http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/9448/adetailofthestaircaseattherang.jpg

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/8075/dambullastadium1me6jq.jpg

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/8174/thescoreboardendofthegroundatt.jpg

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/1038/ageneralviewofthemassivepavili1.jpg

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/3834/ageneralviewofthemassivepavili.jpg

This stadium is diffrent :nuts:

Antigua & Barbuda: Sir Vivian Richards Stadium

http://img358.imageshack.us/img358/3769/venueantigua2dc.jpg

Capacity 20,000 of which 10,000 will be permanent.


Barbados: Kensington Oval

http://img358.imageshack.us/img358/6991/venuebarbados6zv.jpg

Capacity: 28,000 Seats. !!2007 World Cup Finals Venue!!


Grenada: Queen's Park

http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/5646/venuegrenada5lw.jpg

Capacity: 17,000 seats


Guyana: Providence Stadium

http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/1746/venueguyana1yq.jpg

Capacity: 16,000 Seats.


Jamaica: Sabina Park

http://img485.imageshack.us/img485/6346/venuejamaica1jv.jpg

Capacity: 21,000 Seats


Jamaica: Greenfields Stadium (Trelawny)

http://img485.imageshack.us/img485/2083/venuetrelawny6zq.jpg

Capacity: 25,000 Seats.


St. Kitts & Nevis: Warner Park Stadium

http://img485.imageshack.us/img485/6789/venuestkitts3tm.jpg

Capacity: 10,000 Seats.


Saint Lucia: Beausejour Stadium

http://img485.imageshack.us/img485/7781/venuestlucia5lb.jpg


St. Vincent & the Grenadines: Arnos Vale stadium in St. Vincent

http://img485.imageshack.us/img485/9507/venuestvincent0pq.jpg

Capacity: 12,000 Seats.


Trinidad & Tobago: Queens Park Oval

http://img485.imageshack.us/img485/9968/venuetrinidad7wg.jpg

Capacity: 17,000 Seats.


Trinidad & Tobago: Brian Lara Stadium

http://img485.imageshack.us/img485/3481/venuebrianlara5bu.jpg

Capacity: 15,000 Seats.

some great venues there to come into use when real cricket resumes after the world cup nonsense.

Especially good to see the increased capacity at Barbados, which has long been far too small for Windies v England tests

They're going to build all these before the WC07 or are they already built?

They're beautiful graphics. It will be nice to see these built, and I also look forward to the reemergence of the Windies as a cricket force. They were truly sensational in the 70's and 80's.

Some points:

# Great for West Indies cricket as their venues were in need for many years of redvelopments.
# This will help to make going out to the Carribean more attractive for future tours of English and Australian teams who have large followings.
# Some of those stadiums rebuilding programs are well behind schedule and some have been scrapped altogether last I heard.
The northern Jamaica ground, Trelawnly was dumped amid much critcism. The Antigua ground had barely broken ground a few months ago. Guyana seems to be getting wheels moving.

It will be interesting to see if they get everything up and running in time.

As for the World Cup itself. They need to go back to 8 nations with pre-qualifiers. The best World Cup staged was the 1992 event in Australia and only 8 nations were there. Everyone plays each other once, with a semi final and a final. Perfect. The current format has too many walkovers and does nothing to develop the sport in smaller nations. So is therefore pointless.

Hopefully when Oz gets the 2011 World Cup they will put things right.

On Georgetown's new ground there are some excellent photos of what it is supposed to look like once completed.

http://www.guyanastadium.netfirms.com/

Here is a photo of the new ground under construction.

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8190/2040/1600/100_1430.0.jpg

They will really need to get a move on if they have any chance of finishing in time.

What happened to Florida hosting a few games?

^^^^^^^^

USA ain't a cricket nation. Thank goodness for that too. They prefer their little "rounders" game which is nice and simple for them to understand.

What? Cricket WC on Antiles?? Cool:) Aren't that countries too small to host such a big games?

Mmm those stadium pics are still artists impressions, are they ready as yet?
the world cup is next year!!!
Remember if the infastructure aint ready by the end of Aug, South Africa is gonna host it again!

At least we will have a 2nd chance on winning the bloody thing at home!

^^^^^

Don't joke. From the pictures I have seen it looks as though they have only just started construction. They knew they were hosting the tournament years ago too.

They are on "Carribean time".

lol, having plenty of "smoke breaks":hahaha:

St. Vincent & the Grenadines: Arnos Vale stadium in St. Vincent - That's the one. Right on the edge of the sea. Beautiful, one of the most picturesque surroundings in the world.

^^^^^

Don't joke. From the pictures I have seen it looks as though they have only just started construction. They knew they were hosting the tournament years ago too.

They are on "Carribean time".

Yes. All of them seem to be under renovation or U/C except the st. lucia one. here is the official World Cup Website.

http://www.cricketworldcup.com/Venues1.html

well it's about a year to the World Cup. Football World Cup it might not be, yet you don't know how much Indians, Aussies and Pommies love their cricket. Mix it with the nearby beach.... :master:

it doesnt take long to construct a stadium though, i think they will be ready on time

^^^^^^

Tell that to the Multiplex shareholders in regards to Wembley.

I love cricket (Go SA) and I love these renderings.

^^^^^^

Tell that to the Multiplex shareholders in regards to Wembley.
yeah but these stadiums aint no wembley

Considering how quickly the new lower tier at Twickenham is going up its clear that there is still time for venues no matter how far they have come.
these grounds are more comparable to such a lower tier that the completion of the entire stand.

Anyway, as a huge cricket fan I am just glad theyre getting these venues built (and I couldnt care less as to when theyre finished since I consider the world cup completly irrelevant)

Some stadia are up to 6 weeks behind schedule with about one year to go...windies might be doing an athens on us...SOUTH AFRICA stand by...wanna host another world cup?
1995 - rugby
2003 - cricket
2007 - cricket
2010 - football/soccer

FEBRUARY 2006!

http://www.guyanastadium.netfirms.com/index_files/image3945.jpg

http://www.guyanastadium.netfirms.com/index_files/image3896.jpg

MARCH 2006 !

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8190/2040/400/3%207%202006%20voc%20copy.jpg

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8190/2040/400/3%207%202006%20south%20west%20stand%20copy.jpg

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8190/2040/400/3%207%202006%20mound%20copy.jpg



http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8190/2040/400/3%207%202006%20guyana%20providence%20stadium%2051.1.jpg

im all over going for the 2007 world cup . gonna be based out of st barts and do some island hopping.
bring it on mon!!!

Oz took the Springboks to the cleaners today. Incredible performance. Looks like they have just been 'foxing' with the Saffers until now.

The SA bowling needs to take a good hard look at itself.

As for Ponting, there is no competition now. Hail the no.1 batsman in the world. Tendulkar, exit stage right!

Oz took the Springboks to the cleaners today. Incredible performance. Looks like they have just been 'foxing' with the Saffers until now.

The SA bowling needs to take a good hard look at itself.

As for Ponting, there is no competition now. Hail the no.1 batsman in the world. Tendulkar, exit stage right!

I take it you're still watching...?!

Aus 434-4 (50 overs) Ponting 164 off 105 balls

SA currently 279-2 (30 overs) Gibbs 156* off 104 balls

I can't take my eyes off it - I'm supposed to be watching the France v England Six Nations in 20 minutes but it's going to have to be time-delayed now!!

I take it you're still watching...?!

Aus 434-4 (50 overs) Ponting 164 off 105 balls

SA currently 279-2 (30 overs) Gibbs 156* off 104 balls

I can't take my eyes off it - I'm supposed to be watching the France v England Six Nations in 20 minutes but it's going to have to be time-delayed now!!OMG WE WON!!!! MY WORD!!! WORLD RECORD!!

