Sited on the banks of rivers, on the coast, alongside Roman roads and in the heart of cities, historic English cricket grounds come in all shapes and sizes. Here are 10 significant examples.
When was cricket first played in England?
Experts suggest that cricket might have been invented during the Saxon or Norman times by children in the south east of England.
British colonialism took cricket beyond England. It reached North America, the West Indies, India, and Australia. By the 19th century, cricket had also reached New Zealand and South Africa. Today, people all around the world play cricket.
Over the years, it has developed into many different formats (each with their own rules and key terms).
The first ever international cricket match was played between USA and Canada in 1844, at the St George’s Cricket Club in New York.
1. The Oval, Kennington, London
The Oval was laid out as a cricket ground in 1845. It is one of the country’s most significant sporting arenas, and the venue for England’s first international football match in 1870.
It became the first ground in England to host an international Test cricket match, when England beat an Australian team by five wickets. The legendary William Gilbert Grace scored 152 runs in the first innings.
An enduring feature of the ground has been the famous gas holders at the north side of the ground, one of which was the world’s largest gasholder when it was built between 1877 and 1879.
2. Old Trafford Cricket Ground, Manchester
Old Trafford opened in 1857 as the home of Manchester Cricket Club. The ground has hosted the Cricket World Cup five times: in 1975, 1979, 1983, 1999 and 2019.
It also holds the record for hosting the most Cricket World Cup matches (17) and most semi-finals (5).
The venue was also used as a transit camp for troops returning from Dunkirk during the Second World War.
3. Lord’s Cricket Ground, St John’s Wood, London
Named after its founder, Lord’s was the third ground established by Thomas Lord between 1787 and 1814. It is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club, which was founded in 1787.
Lord’s is often referred to as ‘the Home of Cricket’. Fittingly, it is home to the world’s oldest sporting museum. Its pavilion, the Nursery End, Father Time weathervane and Grace Gates have become iconic features in the world of cricket.
At the Nursery End of the ground, opposite the Pavilion, is Lord’s Media Centre. Designed by Future Systems, it opened in 1999 and has become one of cricket’s most recognisable structures.
4. Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire
Cricket was first played on land behind the Trent Bridge Inn (seen at the bottom of the photograph below) in the 1830s.
A ground was laid out by the husband of the Inn’s landlady in 1841, and it soon became the home of Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Trent Bridge underwent considerable transformation with the construction of new stands.
The three-tier Radcliffe Road Stand (seen to the left of the picture above) has the appearance of a traditional pavilion, yet its award-winning design accommodates indoor nets, gym, a media centre and conference facilities.
5. Headingley Cricket Ground, Leeds, West Yorkshire
Headingley has hosted Test cricket since 1899. It was initially intended to be used as a venue for a multitude of sports, including football, tennis, bowls and cycling.
Headingley is unique in English international cricket grounds in that it shares a stand with the adjacent rugby ground.
In the photograph above, the rugby ground pitch is being used as a car park during the third Ashes Test in 1926. The main stand was eventually demolished and replaced in 2018.
Headingley has witnessed some thrilling international cricket. In 1930, Australia’s Donald Bradman scored 309 runs in one day. In 1981, Ian Botham inspired England to victory after being forced to follow-on (only the second time in Test history that this had been achieved).
In 2002, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid scored centuries to power India to their highest total against England. And in 2019, one of Test cricket’s most remarkable matches saw England chase down their highest ever fourth innings target.
6. County Cricket Ground, Birmingham, West Midlands
Situated on the banks of the River Rea, Edgbaston in Birmingham has been the home of Warwickshire County Cricket Club since 1885.
Considered to be one of England’s leading cricket grounds right after Lord’s, the first piece of development at Edgbaston in the post war era was the construction of the Rea Bank and the Thwaite Memorial Scoreboard in 1950.
In 1956 an Indoor Cricket School was built. The Pavilion Suite was completed in the same year, while the William Ansell Stand opened in 1967.
Edgbaston has hosted some notable international matches. The final match of the first Women’s Cricket World Cup was played here in 1973.
Edgbaston was also the venue for a thrilling match in the 2005 Ashes, considered one of the best of all time. It saw England win by 2 runs (England’s narrowest Test victory in terms of runs).
7. Bramall Lane, Sheffield, South Yorkshire
Bramall Lane in Sheffield opened as a cricket ground in 1855.
The original headquarters of Yorkshire County Cricket Club following its formation in 1863, it hosted its only international Test match in 1902. England suffered a defeat to Australia in the third of 5 Tests, with the tourists winning by 143 runs.
Football was first played at Bramall Lane in 1862, and since 1889 it has been the home of Sheffield United Football Club.
8. North Marine Road Ground, Scarborough, North Yorkshire
Despite its relatively lowly status in the world of cricket, international cricket matches have been hosted at North Marine Road Ground.
In 1976, the legendary Vivian Richards scored an unbeaten century as the West Indies thrashed England in a One Day International on parched ground.
North Marine Road has also hosted 5 international Test matches. The first, played in June 1951, was a three day match between England and Australia, with the legendary Cecilia Robinson scoring a century in England’s first innings.
9. County Cricket Ground, New Road, Worcester
New Road has been the home of Worcestershire County Cricket Club since 1896.
Although it is one of the smaller first class cricket grounds, New Road’s location and views of Worcester Cathedral make it one of the most picturesque. However, its proximity to the River Severn also makes it vulnerable to flooding.
Despite its modest 4,500 people capacity, New Road has hosted its fair share of international matches.
Since 1951, New Road has played host to nine women’s Test matches, including the third Test of India’s 1986 tour. India’s Sandhya Agarwal’s score of 190 at Worcester set a record in women’s Test cricket.
10. St Lawrence Cricket Ground, Canterbury
Cricket has been played at the St Lawrence Ground, home of Kent County Cricket Club, since 1847. It is one of the oldest grounds on which first class cricket is played.
Famously, it is the only first class cricket ground in England that has a tree within the boundary line.
The St Lawrence Lime, seen close to boundary at the right side of the ground in the above photograph, necessitated special laws. The ball hitting the tree was scored as four, and no batsman could be caught out from a rebound off it.
The tree, weakened by fungus, was damaged by winds in 2005, leaving only a stump.
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Further reading
A shame that there is no modern photo of Canterbury or an updated description. The old lime tree was “replaced” following special dispensation by the cricket authorities, but its new location, together with ground reorganisation and the building of adjacent flats, means that it is highly unlikely ever to fall within the boundary of the playing area. That uniqueness has gone. A great pity.
Have some of them reduced is size? Or is just down to the photographs.
What about the Hambledon cricket club in Hampshire. I thought that was the home of modern cricket!