out lbw.
Another incident occurred on 1 February 1981 at the end of a one-day match between Australia and New Zealand. New Zealand, batting second, needed six runs off the last ball of the day to tie the game. Australian captain, Greg Chappell instructed his brother Trevor, who was bowling the last over, to send the last ball down underarm to prevent the New Zealand batsman, Brian McKechnie, from hitting the ball for six. Although not entirely in the spirit of the game, an underarm delivery was quite legal, so long as the arm was kept straight. The Laws of cricket have since been changed to prevent such a thing happening again. The incident has long been a sore point between Australia and New Zealand. Chappell’s decision was taken against the advice of his vice-captain Rod Marsh and other senior players. On the surface it seems baffling. McKechnie was a tailender who had just come to the crease. His chances of hitting his first ball for six on the vast MCG were apparently nil and even if he did manage to get it over the fence New Zealand would not win but only draw the game. However, the series was tied and draw would mean both teams would have to front up again for another match. Chappell wanted the game and the series finished to give his players a rest.
Punt Road Oval, only a few hundred metres to the east of the famous MCG
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Adelaide Oval
Top: Aerial view of the Oval in April 2014.
Bottom: Scoreboard on "The Hill" and St Peter's Cathedral.
Location War Memorial Drive, Adelaide, South Australia
Coordinates 34°54'56?S 138°35'46?ECoordinates: 34°54'56?S 138°35'46?E
Owner South Australian Government
Operator Adelaide Oval SMA Ltd
Capacity 53,583 (3,500 standing on hill)[1]
Field size 167 x 124 metres (Australian rules football) [2]
Opened 1871
Adelaide Oval is a stadium in Adelaide, South Australia, located in the parklands between the
city centre and North Adelaide.
The stadium is mostly used for cricket and football, but also plays host to rugby league, rugby
union, soccer, and concerts. Its record crowd for cricket was 52,533 during the 2014–15 Big Bash
League season semi final between the Adelaide Strikers and Sydney Sixers, and its overall record
attendance was 62,543 at the 1965 SANFL Grand Final between the Port Adelaide and Sturt Football
Clubs.
The Oval has been headquarters to the South Australian Cricket Association (SACA) since 1871 and
South Australian National Football League (SANFL) since 2014.[3] The stadium is managed by the
Adelaide Oval Stadium Management Authority (AOSMA). Redevelopments between 2008 and 2014, costing
History
Australia vs England during the third test in 1902. The velodrome cycling track is visible.
View of the Oval in 2006, prior to the stadium's redevelopment
Chappell stands packed during the Ashes, December 2006, prior to redevelopment
West stand during the 2010–11 Ashes Series
The ground was established in 1871 after the formation of SACA. Among those responsible for
the original construction were John Pickering (son of Hon. John Pickering) and Henry Sparks.[11]
The first first-class cricket match played at the ground between South Australia and Tasmania
on 10 and 12 November 1877. South Australia was victorious, winning by an innings and 13 runs.
[12]
The first century (102 not out for North Adelaide against the Kent Club) was scored by John
Hill on 30 January 1878.[13] John was the father of the great Clem Hill.
The first Test match played at the Oval was held from 12–16 December 1884. England beat
Australia by eight wickets. (Scorecard)
The first football game lit by electric light was conducted on the evening of 1 July 1885.
In 1894–95 Albert Trott collected 8/43 on debut against England, the best ever single-innings
Test match figures at the ground.
The picket fence was put up surrounding the Oval (then with a cycling track) in 1900.
From 5–12 August 1911 the Australian Football Council Carnival was played at the ground, won
by South Australia. The competing sides were SA, VFL, VFA, Western Australia, Tasmania and New
South Wales.
The Adelaide Oval scoreboard, designed by architect Kenneth Milne, began service on 3
November 1911. The clock was added in 1912 and the windvane in the 1930s.
In 1931–32 Donald Bradman scored the highest score ever at the ground in Test Cricket,
compiling 299* against South Africa. In the same game, Clarrie Grimmett collected fourteen
wickets, the most ever taken in a Test match at the ground by a bowler.
In 1932–33, the Bodyline affair reached its lowest point at the ground when Bill Woodfull and
Bert Oldfield were struck, and on the third day mounted police patrolled to keep the 50,962
spectators in order (a record crowd for cricket at the ground). The total attendance for the
match was 174,351.