Unbelievable game.

http://cache.gettyimages.com/xc/57063011.jpg?v=1&c=MS_GINS&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF19390335F8FA9CA92A6EDFDD854DCFE3E96EC7C5022FB410D56

http://cache.gettyimages.com/xc/57063016.jpg?v=1&c=MS_GINS&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF19390335F8FA9CA92A6EDFDD854DCFE3E964EF3EA9A178B7582

http://cache.gettyimages.com/xc/57063019.jpg?v=1&c=MS_GINS&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF19390335F8FA9CA92A6EDFDD854DCFE3E96810F755E003CBEB8

Bloody amazing game.

I hate South African's but I was cheering them for every run. Superb Game. Totally messed up my day, I was due to do loads of work but stayed in and watched instead.

Well done South African Cricket team you are now officially legends.

:applause:

Went to bed after the Aussie innings. Shocked to see the result to be honest. Well done SA. Didn't think they had it in them.

What is up with the Jo burg pitch. In the WC final in 2003 a load of runs were scored on it, now this. It must be the flattest wicket in the world.

Now onto the tests when the real stuff begins.

BTW, the Guyana Cricket Ground looks like nothing has been done to it in 6 months. No progress at all.

They are still on Carribean time over there by the looks of it.

Can the windies do it? that stadium suppose to be ready as we speak!
well if its not ready by the end of the year, looks like SA will stage it again!

BTW, the Guyana Cricket Ground looks like nothing has been done to it in 6 months. No progress at all.

They are still on Carribean time over there by the looks of it.
They must be having loooooong smoke breaks...hehehe, ja man!

The World Cup should be stage in Oz in 2007. Dunno whose idea it was to go to the Windies. It looks like being a shimozzle over there. Really cheapening the tournament.

The finals should only have the 8 best teams with everyone playing each other once, semi finals for the top 4 to decide the 2 finalists. It is daft having 10 or more nations in it. What possible benefit is having a Holland or Canada in it?

^^HEY I went to the Canada vs Bangladesh game in Durban during the world cup here in 2003, Canada WON! & they played pretty well

^^ And Bangladesh beat Austrailia the last time they played them

^^^^^^^^^^

Went to the Oz v. Kenya game in Durban during that World Cup. Lucky for me, SA was bundled out and the "strongest" team from Africa Oz had to defeat was Kenya so you could get tickets for half the price of face value.

The world cup should be like the 1992 format. 10, 12 or more teams is too many with too many dead games.

The best World Cup ever was the 1992.

^^ One thing i prefer is that any sort of world cup should be hosted by one nation only, but with the West Indies i suppose, is a special case.

In theory I would support the Windies holding the World Cup. But cricket authorities over there is so badly run these days that the Cup promises to be a joke and will harm the World Cup.

West Indies cricket needs to get itself sorted out or the sport will slip into obscurity. That is something I almost cannot believe after watching their dominance for years. Where did it all go wrong?

Maybe the WC might help turn things around for them. You can only live in hope.

Guyana's ground won't be completed on time for the Cup. They will have to move to the old ground. The Bourda Ground.

According to the bloggers most Carribean stadiums won't get finished in time. So they may well end up playing in the old, dodgy grounds.

The shame is, nobody is actually suprised by this. They wonder why they live in 3rd world countries too.

I couldnt care less about the "cricket" world cup itself but if even some of these venues are completed it would be of huge benefit to the west Indies cricket in the long term as they have hopelessly poor capacities especially for the England tour, where they should be able to massively increase their revenue in the future.
This makes the West Indies the right location.

wow such nice stadiums for cricket matchs so modern and new and clean before I thought the only good cricket stadium was the Melburne but not anymore.

wow such nice stadiums for cricket matchs so modern and new and clean before I thought the only good cricket stadium was the Melburne but not anymore.
Dont speak so soonm they not even complete as yet!

Beautiful stadiums. Unfortunately i wont see the stadia myself, I have to work through that period :bash:

I love my cricket, and although this 'world cup' is nothing but money-making sponsor deals, I hope Aussies make it 3 in a row!!

Beautiful stadiums. Unfortunately i wont see the stadia myself, I have to work through that period :bash:

I love my cricket, and although this 'world cup' is nothing but money-making sponsor deals, I hope Aussies make it 3 in a row!!
U wish, mark my words, the Paki's got a brilliant chance at this one, Bob is doing a fantastic job there, & I heard over the weekend that Jonty Rohdes is gonna help train the feilders, Also Afrida has temp retired from test cricket to practice his batting for the world cup!

Firworks, thats wat we can expect!

Ha. If the Paki's are putting their WC hopes on 'hit-or-miss' Afridi, they need more depth.

Seriously, though I feel at least two teams from the sub-continent will make the SF. But Australia has undoubtedly the best depth in a squad, and the more depth in the squad the better chance of lifting the WC over the 2 months the tournament goes for.

Ha. If the Paki's are putting their WC hopes on 'hit-or-miss' Afridi, they need more depth.

Seriously, though I feel at least two teams from the sub-continent will make the SF. But Australia has undoubtedly the best depth in a squad, and the more depth in the squad the better chance of lifting the WC over the 2 months the tournament goes for.
Watch your self know, India & Paki's can do plenty damage. We know you love your Aussies & I love my Saffa's but you gotto hand it to these guys.

Aussies have the World Cup in the bag. What will be interesting is who will be good enough to meet us in the final?

Aussies got nothing in the bag, the form they showing now, doesnt mean they gonna be doing the same come next year, its a whole new ball game, who knows what could happen? Ponting gets cronic gas, Clark gets the shitz, ghilcrest breaks his hand. No one can tell for sure. :D

If they sent the Tasmanian state team we'd still win it.

World Cup stadia 'will be ready on time'

http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/inline/content/image/226129.jpg?alt=1
Chris Dehring: 'Full steam ahead'

Suggestions that some of the grounds scheduled to host matches during next year's World Cup will not be ready on time have been dismissed by Chris Dehring, the tournament's managing director and chief executive officer.

Concerns have grown after contractors at Sabina Park admitted that there were serious delays in the ground's rebuild, but Dehring said that it was "full steam ahead", adding that a contingency plan had been submitted to the ICC in case there were any last-minute problems.

"Everyone is moving forward as planned," he told reporters in Grenada. "Of course we have a back-up plan in place and it is currently being reviewed by the ICC. That plan will only be implemented if absolutely necessary. At present, there is no one country that is being earmarked to 'take' matches currently assigned to another host venue.

"If a decision were to be taken to relocate matches from one host venue to another, it could only be taken by the organisers. This is not a decision that can be made by anyone outside."

Dehring explained that it was "critical to the overall success of the tournament, at this time every country is expected to meet its obligation to host matches. Each host venue is working not only on the completion of their stadia but on all the other infrastructural elements required to support the hosting of the tournament.

"We have just over 300 days to go, including weekends and public holidays, and everyone concerned is working assiduously to ensure that no time is lost.

Dehring also said that a revised plan had now been submitted for Sabina Park which would ensure it was ready on time. Warner Park in St Kitts is almost finished, and work on the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua is ahead of schedule. Guyana's Providence Stadium is also set to be ready ahead of the organisers' deadline.

They look good.....

It just struck me that some venues have 16 000 capacity, and some English grounds have similar capacities.

Does anyone know if the ICC has minimum seating requirements for world cup venues (like FIFA has for football 40 000) for cricket?

The Eden Gardens,Kolkatta,India is the biggest Cricket stadium in the World.
It can handle upto 120,000 People :dance:

Pics...?

Complete shithole.

Are you confusing Eden Gardens with Salt Lake Stadium.
http://www.cricketfundas.com/edengardens.jpg
http://www.catchcal.com/kaleidoscope/places_to_visit/photo/Salt%20Lake%20Stadium.gif

both in Kolkatta, both BIG

It can handle upto 120,000 People


So can Michael Barrymore, but that doesn't make him a good stadium!

According to Worldstadiums it has 90,000 seats which would make it the worlds second biggest cricket ground. :cheers:

Ranji Stadium (Eden Gardens) (http://www.worldstadiums.com/asia/countries/india.shtml)

nope its 124 000 was at the india vs australia matches a few years back

The info is correct. Eden Gardens has 90,000 seats. However, it is capable of holding about 120,000 with just about everyone standing. And that has happened on plenty of occasions. Dangerous I know but that's India for you.

But if you count record attendances, the MCG held 120,000 back in the days before safety regulations were in place too.

has anyone got pics of Punjab Stadium in Pakistan? holds 90,000 apparently but nowhere has any pictures

Held to any developed nation's safety codes it would hold only 95,000 max, and that would still be jamming them in like sardines.

Edit1: rush of blood to the head
Edit2: a bit of originality when naming a stadium wouldn't go a miss.

^^^ he means the one in pakistan which is different

The only pictures I can find are pictures of the facade:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/punjabstadium/

Reminds me of the old MCG from the 1970s. Love to visit it one day. Flew over it at 50,000 feet once on a flight to Europe and you could still see it way down below quite clearly.

nope its 124 000 was at the india vs australia matches a few years back


imagine the smell of 124000 brownies!!! :puke:

I see bubomb is trying to get as many posts in as possible before this account gets banned.

India is just ripe for some kind of "football" to take off over there.

Dunno how the Indians can live without a serious dose of footy during the winter.

Rugby union should take a look at getting big in India, dunno if soccer will have the appeal that union would if it was done right.

India and rugby have a long history. The Calcutta Football Club donated that trophy England and Scotland play for.

Dunno how the Indians can live without a serious dose of footy during the winter.

What winter? In most of the country the seasons are just "hot and wet" and "hot and dry"... :)

Finaly a thread on this stadium but alas, hardly any pics, CMON U INDIANS GO OUT THERE & TAKE SUM PICS!!!

imagine the smell of 124000 brownies!!! :puke:
Shud smell like rangers fans at da IBROX

2007 cricket world cup
The 2007 Cricket World Cup will be hosted by the West Indies from March 13 to April 28, 2007. It will be contested by 16 nations divided into 4 groups of 4 teams.

cricket stadium u/c or built , which will be used in matches for 2007 cricket world cup to be held in west indies.


Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua

Capacity: 20,000 of which 10,000 will be permanent

Location: the stadium is to be conveniently built between the city and the airport.

Status: New stadium under construction in partnership with Peoples Republic Of China.

Matches: Super-8.

http://www.cricketaweting.com/venues/antigua1.jpg
http://www.accessbarbados.com/images/newsletter/sir_vivian.jpg

Kensington Oval, Barbados

History: hosted its first Test in 1929-30 and first ODI in 1984-85

Capacity: 32,000

Status: Major upgrade to be undertaken to add additional seats, player, media and sponsor facilities.

Matches: Super-8 & Finals.

http://static.flickr.com/44/143691864_8c5ca668b6_m.jpg

Queens Park, Grenada

Built: 1998

Capacity: present capacity of 13,000 to increase to 20,000 through temporary stands

Status: minor upgrade required

Matches: Super-8.
http://www.definitivecaribbean.com/Images/nTemplateImages/grenada_queenspark.jpg

Providence Stadium, Guyana

Capacity: 20,000

Status: to be built on a completely new site
http://www.cricketworldcup.com/Images/Venues/venue-guyana.jpg
http://www.barmyarmy.com/images/queenspark_gren.jpg

Sabina Park, Jamaica

Capacity: 30,000

History: hosted its first Test in 1929-30 and first ODI in 1983-84

Status: major upgrade to be undertaken

Matches: Opening Match; Opening Round; Semi Final.

http://www.definitivecaribbean.com/admin/images/imagelibrary/17201_SabinaPark_edited_normal.jpg

Warner Park Stadium, St Kitts and Nevis

Capacity: increase from 4000 to 10,000 with the addition of temporary stands

Status: the stadium is to be completely renovated and rebuilt with new facilities for media, spectators and players

http://www.discover-stkitts-nevis-beaches.com/image-files/artist-impression-of-new-warner-park-cricket-stadium-st-kitts.jpg
Beausejour Stadium, St Lucia

Built: 2001-02

Capacity: increase existing capacity of 12,000 to 20,000 with the addition of temporary stands

Status: relatively new stadium – minor upgrade required

http://http://www.cricinfo.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/51200/51254.jpg

http://www.cricinfo.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/63500/63558.jpg

Arnos Vale, St. Vincent & the Grenadines

Capacity: 12,000 Seats

Status: Major renovation under construction.

Matches: Warm up

http://www.definitivecaribbean.com/Images/nTemplateImages/grenada_arnosvale.jpg

Queens Park Oval, Trinidad and Tobago

The oldest ground in the Caribbean

Capacity: 25,000

Status: minor upgrade required

Matches: Opening round.

http://www.thefanatics.com/cwc2007/images/queens%20park.jpg
http://www.barmyarmy.com/images/beau_stl.jpg

This has already been done check out the link.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=305296

Right, im not sure if this has been done on here before, but these are what i reckon are the worlds best cricket stadiums in terms of capacity and being modern. Obviously, i've left out some of the more traditional grounds but they belong in a different thread perhaps.

Brisbane, Australia
The Gabba
Capacity: 42,000

http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictures/oceania/australia/queensland/brisbane_qca1.jpg

http://www.transport.qld.gov.au/qt/PubTrans.nsf/files/gabbaground.jpg/$file/gabbaground.jpg

Melbourne, Australia
MCG
Capacity: 100,000
http://www.paraburdoo.det.wa.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2006/04/MCG_aerial.jpg

http://www.*******************/australia-south-pacific/australia/images/s/australia-cricket-ground.jpg

Melbourne, Australia
Telstra Dome
Capacity: 56,300

http://www.top-city-photos.com/images/Rialto%20Telstra%20Dome.JPG

http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2006/01/13/wbCRICKETdome_wideweb__470x312,0.jpg

Wellington, New Zealand
Westpac Stadium
Capacity: 35,000

http://www.eagle.co.nz/flyers/images/westpac_stadium.jpg

http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictures/oceania/new_zealand/wellington_westpac2.jpg

Calcutta, India
Eden Gardens
Capacity: 90,000

http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictures/asia/india/calcutta_ranji2.jpg

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41119000/jpg/_41119976_edengardens.jpg

Lahore, Pakistan
Gaddafi Stadium
Capacity: 25,000

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/74/Gaddafi.jpg/290px-Gaddafi.jpg

http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/3/35/290px-Gadaffi_stadium_in_Lahore.gif

Dhaka, Bangladesh
Bangabhandu Stadium
Capacity: 36,000

http://www.fussballtempel.net/afc/BAN/Bangabandhu_A.jpg

http://www.umsl.edu/~mst223/Abahani_files/image003.jpg

Johannesburg, South Africa
The Wanderers
Capacity: 30,000

http://www.joburg.org.za/2003/jan/wanderers1.jpg

http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictures/africa/south_africa/johannesburg_wanderers2.jpg

London, England
Lords
Capacity: 28,000

http://www.cricket.co.uk/shared/images/grounds/middlesex_ground.gif

http://www.traveljournals.net/pictures/l/7/76217-lords-cricket-ground-media-centre-by-future-systems-architects-london-united-kingdom.jpg

London, England
The Brit Oval
Capacity: 23,000

http://*************************/london/jpgs/brit_oval_london_miller.jpg

http://www.surreycricket.com/data/images/width150/stand-684.jpg

Jamaica, West Indies
Sabina Park
Capacity: 30,000

http://www.cricket.co.uk/shared/images/grounds/West_Indies_SabinaPark.gif

Abu Dhabi, UAE
Sheikh Zayed Stadium
Capacity: 20,000

http://mangalorean.com/images/features/1015cricket01.jpg

The most disappointing thing is the standard of stadiums in the sub continent, theres certainly no shortage of passion for the game there, i really hope that the countries there invest in their stadiums more heavily. :)

The most disappointing thing is the standard of stadiums in the sub continent, theres certainly no shortage of passion for the game there, i really hope that the countries there invest in their stadiums more heavily. :)

They stole the 2011 WC from us so I'd hope they finally get their act together and fix their stadiums.