In 1946–47, Arthur Morris of Australia, and Denis Compton of England both made centuries in
both innings of the Test.
In 1947–48 Australia scored 674 against India, the highest team total at the ground in Test
matches.
Australia played the West Indies in the fourth test of the Frank Worrell Trophy, 1960–61. The
match ended in a draw, with the West Indies unable to take the final wicket of the fourth
innings, as the last batsmen Ken Mackay and Lindsay Kline held out for 109 minutes. West Indies
bowler Lance Gibbs took the only ever Test cricket hat trick at the ground in Australia's first
innings. (Scorecard)
The ground record attendance of 62,543 people was recorded for the 1965 SANFL Grand Final
between Port Adelaide and Sturt.
In 1975–76 the ground hosted its first One-Day International match. The match was between
Australia and West Indies (40-over match), and Australia won by 5 wickets. (Scorecard)
In 1978, the ground hosted the first concert by David Bowie in the Southern Hemisphere. It
was the first large scale outdoor concert he had ever played.
In October 1982, vs Victoria, David Hookes hit a 43-minute, 34 ball century – by some metrics
the fastest hundred in history. (Statistics)
South Australia compiled the highest fourth innings winning total in Sheffield Shield
history, reaching 6/506 (set 506 to win) against Queensland in 1991–92.
In 1992–93 the West Indies defeated Australia by one run in the fourth test of the Frank
Worrell Trophy, when a bouncer by Courtney Walsh brushed Craig McDermott's glove to end a 40-run
last-wicket partnership. It was the narrowest victory ever in Test cricket. (Scorecard)
Lights were constructed at the ground in 1997, allowing sport to be held at night. This was
the subject of a lengthy dispute with the Adelaide City Council, due to environmental issues
relating to the parklands area. The first towers erected were designed to retract into the
ground; however one collapsed and they were replaced with permanent towers. The first cricket
match under lights was a One Day International between South Africa and New Zealand on 6 December
Mike Rann committed $450 million to the project.[15] Making the announcement Mr Rann said that
"Adelaide Oval is an icon of this city and this State. Rather than building yet another stadium
at massive cost, the South Australian government will contribute significantly to this upgrade".
[16] Mr Rann also gave an undertaking that the historic Oval's key heritage features-including
the century old scoreboard, Northern mound 'outer', open 'cathedral end' and Moreton Bay Fig
trees would be retained in the redevelopment.[17]
In late 2010, the Western Grandstand with a seating capacity of 14,000, was completed.
In May 2011, following a vote by SACA members in favour of the redevelopment of the oval, the
South Australian government increased its funding commitment to $535 million.[18]
In late 2013, the new Southern Stand was completed with a capacity of 14,000 as well as parts
of the first floor of the eastern stand.
In March 2014, the new Eastern Stand was fully completed with a total capacity of 19,000,
bringing the overall seating capacity of the stadium to 50,083.[19]
The first Showdown between Port Adelaide and the Adelaide to be held at the ground was played
on 29 March 2014, Port Adelaide won the game by 55 points. It was also the first event at the
ground since the completion of the redevelopment.
On 11 July 2014, Patrick Dangerfield records 41 possessions, which is the most by any AFL
player at the Adelaide Oval; despite this, his Adelaide side loses to back to back premiers
Hawthorn by 12 points.[20]
On 7 September 2014, the ground hosted its first ever AFL finals game, an Elimination Final
between Port Adelaide and Richmond.[21] Port Adelaide won by 57 points in front of 50,618 fans.
[22]
On 21 September 2014, the ground hosted its first SANFL Grand Final since 1973. Norwood
defeated Port Adelaide by 4 points in front of 38,644 fans to win their third premiership in
succession, the first time they had achieved this since 1887–89. This was the largest SANFL
attendance since the 1999 Grand Final attracted 39,135 to AAMI Stadium. Coincidentally the 1999
game was played between the same two clubs.
On 10 December 2014, Michael Clarke scored his 7th century on the ground, the most test
cricket centuries by any player on the oval.