They stole the 2011 WC from us so I'd hope they finally get their act together and fix their stadiums.

Yeah mate i agree, even though i'm from Pakistan I really wanted the WC 2011 to be in Australia & New Zealand because these countries have the most modern cricket stadia without a doubt and it would have been a really good showcase for cricket. Plus it wouldve given the sub continent 4 more years to improve their stadiums.

Anyway, theres nothing that can be done now...i hope the sub continent use these 4 years wisely...im not hopeful though i dont think anything much will be done which is really a shame.

you can discount the australian stadia you've listed because they are "multi purpose" stadia and not cricket stadiums...the gabba & MCG would'nt look like they do if AFL was'nt played there and the telstra dome primary function is as a AFL ground..

thats should set it off:cheers:


as it goes the rose bowl will be one of the best in the world when it's finished..
http://www.rosebowlplc.com/beyondfirstclasspublic/aerial-south-crop.jpg

they don't have to hold 50/60/70k to be the best.

whoa, i had no idea that work on the rose bowl was still continuing, I think currently only that first tier of seating is complete. The finished product there looks damn good though.

Has anyone got any renders of the new look Sophia Gardens in Cardiff, cos they've managed to get an Ashes test in 2009 and have promised quite a bit of work on their ground.

http://www.cricinfo.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/61900/61929.jpg
thats what i could find, it seems alright although the design is a bit inconsistant

you can discount the australian stadia you've listed because they are "multi purpose" stadia and not cricket stadiums...the gabba & MCG would'nt look like they do if AFL was'nt played there and the telstra dome primary function is as a AFL ground..


Crickets played there, they exist. Therefore they count.

Bangabhandu Stadium in Dhaka is no longer a cricket stadium but a soccer stadium. Bangladesh cricket moved to a new stadium (mirpur stadium) thats supposed to look like this when completed

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v193/Bangladesh/mirpurstadium11.jpg

its supposed to have 47 000 capacity when completed i think.

How could you forget one of the owrl'ds most beuatiful grounds?
Newlands, Cape Town
cap. 25 000

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/bf/Newlands2.jpg/800px-Newlands2.jpg

http://www.gilesridley.com/images/newl2005_1.jpg

http://www.turtlesa.com/images/Newlands/new4.jpg

Durban, King's mead

http://www.sportsvenue-technology.com/projects/cricket/images/durban_cricket4.jpg

you can discount the australian stadia you've listed because they are "multi purpose" stadia and not cricket stadiums...the gabba & MCG would'nt look like they do if AFL was'nt played there and the telstra dome primary function is as a AFL ground..

thats should set it off:cheers:

Naughty little stirrer...

Agree on Telstra Dome - primary is AFL, with football coming up fast now that Melbourne Victory have started using it semi regularly.

Disagree on MCG. The fact that it's called the Melbourne Cricket Ground should be a bit of a clue. I think the facilities would be top notch there whether the ALF had been using it or not.

Yeah not sure why Telstra Dome is up there.

Yeah its got a roof but apart from that, its just another stadium IMO.

Crickets played there, they exist. Therefore they count.

cricket's been played @ the millennium stadium too shall we count that...and the toronto skydome (whatever it's called these days)..

Can't forget Adelaide Oval either, that is definately one of the worlds best grounds.

where's the SCG?
its probably the best in the world, or maybe no. 2 behind lords. :bash:

Did a cricket match ever had 100.000 spectators??
I never understood that game.......

Alright, I probably should have said feel free to add any stadiums you feel i've missed out! Im not sure how i missed out the SCG either actually...

Sydney, Australia
SCG
Capacity: 44,000

http://aura.zaadz.com/photos/2/18779/large/sydney-cricket-ground.jpg

http://www.australia.travelmall.com/images/24653.jpg

the pics for kingsmead and newlands are looking great aswell, i've always found that particular ground fascinating cos of table mountain. Plus the cape doctor coming through in the evening helps swing the ball to no end, making it almost impossible to play the 2nd innings of a day and nighter!

Did a cricket match ever had 100.000 spectators??
I never understood that game.......

yeah @ eden gardens in india...precise number are unknown but they defo had over 100,000 in there plenty of times

Theres also the WACA ground in Perth, Australia which can hold 24000 people

yeah @ eden gardens in india...precise number are unknown but they defo had over 100,000 in there plenty of times
The Indian crowds are only unofficial estimates as they don't count the people that enter at the gate.

Officially the biggest attendances in all forms is held by the MCG.

Actually we were on track to break the aggregate 5 day crowd record (which the G holds) this year but thrashed the English in less than 3 days. Just shy of 250,000 watched the 3 days play @ an average of 81,000.

The Indian crowds are only unofficial estimates as they don't count the people that enter at the gate.

Officially the biggest attendances in all forms is held by the MCG.

Also, Eden gardens has a lot of concrete steps as opposed to proper seats, so they dont even have an official figure for their capacity. Whilst grounds in Australia such as the MCG are all seaters.

the 'G' has'nt had a crowd of over 100k though has it?? not far off though..

the 'G' has'nt had a crowd of over 100k though has it?? not far off though..
The biggest official crowd to watch a days play is 90,800 set on Jan 2, 1961, Australia - West Indies series.

This years Boxing Day 1 crowd of 89,155 was just short of the record.

How anyone can leave off the 33,597 capacity Adelaide Oval is beyond me. The best cricket ground in the world IMO.

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/6027/adelaideoval0164pa.jpg

What on earth do you people have against using apostrophes?!?

Right, im not sure if this has been done on here before, but these are what i reckon are the worlds best cricket stadiums in terms of capacity and being modern.

The most disappointing thing is the standard of stadiums in the sub continent, theres certainly no shortage of passion for the game there, i really hope that the countries there invest in their stadiums more heavily. :)


thats what i could find, it seems alright although the design is a bit inconsistant

Crickets played there, they exist. Therefore they count.

Bangladesh cricket moved to a new stadium (mirpur stadium) thats supposed to look like this when completed

its supposed to have 47 000 capacity when completed i think.

Yeah its got a roof but apart from that, its just another stadium IMO.

Can't forget Adelaide Oval either, that is definately one of the worlds best grounds.

its probably the best in the world, or maybe no. 2 behind lords. :bash:

Theres also the WACA ground in Perth, Australia which can hold 24000 people

I love Trent Bridge in Nottingham as well. This stand is one of the best in the world:


http://www.jritson.demon.co.uk/images/trent3.jpg

What on earth do you people have against using apostrophes?!?

:lol: cant be arsed i suppose...

Every Cricket fans dream to watch your nation play against India in a packed house at Eden Gardens

Every Cricket fans dream to watch your nation play against India in a packed house at Eden GardensWhy do you say that?

Every Cricket fans dream to watch your nation play against India in a packed house at Eden Gardens

i dont particularly dream of that...

I love Trent Bridge in Nottingham as well. This stand is one of the best in the world:

http://www.jritson.demon.co.uk/images/trent3.jpg

I love the Radcliffe Road stand too, though I wish they'd made it symmetrical!

How anyone can leave off the 33,597 capacity Adelaide Oval is beyond me. The best cricket ground in the world IMO.

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/6027/adelaideoval0164pa.jpg

Are you sure that's the best in the world??? I haven't been to the Adelaide oval, and have been to the MCG but IMO the MCG looks alot lot better. So do many of the other stadiums already posted on here. That's your opinion though.