Oval layout
The Oval in December 2010, prior to its redevelopment
The oval dimensions were originally 190m x 125m,[23] both unusually long and unusually narrow for
an Australian cricket/football ground. The arrangement was highly favourable for batsmen who
played square of the wicket, and heavily penalised bowlers who delivered the ball short or wide
so that the batsman could play cut, hook or pull shots. Before the far ends in front of and
behind the wicket were roped off, making the playing area shorter, it was not uncommon for
batsmen to hit an all-run four or even occasionally a five.[24]
Historically, the Adelaide Oval's integral pitch was generally very good for batting, and
offering little assistance to bowlers until the last day of a match. Since the redevelopment in
2013, a drop-in pitch has been used at the venue.[25]
The playing area is surrounded by a white picket fence and advertising billboards.
The Hill was created in 1898 with earth from the banks of the River Torrens.
The scoreboard was first used in 1911 and still shows its original Edwardian architecture.
There were three western stands from around the start of the 20th century, all of which were
demolished in 2009:
George Giffen stand (1882)
Sir Edwin Smith stand (1922)
Mostyn Evan stand (1920s)
Two grandstands, named the Chappell Stands, after the South Australian cricketing brothers
Ian Chappell, Greg Chappell and Trevor Chappell were completed in 2003.
The Sir Donald Bradman stand was built in 1990 to replace the John Creswell stand and
provided up to date facilities for spectators. This stand was demolished in April 2012.
The scoreboard is listed on the City of Adelaide Heritage Register, helping to maintain the
charm of the ground.
All stands built at the ground prior to the redevelopment have been demolished to make way
for the new stands.
With the 2011 redevelopment of the Western Stand, the oval dimensions changed to 183m x 134m,
making it more suitable for Australian Rules Football, for which the playing field dimensions
will be 167m x 124m.
The Eastern and Southern stand redevelopments, to be completed in March 2014, resulted in the
ground's permanent configuration being 167 x 124m from boundary to boundary
Development
Western stand construction at Adelaide Oval on 10 July 2010
Western stand redevelopment
In August 2008 the South Australian Cricket Association (SACA) announced that it had approved
plans to redevelop the ground, involving expanding its capacity to 40,000. Development plans
showed a reconfiguration of the playing surface and a remodelled western stand. The redevelopment
would make the ground a viable option for hosting Australian Football League games as well as
international soccer and rugby. The state and federal Governments each pledged $25m to the
project, leaving the SACA to raise at least $45m. The SACA planned for the new stand to be ready
in time for the 2010–11 Ashes series.[26] The Western grandstands were torn down in June 2009[27]
and a single Western stand was developed in its place ahead of the 2010-11 Ashes series.[28] The
new Western stand incorporates 14,000 individual seats and features improved shading conditions
and amenities for SACA members.[29]
2010 state election proposals
In the lead up to the 2010 South Australian state election, the opposition Liberal Party
announced that, if elected, it would build with a new stadium with a roof, located at Riverside
West at the site of the state government's new hospital location.[30][31] The incumbent Labor
Party subsequently announced it would fund a $450 million upgrade and redevelopment of the whole
of Adelaide Oval, rather than just the Western Grand Stand.[32] Labor narrowly won re-election at
the 2010 state election, resulting in its Adelaide Oval upgrade policy going ahead though
eventually for a steeper $535 million, of which this deal included the State Government clearing
the SACA's (South Australian Cricket Association) $85 million debt..
SACA and SANFL joint redevelopment
New Western Stands during Day 3 of the second 2010–11 Ashes Series Test match.