The Telstra Dome was put in there for two reasons probably. Because cricket is played there and because it's a fantastic venue, especially for spectators. Very comfortable, retractable roof, good layout, doesn't get too cold and is on the waterfront next to the CBD in Docklands.

The MCG is also a great stadium with a very high capacity, right next to the CBD, great viewing, history, always green turf (watered with tank water collected from the roof) and very spacious and comfortable seating.

cricket's been played @ the millennium stadium too shall we count that...and the toronto skydome (whatever it's called these days)..

On one hand you have stadiums completely not designed for cricket, that hold maybe one match ever, in countries where cricket is not popular. Probably with only a hanful of spectators.

On the other you have the...

Melbourne CRICKET Ground, the physical and spiritual home of Cricket Australia, the official nominated home field of the best cricket team on earth (in both Tests and ODI's), as well as home to the State cricket team the Victorian Bushrangers.
Where a cricket pitch is installed for 6 months of every year (ie: the cricket season), and used on average for cricket in that time more than one day a week.
The largest, most technologicallly advanced cricket ground that holds thw world records for crowds in every form of the game. THE SITE OF THE WORLDS FIRST EVER TEST MATCH. The site of a World Cup Final. Home to the biggest annual test of every year, the Boxing Day test. The place where the Ashes were first presented (as a joke by a group of Melbourne housewives).A ground that actually gets filled for cricket. A ground surrounded by cricketing statues, mementos, and with a cricket museum inside of it. You could say the "true" home of cricket.


Are you really so ignorant as to not think the MCG counts?

The Telstra Dome was put in there for two reasons probably. Because cricket is played there and because it's a fantastic venue, especially for spectators. Very comfortable, retractable roof, good layout, doesn't get too cold and is on the waterfront next to the CBD in Docklands.


But it mever usually hosts cricket. It hosted those novelty one dayers a few years ago (against Pakistan IIRC).
It also hosted the Aus v World XI ODI "Super Series", but that was just because the MCG was getting the Comm Games track surface laid at the time.

TD doesn't count IMHO.

A city only requires one intenrational cricket venue, when you have the greatest of them all, you don;'t ned to count the phone Dome.

Great venue, but it's just not cricket.

You could say the "true" home of cricket.


you could,but the world and his dog knows that lords is the "true" home of cricket..:)

Adelaide Oval is often called the most picturesque cricket ground in Australia. As for best in the world, well it's hard to beat the Mighty G in Melbourne.

Every Cricket fans dream to watch your nation play against India in a packed house at Eden Gardens

not for me:)

Boxing Day test at the MCG :cheers:

Pic taken by Sathc @austadiums.com

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y83/Sathc/MCG-BoxingDay.jpg

newlands is up there as most beautiful stadium

MCG is great in terms of uniform bowl..... big attendance..

but i think a lot of people prefer the old fashioned style of pavilions and stands of differing styles like Lords, Oval, SCG....

The MCG is top 5 stadiums in the world, no question.

As for Best cricket stadium in the World??? The MCG has no peers. Proof is Post 38.

A city only requires one intenrational cricket venue, when you have the greatest of them all, you don;'t ned to count the phone Dome.

Great venue, but it's just not cricket.


Yes, but could we do without having both Lords and The Oval?

I'm from Adelaide and a proud South Aussie I be so yeah to me the Adelaide Oval is the best in the world. I'll admit to bias there.

you could,but the world and his dog knows that lords is the "true" home of cricket..:)

Speaking as an Englishman - I'd have to say that Lords is the 'true' home of SECOND RATE cricket, whereas the MCG is the home of simply the best cricket team in the world (for now, let's see how they cope without Warne and McGrath)

I'm from Adelaide and a proud South Aussie I be so yeah to me the Adelaide Oval is the best in the world. I'll admit to bias there.

saying Adelaide oval is the best in the world... you don't need to admit to the terrible biasness. We can tell.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/108/282574069_dc7c044f6b_b.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/4/7875689_65bf6ec767_b.jpg

Newlands is nice, but also the playing surface has to come into consideration. There are noticeable dirt patches on that bottom photo.

Edgbaston, Birmingham may not be the prettiest ground in the world, but England have won more test matches here than anywhere else which must count for something!

http://www.pavien.net/clubs/img/warwickshire.jpg

This topic is more about the best stadiums and less about how a team does at a certain stadium.

National Stadium, Karachi

Capacity: Around 34,000

http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/4/42/300px-56635.jpg

http://www.surferzag.com/images/photoblog/kmb/nsk04.jpg

http://www.cricket.org/db/PICTURES/CMS/51200/51240.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/37/106274395_f873a5a22b.jpg?v=0

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/110/309512526_247479e597.jpg?v=0

karachi stadium sux they need to make alot of changes:bash:

Not the best but North Sydney Oval is a picturesque little place. The New South Wales Blues (state cricket team) often play there aswell as the North Sydney Bears in the NSW Rugby League first grade (or at least they used to).
http://www.northsydneybears.com.au/images/oval1.jpg
http://www.northsydneybears.com.au/images/oval2.jpg
http://www.northsydneybears.com.au/images/oval3.jpg

Personally I've always liked Newlands and the Wanderers (both in RSA).

Queenstown Cricket Ground

http://www.unsrewelt.net/urlaub/weltreise/nz/bilder/queenstown11.jpg

http://www.unsrewelt.net/urlaub/weltreise/nz/bilder/queenstown10.jpg

I like the Queenstown ground. If only NZ cricket made this a test venue, it would be the most scenic test venue in the world.

the queenstown events centre is a wannebe newlands
which view is better?
http://www.unsrewelt.net/urlaub/weltreise/nz/bilder/queenstown11.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/4/7875689_65bf6ec767_b.jpg

Queenstown is not really a cricket ground. It is basically a paddock or field where the odd cricket match is staged.

Cape Town is gorgeous.

There are countless other cricket grounds around the world which are lovely as well which are not as well known.

Oxford Uni cricket grounds, all those county grounds in England. Club grounds across Australia.

If they built a medium-height stand at Newlands where extra cover is in the last photo, blocking views of the brewery, it would be just about perfect :)

There are countless other cricket grounds around the world which are lovely as well which are not as well known.

Oxford Uni cricket grounds, all those county grounds in England. Club grounds across Australia.

Indeed. My old school's cricket ground is one of the most picturesque in the country (this picture only gives a tiny glimpse):

http://www.lords.org/data/images/width250/monkton-combe-av2-36119.JPG

This is Pakistans newest stadium, in Multan. It has a capacity of 30,000

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6e/Mulstadium.jpg

http://www.cricinfo.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/55400/55442.jpg

Its an improvement over a lot of south asian stadiums, but the standard needs to be raised a lot higher still for the 2011 world cup.

A lot of the new Stadiums in the West Indies are good.

Newlands by an absolute mile. MCG has a massive crowd factor and the biggest test match but its sh*t to watch cricket at.

Adelaide Oval massively overrated.

It rather depends what you want. This being a stadium site, it's no surprise that the 'G' gets a lot of votes and as a genuine 100k stadium, it's easy to see why. As one of the most prominent stadia (of any kind) in the world, by definition, it therefore has to be a contender.



However, this being a discussion about cricket, many peoples' perception of what a cricket ground 'should' be begins to come into conflict with the 'bigger is better' view (accepting the G's wider historical significance). If it's misty-eyed, old school cricketing charm you want, then somewhere like The Parks, home of Oxford University or maybe New Road, Worcestershire

http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/56300/56314.jpg

http://www.pavien.net/clubs/img/worcestershire.jpg

Personally (and this may be skewed by the way I'm feeling about English cricket at the moment), I think cricket needs a bit more popular culture and a little less postcard charm. Give me the G over any watercolour venue any day. It perfectly reflects the Aussie attitude to the game - modern, vibrant and for the masses. In contrast, our county grounds seem like museum exhibits and you can't help but wonder if that thinking rubs off on the players at some deep level. Especially at the moment! :(

I've nothing against our nicer grounds, but I'd rather be in the Australians' shoes on this. Visit them, admire them for their aesthetics and then go home to watch the game played properly at a proper venue.

http://www.fussballtempel.net/ofc/AUS/MCG.jpg

MCG is a good modern ground.

SCG is a good traditional ground.

MCG is clearly the most magnificent cricket ground in the world. As for "the best"
well that's a case of facilities and history and such, now as someone who wouldn't go watch cricket if you put a gun to my head I'm not going to know about such stuff.

So MCG IMHO is the #1 cricket ground in the world. I'm very impressed that the genetically criminal antipodean Koala fisters could stop running around beating their chests long enough to build such a structure. Good on ya cobbers, I'm proud of ya mates. You and the sheilas have a tinny on me! :lol:

:cheers:

God bless the Aussies! :banana:

Best in terms of....

Setting - Newlands
Size - MCG
Atmosphere - Edgbaston
History - Lord's

If they built a medium-height stand at Newlands where extra cover is in the last photo, blocking views of the brewery, it would be just about perfect :)

i thought that was what the scenery was all about

I'd go along with the MCG being the most magnificent cricket stadium in the world. From a viewers perspective, i think it would be hard to go past the Gabba though.

P.S. Lol @ Uncle Ben.....:lol:

What I like is that each ground around the world has a different atmosphere. Hard to choose a favourite. The "G" is up there as my home ground.

Thought I heard on the BBC World service last weekend that England may get a stadium for cricket similar in size to the "G" possibly upgrading Edgbaston. Does anyone know of more info?

Thought I heard on the BBC World service last weekend that England may get a stadium for cricket similar in size to the "G" possibly upgrading Edgbaston. Does anyone know of more info?
The only story of it's type that I know of is a proposed multi-purpose 50 - 60k stadium in Birmingham with retractable seating and roof . . . similar to Melbourne's Telstra Dome. Is there another proposal???

The only story of it's type that I know of is a proposed multi-purpose 50 - 60k stadium in Birmingham with retractable seating and roof . . . similar to Melbourne's Telstra Dome. Is there another proposal???

I was just about to say that they should do a Telstra Dome copy. Retractable seats is the key - get the Villa in there to play football as well.

The planned 50,000 ground in birmingham is for birmingham city not aston villa and i think it's a long way off. I think the cricket should stay at Edgbaston anyway, i couldn't think of anything worse than watching the cricket in a telstra dome copy. I know Old Trafford have plans to update their ground to 30-40,000 this may be the one your thinking of (similar to the Gabba).

The planned 50,000 ground in birmingham is for birmingham city not aston villa and i think it's a long way off. I think the cricket should stay at Edgbaston anyway, i couldn't think of anything worse than watching the cricket in a telstra dome copy. I know Old Trafford have plans to update their ground to 30-40,000 this may be the one your thinking of (similar to the Gabba).

Something like the gabba would be pretty good actually, any idea on the timeframe for this project?

The multi-sport plans in Birmingham must have been the proposal you heard about. There's no way anyone would seriously entertain something of that size in the UK for cricket only. Witness the multi-phased plans at both Chester-le-Street, Durham and teh Rose Bowl, Hampshire. Both new grounds, both built initially to a realistic level of capacity, both with ambitious plans to complete but both seemingly never quite getting that far. It'll take a lot of Twenty20 to make such a development commercially viable. Even the multi-million pound development at The Oval has done nothing to up capacity beyond 23,000 in a city of 7.5m inhabitants. This makes it smaller than all 5 of Australia's main test venues. At 24,000, the WACA in Perth is marginally larger, but then Perth has a population (1.5m) only a fifth the size of London.

Of course, all Australian grounds have the advantage of sharing their usage with AFL teams, which I'm sure pays lots of bills and underwrites lots of expansion plans. We'll never know quite how big the MCG would be if it was only ever used for cricket because no other sport was suitable or allowed to use it. I'm betting it would be a long way short of 100,000 - however passionate Melburnians are about their Boxing Day tests.

The Lancashire CCC options are interesting. With Old Trafford in a prime city location, with plenty of room for parking and development nearby, and with a pretty good (in County Cricket terms) following and ability to hold concerts and the like, you'd think the ground is a good candidate for the 30-40k plans mentioned.

In truth, the Club are worried about the decline of the ground and the threat of loss of test ground status and have even considered moving to a couple of different locations, including one just off the M6 motorway in Wigan, about 20 miles from OT. If they're even considering alternatives, it casts doubt on the confidence they have in their own site.

http://www.webbaviation.co.uk/stadiums/old_trafford_cricket.jpg

Personally, I'd love to see an improved, extended OT. As you can see, there is plenty of space and scope for expansion. As a summer sport, there should be no need for a troublesome roof to jack the cost up (even in Manchester!) and there is already a small two-tier stand (at the bottom of the above image) to give an idea of how the extra seating can be added around the bowl. With a 76,000 seater stadium only half a mile away (look at the picture above, imagine you're in the plane looking down at the cricket ground, MUFC is about two feet above your screen, slightly to the left), there is plenty of provision for local event parking.

Back in those heady days of the 2005 Ashes (how long ago they now seem), OT was reportedly sold out in hours (all five days, for the third test, with the series at 1-1) and could have sold at least twice as many tickets as capacity would allow. Considering that at 30,000, it is a bigger venue than Lord's, therefore the biggest in England, this would have provided a spectacle of over 60k people watching a test match and possible even as many as 75k, ironically, about the capacity for the more famous OT nearby.

Ultimately, the sad truth is that cricket *can* command crowds of 600 or 60k in the UK, but there is no point any venue owners paying the fortunes required to accommodate so many on a once-every-four-years-at-best basis. Instead we get 'best realistic' capacities - which still result in crowds in the hundreds rattling around in them most of the time.

As soon as the sport of cricket gets its act together, we may see a stadium expansion boom at its venues. Until then, they'll just stumble along like they've always done.

The multi-sport plans in Birmingham must have been the proposal you heard about. There's no way anyone would seriously entertain something of that size in the UK for cricket only. Witness the multi-phased plans at both Chester-le-Street, Durham and teh Rose Bowl, Hampshire. Both new grounds, both built initially to a realistic level of capacity, both with ambitious plans to complete but both seemingly never quite getting that far. It'll take a lot of Twenty20 to make such a development commercially viable. Even the multi-million pound development at The Oval has done nothing to up capacity beyond 23,000 in a city of 7.5m inhabitants. This makes it smaller than all 5 of Australia's main test venues. At 24,000, the WACA in Perth is marginally larger, but then Perth has a population (1.5m) only a fifth the size of London.

Of course, all Australian grounds have the advantage of sharing their usage with AFL teams, which I'm sure pays lots of bills and underwrites lots of expansion plans. We'll never know quite how big the MCG would be if it was only ever used for cricket because no other sport was suitable or allowed to use it. I'm betting it would be a long way short of 100,000 - however passionate Melburnians are about their Boxing Day tests.

The Lancashire CCC options are interesting. With Old Trafford in a prime city location, with plenty of room for parking and development nearby, and with a pretty good (in County Cricket terms) following and ability to hold concerts and the like, you'd think the ground is a good candidate for the 30-40k plans mentioned.

In truth, the Club are worried about the decline of the ground and the threat of loss of test ground status and have even considered moving to a couple of different locations, including one just off the M6 motorway in Wigan, about 20 miles from OT. If they're even considering alternatives, it casts doubt on the confidence they have in their own site.