Demolition of the Sir Donald Bradman stand as part of redevelopment, April 2012
View from the hill post redevelopment with the Riverbank and Eastern Stands included, December
2014
The Adelaide Oval Stadium Management Authority (AOSMA), a joint venture of SACA and the South
Australian National Football League (SANFL), was registered as a company on 23 December 2009
following the re-announcement of the plan.[33] The AOSMA has eight directors, four associated
with SACA (Ian McLachlan-Chair, John Harnden, Creagh O’Connor & John Bannon) and four with SANFL
(Leigh Whicker-CEO, Rod Payze, Philip Gallagher & Jamie Coppins).[34]
However, in early-mid-2010, prior to the election, it became clear that $450m would be
inadequate. Following the 2010 state election, SA Premier Mike Rann capped the State Government's
commitment, saying: "It's $450 million – and not a penny more", and set a deadline for the
parties to agree.[35] In May, Treasurer Kevin Foley announced that "the Government's final offer
to the SANFL and SACA for the redevelopment" was $535 million, and the deadline was extended to
August 2010.[36] Simultaneously, the SACA and the SANFL were in the process of negotiating an
agreement that would enable Australian Rules Football (AFL) to use Adelaide Oval during the AFL
season as their home ground.[37][38][39][40] In August 2010, SANFL and SACA representatives
signed letters of intent committing to the project, including the capped $535 million offer from
the state government.[41]
The redevelopment included a $40 million pedestrian bridge across the River Torrens to link the
Adelaide railway station precinct with the Adelaide Oval precinct, which was partially completed
for the Ashes cricket series in December 2013 and fully completed ahead of the 2014 AFL season.
[42][43]
Debate continued on whether the Adelaide Crows would move from Football Park (AAMI Stadium) to
Adelaide Oval, or continue to use AAMI Stadium as their home ground. With the move to Adelaide
Oval, it is expected that AAMI will withdraw their sponsorship, and the land around Football Park
will be rezoned to allow the SANFL (the owners of Football Park) to profit from the rezoning.[44]
The stands at Football Park will be demolished, but the Adelaide Football Club Administrative
offices, CrowsMania (Adelaide Football Clubs merchandise store), the Oval itself and the
surrounding area will stay.[45] In early 2011, the AFL, SANFL, SACA, the SA Government and the
Australian Government reached an agreement to upgrade Adelaide Oval. The SACA and the SANFL
proposed, if SACA members vote yes on the upgrade in early May, that the whole Stadium will
undergo redevelopment, except for the Northern Mound, the Moreton Bay Fig trees and the
scoreboard, which will stay as it is because of it being under heritage listing. A two-thirds
majority of SACA members were required to vote in favour of the proposed upgrade for it to ahead,
with a successful vote resulting in the SANFL and AFL having control over the stadium for 7
months of the year and SACA having control for 5 months of the year.
SACA members had the choice of voting online on 28 April 2011 or attending in person an
Extraordinary Meeting at the Adelaide Showgrounds on 2 May 2011. At 6pm, 28 April 2011, It was
announced that 60% of SACA members that voted online voted yes, 15% short of the Majority vote
needed for the upgrade to go ahead. At 10.15pm, on 2 May 2011, at the Adelaide Showgrounds, the
final result was announced. 80.37% of total votes cast were in favour of Adelaide Oval being
redeveloped, resulting in the upgrade and stadium reconfiguration being approved.[46] The upgrade
commenced in April 2012, and was finished in time for the 2014 AFL season.[1]
All stands of the Oval were redeveloped and upgraded except for the already rebuilt Western
grandstand (SACA and SANFL members only stand), the Northern Mound, the Historic Scoreboard and
the Moreton Bay fig trees. The Northern Mound, the Moreton Bay fig trees and the Scoreboard are
all heritage listed and will likely never be demolished unless damaged beyond repair.[47]
SACA Members Vote[48]
Concerns redevelopment of Adelaide Oval†
Choice Votes %
Referendum passed Yes 10,078 80.37
No 2,461 19.63
Total votes 12,539 100.00
† Note that a 75% threshold was required in order for approval to be granted
Uses
Sporting events
The Oval seen from the west, 2012
Statue of Donald Bradman outside the Oval
Adelaide Oval hosts the following major sporting events:
International cricket — Test and One Day International. Adelaide Oval hosts some of the many
exciting events in the cricketing calendar — including the annual Australia Day One Day
International on 26 January (replacing a traditional Australia Day test) and every 4 years, one
of the 5 Ashes test matches against England. The tests are now normally held in early December
and is a clash between Australia and the international touring team of that particular season. In
2011, Adelaide Oval held its first Twenty20 International between Australia and England, a match
which England won by 1 wicket.
Domestic cricket — Adelaide Oval is the home ground for the first-class South Australian
state cricket team, The West End Southern Redbacks and Twenty20 cricket team, the Adelaide
Strikers. The Strikers compete in the Big Bash League. The Southern Redbacks compete in the
Sheffield Shield and the Ryobi One Day Cup.