Personally, I'd love to see an improved, extended OT. As you can see, there is plenty of space and scope for expansion. As a summer sport, there should be no need for a troublesome roof to jack the cost up (even in Manchester!) and there is already a small two-tier stand (at the bottom of the above image) to give an idea of how the extra seating can be added around the bowl. With a 76,000 seater stadium only half a mile away (look at the picture above, imagine you're in the plane looking down at the cricket ground, MUFC is about two feet above your screen, slightly to the left), there is plenty of provision for local event parking.

Back in those heady days of the 2005 Ashes (how long ago they now seem), OT was reportedly sold out in hours (all five days, for the third test, with the series at 1-1) and could have sold at least twice as many tickets as capacity would allow. Considering that at 30,000, it is a bigger venue than Lord's, therefore the biggest in England, this would have provided a spectacle of over 60k people watching a test match and possible even as many as 75k, ironically, about the capacity for the more famous OT nearby.

Ultimately, the sad truth is that cricket *can* command crowds of 600 or 60k in the UK, but there is no point any venue owners paying the fortunes required to accommodate so many on a once-every-four-years-at-best basis. Instead we get 'best realistic' capacities - which still result in crowds in the hundreds rattling around in them most of the time.

As soon as the sport of cricket gets its act together, we may see a stadium expansion boom at its venues. Until then, they'll just stumble along like they've always done.

I might be wrong here, but Old Trafford haven't been allocated an ashes test for 2009 aswell have they, its been given to sophia gardens in cardiff instead. So that isnt going to help their explansion plans one bit. In fact, Trent Bridge misses out on an shes test next time round aswell...

Of course, all Australian grounds have the advantage of sharing their usage with AFL teams, which I'm sure pays lots of bills and underwrites lots of expansion plans.

The Adelaide Oval and the WACA both are cricket exclusive and the SCG and Gabba have only started hosting AFL teams (one each) in 1982 and 1993 respectively.

The multi-sport plans in Birmingham must have been the proposal you heard about. There's no way anyone would seriously entertain something of that size in the UK for cricket only. Witness the multi-phased plans at both Chester-le-Street, Durham and teh Rose Bowl, Hampshire. Both new grounds, both built initially to a realistic level of capacity, both with ambitious plans to complete but both seemingly never quite getting that far. It'll take a lot of Twenty20 to make such a development commercially viable. Even the multi-million pound development at The Oval has done nothing to up capacity beyond 23,000 in a city of 7.5m inhabitants. This makes it smaller than all 5 of Australia's main test venues. At 24,000, the WACA in Perth is marginally larger, but then Perth has a population (1.5m) only a fifth the size of London.

Of course, all Australian grounds have the advantage of sharing their usage with AFL teams, which I'm sure pays lots of bills and underwrites lots of expansion plans. We'll never know quite how big the MCG would be if it was only ever used for cricket because no other sport was suitable or allowed to use it. I'm betting it would be a long way short of 100,000 - however passionate Melburnians are about their Boxing Day tests.

The Lancashire CCC options are interesting. With Old Trafford in a prime city location, with plenty of room for parking and development nearby, and with a pretty good (in County Cricket terms) following and ability to hold concerts and the like, you'd think the ground is a good candidate for the 30-40k plans mentioned.

In truth, the Club are worried about the decline of the ground and the threat of loss of test ground status and have even considered moving to a couple of different locations, including one just off the M6 motorway in Wigan, about 20 miles from OT. If they're even considering alternatives, it casts doubt on the confidence they have in their own site.

http://www.webbaviation.co.uk/stadiums/old_trafford_cricket.jpg

Personally, I'd love to see an improved, extended OT. As you can see, there is plenty of space and scope for expansion. As a summer sport, there should be no need for a troublesome roof to jack the cost up (even in Manchester!) and there is already a small two-tier stand (at the bottom of the above image) to give an idea of how the extra seating can be added around the bowl. With a 76,000 seater stadium only half a mile away (look at the picture above, imagine you're in the plane looking down at the cricket ground, MUFC is about two feet above your screen, slightly to the left), there is plenty of provision for local event parking.

Back in those heady days of the 2005 Ashes (how long ago they now seem), OT was reportedly sold out in hours (all five days, for the third test, with the series at 1-1) and could have sold at least twice as many tickets as capacity would allow. Considering that at 30,000, it is a bigger venue than Lord's, therefore the biggest in England, this would have provided a spectacle of over 60k people watching a test match and possible even as many as 75k, ironically, about the capacity for the more famous OT nearby.

Ultimately, the sad truth is that cricket *can* command crowds of 600 or 60k in the UK, but there is no point any venue owners paying the fortunes required to accommodate so many on a once-every-four-years-at-best basis. Instead we get 'best realistic' capacities - which still result in crowds in the hundreds rattling around in them most of the time.

As soon as the sport of cricket gets its act together, we may see a stadium expansion boom at its venues. Until then, they'll just stumble along like they've always done.

England could easily do an MCG if they wanted to.
It would cost less than peanuts to make Wembley capable of hosting cricket, perhaps with an 80-85,000 capacity.

Just make the front sections of the lower tiers on the side moveable, and that would be enough.

I am however not all that impressed with australian grounds. They seem too much like football stadiums, and most of the time they are only half-full, hardly a great atmosphere.

There are lots of great and unique 30,000-ish venues that seem far more like cricket grounds than the MCG or Gabba.
Grounds that have open sides, that let the sun in, pavillons, and perhaps good surroundings, views. which is better for cricket than football stadiums. What you want at a cricket game is very different from a football game

Adelaide, Johannesburg, Lords, The Oval, some of the improved carribean venues and perhaps especially Cape Town

The Adelaide Oval and the WACA both are cricket exclusive and the SCG and Gabba have only started hosting AFL teams (one each) in 1982 and 1993 respectively.

Well that seems to prove the point quite nicely actually. The Adelaide Oval and the WACA are the 2 grounds most like english grounds in terms of looks and capacity. Whilst the renovation programmes for the SCG and the Gabba seem to co-incide exactly with the time they started to host AFL teams.

Well that seems to prove the point quite nicely actually. The Adelaide Oval and the WACA are the 2 grounds most like english grounds in terms of looks and capacity. Whilst the renovation programmes for the SCG and the Gabba seem to co-incide exactly with the time they started to host AFL teams.
Whilst you are right about the Gabba, almost nothing has changed at the SCG since it started hosting afl games.

Of course it depends if you want historic or modern. Lords is top of the historic list with the MCG coming in 2nd or (maybe) third. There are plenty of picturesque grounds but the MCG is more of a mega structure than a little stand every so often and the view is of the skyline close by not mountains or cliffs or historic cathedrals or whatever.

When the MCG used to not hold AFL there were record crowds as there was more standing room rather than individual seats.

And at the MCG you get a great vew of the pitch wherever you sit IMHO. I'm sure that's the same with most smaller grounds too though.

I'd go along with the MCG being the most magnificent cricket stadium in the world. From a viewers perspective, i think it would be hard to go past the Gabba though.


I totally agree. If your on the top tier of the MCG your asking whether they can change the ball to a beach ball so you can see it. But the size of the place is amazing, and so is its surrounds so close the CBD.

But the Gabba for watching cricket is excellent, you really feel close to the action. The corporate facilities are probablly close the best in the world, but then again so they should be given it was completed in 2005.

A few pics from the Ashes.
http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/9599/img2998largemp6.jpg

http://img174.imageshack.us/img174/4471/img3005largekz4.jpg

The Adelaide Oval and the WACA both are cricket exclusive

The Adelaide Oval isn't cricket exclusive - both codes of rugby have been played there and will be in the future.

^^^^^^^^

Adelaide is a football town, rugby union or league are just one offs when they are staged there.

The Oval has staged lots of SA football for a century until they built Football Park over in Westlakes in the 1970s.

The SACA folks took the Australian Football League to court to attempt to pinch the odd match. Won't happen, it has inadequate facilities for football.

^^^^^^^^

Adelaide is a football town,.