Australian rules football — Adelaide Oval hosts South Australian National Football League
(SANFL) matches, including all of the finals. Traditional fixtures include the "Grand Final
rematch" between the previous year's Grand Finalists on the afternoon of ANZAC Day, which is well
attended due to the venue's close proximity to the Torrens Parade Ground, the end of the ANZAC
Day Parade in Adelaide. As of 2014, all of the SANFL Finals Series are played at the ground
including the Grand Final. Australian Football League matches at the venue began in 2014, though
the first AFL game that took place at the venue was Port Adelaide v Melbourne in Round 24 of the
2011 AFL Season, with Port Adelaide winning by 8 points in front of 29,340 fans.
Rugby sevens — From 2007 until 2010, Adelaide Oval hosted the Australia Sevens event in the
IRB Sevens World Series.
Rugby union — Adelaide Oval hosted two games of the 2003 Rugby World Cup. On 25 October, The
Wallabies played their first international game in Adelaide when they defeated Namibia 142–0 in
front of 28,196 fans. The next day Ireland defeated Argentina 16–15 in front of 30,203 fans.
Soccer — Adelaide United FC have played a number of A-League home games against Sydney FC and
Melbourne Victory FC. Adelaide Oval was the site of an international friendly match between the
Socceroos and New Zealand on 5 June 2011. On 25 July 2014, Adelaide United played its first game
at the fully re-developed Adelaide Oval when it played host to Spanish La Liga side Málaga CF. In
front of 23,254 fans and a television audience in Spain, Málaga defeated the Reds 5–1.
Rugby league – In 1991, the NSWRL came to Adelaide Oval when the St. George Dragons played
the Balmain Tigers on a cold and wet Friday night under temporary lights in the first of five
games that the Dragons would play at the oval over the next five years. That game, with the
Dragons winning 16–2, set a rugby league record crowd for the ground when 28,884 people attended,
and was in fact the highest minor round attendance for the 1991 NSWRL season (beaten only by four
of the six Finals series games including the Grand Final). In 1997 Adelaide got its own side in
the much vaunted (but short lived) Super League competition with the Adelaide Rams. Their first
home game attracted their record crowd when 27,435 saw the Rams defeat SL's other new team, the
Hunter Mariners 10–8. However, after disputes over money (and dwindling crowds due to poor on-
field results) they left the ground in 1998 and moved to Hindmarsh Stadium. In the 2010 and 2011
National Rugby League seasons, Sydney club the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs played home games at
the Oval against the Melbourne Storm. The Bulldogs had intended to make Adelaide Oval their
second "home" (the club plays its home games at Sydney's Olympic Stadium), but the plan was
abandoned after 2010.
Aside from the main sports of cricket and Australian rules football, 14 sports have been played
at one time or another at the oval: archery, athletics, baseball, cycling, American football,
highland games, hockey, lacrosse, lawn tennis, rugby league, rugby union, quoits, soccer and
Motorcycle racing.
Concerts
Adelaide Oval has hosted major concerts during its time, with some of the most famous acts
including Fleetwood Mac (1977 & 2004), David Bowie (1978 & 1983), KISS (1980), Madonna and Paul
McCartney (1993), Michael Jackson (1996), Billy Joel and Elton John (1998),[49] P!nk (2002),
Pearl Jam (2009), AC/DC and Wolfmother (2010) and Foo Fighters (2011).[50]
The Rolling Stones were due to play a concert at the Adelaide Oval on 22 March 2014.[51] This
would have been the first major event at the fully redeveloped venue, but it was postponed due to
the death of lead singer Mick Jagger's girlfriend L'Wren Scott in New York on 17 March. The
rescheduled concert took place on 25 October 2014.
Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium, Kochi Kaloor Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.JPG
Kaloor International Stadium
Location Kaloor, Kochi, India
Coordinates 9°59'50?N 76°18'04?E
Owner Greater Cochin Development Authority
Operator Greater Cochin Development Authority
Executive suites 109
Capacity 60,500[1][2]
Surface Grass
Construction
Opened 1996
Renovated 2008
Tenants
India National Cricket Team (1997–present)
India National Football Team (1997–present)
Kerala Cricket Team(1998–present)
Kerala Football Team(1998–present)
FC Kochin(1999–2002)
Kochi Tuskers Kerala (2011)
Chirag United Club Kerala (2011–2012)
Kerala Strikers (2012-present)
Kerala Blasters F.C.(2014-present)
Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium: locally known as Kaloor International Stadium – is a multipurpose international stadium situated in Kochi, Kerala. The stadium has a capacity of 60,500 spectators making it one of the largest stadiums in India. The stadium was built in 1996 by the Government of Kerala with Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA). The stadium is widely touted to be one of the most noisiest cricket stadium in the world due to its distinctive architecture.
Originally constructed as a football stadium, it has played host to a number of international cricket and football matches. The extensive grounds of the stadium serve as venue for important exhibitions, cinema events and political rallies in the city. The most innovative aspect of the stadium is its unique lighting towers of 2 kW Floodlights which when switched on fully can provide lighting levels for HD telecast. The Structure of the tower is itself one of a kind in India.[3][4] Greater Cochin Development Authority leased out the Jawaharlal Nehru International stadium at Kaloor to the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) for a period of 30 years.
The stadium acts as the home ground for teams including Kerala cricket team, Kerala Blasters FC (Indian Super League).
Kochi is vying to be one of the six host cities for 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup to be held in India. If Kochi wins then this stadium will be the venue.
History
The first tournament conducted was the Nehru Cup International Football Tournament in 1997. The highest attendance was recorded in this tournament for India v/s Iraq match (nearly one hundred thousand people attended, thus overcrowding the stadium). But the highest money grosser was made in a cricket ODI match between India and Pakistan on April 2005. The first ODI played on this ground was between India and Australia on 1 April 1998. Kaloor stadium hosted the first match India played after Sachin Tendulkar retirement. The pavilion was renamed as Sachin Tendulkar pavilion as an honour to him before this match between India and West Indies on 21 November 2013 which India won by 6 wickets.
The stadium underwent a massive renovation including a modern turf, an aesthetic modern roofing and a four-lane road from the south side of the stadium.
The first Indian Premier League game at the stadium was on 9 April 2011, when the Kochi Tuskers Kerala hosted the Royal Challengers Bangalore. It was the first IPL match for the Kochi Tuskers. Five of their 2011 home games were played in this stadium, and the other two were played at the Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore. The stadium hosted the semi-final and final of the 2013 Duleep trophy.
Panoramic View of the Stadium
The first Indian Super League game at the stadium was on 6 November 2014, when the Kerala Blasters FC hosted the FC Goa. It was the first ISL match for the Kerala Blasters.The stadium is the home ground of Kerala Blasters FC .The stadium draws an average attendance of 40000 for the Indian Super League matches.
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi
The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kaloor,Kochi,Kerala,India is the home ground of Kerala Blasters FC which plays in the Indian Super League
The game between Kerala Blasters FC and Chennaiyin FC saw 61,323 spectators on 30 November 2014.
Stadium was venue for 2013 Santosh Trophy finals.
The famous "Maro Maro" song composed by A.R.Rahman for the Tamil movie Boys directed by Shankar. Climax scenes of the Tamil movie Velayudham starring Vijay and Malayalam movie Run Baby Run starring Mohanlal and somany other Indian Films were shot in the stadium.
ODI Matches held
Gaddafi Stadium
For the hockey stadium, see National Hockey Stadium, Lahore.
Ground information
Location Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Coordinates 31°30'48?N 74°20'0?ECoordinates: 31°30'48?N 74°20'0?E
Establishment 1959
Capacity 60,400
Owner Pakistan Cricket Board
Operator Lahore Regional Cricket Association
Tenants Lahore cricket teams, Lahore Lions, Lahore Eagles Pakistan International
Airlines, Pakistan
End names
Pavilion End
College End
International information
First Test 21 – 26 Nov 1959: Pakistan v Australia
Last Test 1 – 2 Mar 2009: Pakistan v Sri Lanka
First ODI 13 Jan 1978: Pakistan v England
Last ODI 24 Jan 2009: Pakistan v Sri Lanka
As of 4 Mar 2009
Source: Cricinfo
Gaddafi Stadium :-Gaddafi Stadium is a cricket ground in Lahore, Pakistan. It was designed by Daghestani-born architect and engineer Nasreddin Murat-Khan,
who also designed Lahore's Minar-e-Pakistan, and constructed by Mian Abdul Khaliq and Company in
1959. The ground was renovated for the 1996 Cricket World Cup when it hosted the final. It is
also the largest cricket stadium in Pakistan with a capacity of 60,400 spectators.[1] It hosted
the 1990 Hockey World Cup Final, where the hosts were defeated 3–1 by the Netherlands.
Ground history
Gaddafi Stadium at night
Originally Lahore Stadium, the facility was renamed in 1974 in honour of the former Libyan leader
Colonel Muammar Gaddafi following a speech he gave at the 2nd Organisation of the Islamic
Conference meeting in Lahore in favour of Pakistan's right to pursue nuclear weapons.[2] The
stadium houses the headquarters of the Pakistan Cricket Board.
In 1995–96, the Gaddafi Stadium was renovated by architect Nayyar Ali Dada for the 1996 Cricket
World Cup. Dada's redesign was done in the Mughal style, with red, hand-laid brickwork and
arches. Dada also had plastic seating installed in place of the existing concrete benches. The
lower portion under the stands was enclosed and converted to shops for boutiques and offices.
Gaddafi Stadium was the first in Pakistan to be equipped with modern floodlights having their own
standby power generators.[3]
On 23 October 2011 the Pakistan Cricket Board discussed renaming the stadium following the death
of Gaddafi, to support the new government in Libya. The Punjab Olympic Association made a similar
request in late October 2011 to the provincial chief minister, "I don't think his profile is
inspirational enough to link with our cricket stadium's identity." As of April 2012, however, it
does not appear that the stadium's name will be changed after all.[4]
Cricket history
Gadaffibuilding in Lahore.gif
Three hat-tricks have been taken at the stadium, by Peter Petherick of New Zealand against
Pakistan, 9 October 1976, Wasim Akram of Pakistan against Sri Lanka, 6 March 1999 and Mohammad
Sami of Pakistan against Sri Lanka,
Pakistan has enjoyed some memorable moments on the ground, including a fifth-wicket stand of 281
between Javed Miandad and Asif Iqbal against New Zealand in 1976 and an innings and 324 run win
against New Zealand in 2002. The stadium hosted the final of the 1996 World Cup, which was
watched by over 60,000 spectators. However, despite the impressive capacity, the ground is often
sparsely attended for Test matches, with sometimes as few as 1000 fans turning up. One-day
internationals are more popular and crowds in excess of 20,000 are common.
On 3 March 2009, the scheduled third day of second Test of 2008–09 Sri Lanka tour of Pakistan,
the Sri Lankan team's convoy was attacked by armed militants at Liberty Roundabout, near Gaddafi
stadium. Eight Sri Lankan players were injured, including Sri Lankan captain, Mahela Jayawardene.
The Sri Lankan team was air-lifted from Gaddafi Stadium to a nearby airbase, from where they were
evacuated back to Sri Lanka, this event marked the end of international cricket in Pakistan. Only
neighbouring Afghanistan, which is facing its own Taliban insurgency, has visited the country in
the interim, playing a short one-day series in 2011 and a Twenty20 against second-string team
Pakistan A on 15 November 2014.[5] However, on 10 December 2014 Kenyan cricket team arrived in
Lahore amid tight security, to play five one-day matches, becoming the first non-Asian visitors
to militancy-wracked Pakistan for more than five years.[6][7][8][9][10]
Records
Test
Highest team total: 699, by Pakistan against India in 1989.
Lowest team total: 73, by New Zealand against Pakistan in 2002.
Highest individual score: 329, by Inzamam-ul-Haq against New Zealand in 2002.
One Day International
Highest team total: 357/9, by Sri Lanka against Bangladesh, 25 June 2008.
Lowest team total: 75, by Pakistan against Sri Lanka, 22 January 2009.
Highest individual score: 139*, by Ijaz Ahmed against India, 2 October 1997.
T20's
Faisal Bank T20 CUP, October 2010 *
The entire cup was played at the stadium, where the people showed great interest. The final was
held between Lahore Lions and Karachi Dolphins which was won by the Lahore Lions. It was attended
by a jam-packed crowd with thousands outside the stadium. Muhammad Yousuf was the captain of
Lions. No international T20 match is hosted at this venue.
See also
2009 attack on the Sri Lanka national cricket team
List of Test cricket grounds
List of international cricket centuries at Gaddafi Stadium
List of stadiums in Pakistan
List of cricket grounds in Pakistan
List of sports venues in Karachi
List of sports venues in Lahore
List of sports venues in Faisalabad
Ground information
Location New Raipur, Chhattisgarh
Coordinates 21°12'15?N 81°49'24?ECoordinates: 21°12'15?N 81°49'24?E
Establishment September 11, 2008
Capacity 65,000
Owner Government of Chhattisgarh
Operator Chhattisgarh State Cricket Sangh
End names
North End
South End
International information
As of June 22, 2014
Source: Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, Cricinfo
The Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium or Raipur International Cricket
Stadium is a cricket field in the city of Naya Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India. The stadium has a
seating capacity of 65,000, making it the second largest in India and fourth largest in the world
by seating capacity. Inaugurated in 2008, this ground hosted its first ever match in 2010, when
the Canada national cricket team arrived in India and played a practice match against the
Chhattisgarh state team. In 2013, the stadium was declared as a second host venue for Delhi
Daredevils in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and hosted two of its matches.[1][2][3][4]
Location
Stadium is situated close to the Airport in Naya Raipur and is 21 km away from Raipur main city.
[5][6]
Construction and arrangements
The construction of the stadium began in the year 2001 and it was completed in a couple of years.
It was built and owned by the Government of Chhattisgarh.[7] The stadium has been built with as a
modern sports arena. The media facilities have been redone, the corporate boxes are plush, and
roofs cover the rest of the ground to provide comfort from heat[5] The stadium has been built at
the new capital Naya Raipur which will be of the finest and planned cities of the world.
Initial game hostings
The First International Standard cricket match was played between Canada’s national cricket team
and the State of Chhattisgarh, the game was a One Day match, played on the 21st of November
2010.[8]
Stadium hosted a Half-Marathon, with the theme "Let us run" on December 16, 2012 to mark Vijay
Diwas.[9] Sunil Gavaskar had rated this stadium to as one of the best stadiums in the country and
had proposed to utilize it for all types of matches.[10] Irfan Pathan who was in awe of the
facilities in the stadium noted that “When opportunities are created, and such facilities are in
place, there is the hope that cricketers will emerge.”[11]
Hosting of IPL and CL T-20 matches
CLT20 match between Northern Knights and Lahore Lions.
IPL matches
In January 2013, Board of Control for Cricket in India announced that Delhi Daredevils' Indian
Premier League team shall be hosting two of their home matches in IPL - 6 at this stadium.[12]
Raipur was allotted two IPL games in January after the chief minister invited GMR, the owners of
the Daredevils franchise, to host some of their home matches there. Following inspections and a
few meetings, the approvals came in, and in February the state's public works department swung
into action to spruce up the ground in time; they completed work on the interior in less than two
months.[5]
On 28 April 2013, the first IPL match between Delhi Daredevils and Pune Warriors was played, in
which Daredevils beat Warriors by 15 runs.[13] With this it became the 19th venue to host any IPL
match.[14]The second match was played on 1 May 2013, between Delhi Daredevils and Kolkata Knight
Riders.[15] To ensure a greater success, Chhattisgarh State government had waived the
entertainment tax on the tickets.[16]
Few matches of the 2014 Indian Premier League had to take place at the stadium but could not take
place due to rescheduling of the matches due to general elections .[7] CL T20
Stadium shall also be hosting eight T20 matches of the 2014 Champions League Twenty20. These will
comprise two Group Stage games, plus all six Qualifier matches. The Qualifier matches will be
double-headers.For the first time in the history of CLT20 the qualifiers were sold out.[17]
Praise for the stadium
Sunil Gavaskar had rated this stadium to as one of the best stadiums in the country and had
proposed to utilize it for all types of matches.[10]
Irfan Pathan who was in awe of the facilities in the stadium noted that “When opportunities
are created, and such facilities are in place, there is the hope that cricketers will emerge . I
hope to play again at this wonderful venue
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