Uh, no it isn't. It's AFL territory.

Oh dear, here we go again...

Whilst you are right about the Gabba, almost nothing has changed at the SCG since it started hosting afl games.

There's been no development at the SCG in 25 years? It doesn't look like that.

Great GABBA pictures! Every county in England (maybe outside of Middlesex, and even then for reasons of history) would swap their ground for the GABBA - and it's not even the best venue in Australia.

Well, I say 'would'. Maybe the likes of Worcestershire or Nottinghamshire think their venues more accurately reflect their aspirations. I'd say that this is exactly the kind of view of the game that is holding it back in this country. I for one wish Old Trafford looked like that. You wouldn't see tests being taken away and given to younger venues like Cardiff or Southampton then!

The multi-purpose stadium that some of you have been talking about must be what I heard. I was half asleep (or dreaming!) at the time. Maybe a stadium that big might excite the passion after England's woeful Ashes.

There's been no development at the SCG in 25 years? It doesn't look like that. Of the 10 stands, only two have been build since 1982. The rest have been there for ages, for instance the Members and Ladies stands have been there since 1878 and 1896 respectively.

Great GABBA pictures!

The Gabba is a nickname, not an acronym.

I wish that were true.

Sadly, I think it takes a good Ashes to re-ignite the passion to generate the demand to fill the stadium.

Even if it was built and used, it wouldn't be filled if there was anything like the current level of performance on offer. :(

Of the 10 stands, only two have been build since 1982. The rest have been there for ages, for instance the Members and Ladies stands have been there since 1878 and 1896 respectively.



The Gabba is a nickname, not an acronym.

Well apart from the ladies and members stands which can be seen in the pic below

http://www.cricketweb.net/news/photos/13.JPG

there are only 2 other main stands at the SCG such as this one in the pic below and they all seem of a fairly modern nature, so i assume these were built after the introduction of AFL at the SCG perhaps.

http://aura.zaadz.com/photos/2/18779/large/sydney-cricket-ground.jpg

There are probably quite a few other smaller stands apart from these ones, but the newer ones seem to be the dominating features of the SCG.

Of the 10 stands, only two have been build since 1982. The rest have been there for ages, for instance the Members and Ladies stands have been there since 1878 and 1896 respectively.

The Gabba is a nickname, not an acronym.

Ever get the feeling someone's trying to out-pedant you?

Bill O'Reilly Stand - Built 1984 - Corporate boxes and public reserved seating.

Clive Churchill Stand - Built 1986 - Corporate boxes and public reserved seating.

I return to my earlier point that these would have either been partially paid for by the incumbent AFL (acronym) team, the Sydney Swans (nickname) or at least planned in the knowledge that AFL revenue was forthcoming.

It is therefore difficult to assert that the SCG (acronym) would be the size and style it currently is, wholly as a result of its role as a cricket venue.

TTFN (acronym)

Ever get the feeling someone's trying to out-pedant you?
Bill O'Reilly Stand - Built 1984 - Corporate boxes and public reserved seating.

Clive Churchill Stand - Built 1986 - Corporate boxes and public reserved seating.
Apparently you missed this;
Of the 10 stands, only two have been build since 1982.


I return to my earlier point that these would have either been partially paid for by the incumbent AFL (acronym) team, the Sydney Swans (nickname) or at least planned in the knowledge that AFL revenue was forthcoming.
It is therefore difficult to assert that the SCG (acronym) would be the size and style it currently is, wholly as a result of its role as a cricket venue.

Unlikely, the crowds that the Swans drew back then, and even until the late 1990's, wouldn't have warranted it.

TTFN (acronym)

Congratulations, you got the hang of acronyms. Pity you had to be so precious about it.

The Gabba is a nickname, not an acronym.

Technically, it's a contraction :)

Well apart from the ladies and members stands which can be seen in the pic below ... there are only 2 other main stands at the SCG

Eh? Have you never seen the SCG? Apart from the Ladies and Members I would say there are four "main" stands - the two in the second image you posted are the Clive Churchill Stand (no boxes under the roof), 1986 and the Brewongle Stand (with boxes under the roof), 1980 - and two small stands.

If you look out from the Brewongle Stand, you see these three:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/fb/CricketSCG2.jpg

On the left, with the sightscreen, is the Bradman Stand, 1973, in the middle is the Dally Messenger Stand, which I would call a small stand, and on the right is the Bill O'Reilly Stand, 1984.

The only one you can't see is Yabba's Hill, which I would call a small stand, and which is being demolished and replaced from this year. I'm sure there was a picture posted on SSC somewhere - maybe in Ozscrapers...

Here we go - this is an artist's impression of the new stand at the SCG:

http://www.aussiestadium.com/News/2006/May/Renovations_to_SCG_and_Trust_lands_26may06/SCG-Revised-May-06_small.jpg

why lets just post huge images that take over the entire thread space

well even after all the scrolling it does look a fantastic addition to the stadium

Oops, sorry. It was scaled on my PC.

I wish that were true.

Sadly, I think it takes a good Ashes to re-ignite the passion to generate the demand to fill the stadium.

Even if it was built and used, it wouldn't be filled if there was anything like the current level of performance on offer. :(

Arent you just a bit too negative to put it mildly.

England is ranked SECOND in the world, I believe with a positive record against everyone except Australia. How on earth did they get there?

And Australia is now severely weakened as the best bowler in history has retired along several others

County crowds are up.

Test matches are now usually sold out nearly a year before they are played, as they go on sale, and tickets are way more expensive than anywhere else.

There are lots of developments planned for several grounds around the country. Grounds improvements seem to be a constant now and picking up speed. Headingley is underway, I think, and may soon be followed by Trent Bridge, Cardiff and Hampshire. Lord´s are looking at it as well.

Just because England have voluntarily made the choice to slowly improve cricket grounds and not go for multi-purpose venues, as you may prefer, doesnt mean that everything is patehtic.

Quite the opposite.

Eh? Have you never seen the SCG? Apart from the Ladies and Members I would say there are four "main" stands - the two in the second image you posted are the Clive Churchill Stand (no boxes under the roof), 1986 and the Brewongle Stand (with boxes under the roof), 1980 - and two small stands.

If you look out from the Brewongle Stand, you see these three:

On the left, with the sightscreen, is the Bradman Stand, 1973, in the middle is the Dally Messenger Stand, which I would call a small stand, and on the right is the Bill O'Reilly Stand, 1984.

The only one you can't see is Yabba's Hill, which I would call a small stand, and which is being demolished and replaced from this year. I'm sure there was a picture posted on SSC somewhere - maybe in Ozscrapers...

Alright fair enough. What i meant was that most of the stands at the SCG looked a lot newer than stands built in the 1800's. Maybe i generalised a bit too much though, i dunno

And Australia is now severely weakened as the best bowler in history has retired along several others

Errrrm.....That might be going a tad over the top i'd say.

Uh, no it isn't. It's AFL territory.

Uh, thats what he said. Adelaide is a football town.

Rugby League and Rugby Union are rarely played there.

:bash: :ohno:

Uh, thats what he said. Adelaide is a football town.

Rugby League and Rugby Union are rarely played there.

:bash: :ohno:

What was the point of that? :weirdo:

What was the point of that? :weirdo:

You seemed to have difficulty understanding his simple statement.

I made it clearer for you.

You seemed to have difficulty understanding his simple statement.

I made it clearer for you.

I said Adelaide is an aussie rules town. Care to tell me what's wrong with that?

Which is exactly what BobDaBuilder said, and what you quoted from him;

^^^^^^^^
Adelaide is a football town,

yet for some reason you felt it necessary to repeat what he said and 'correct' him. :weirdo:

Looking closer at your posts, I see you arent too fond of AFL fans (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=11021219&postcount=9), and are quite pedantic as to the naming of football codes (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=11250254&postcount=51).

I say you just wanted to stir the pot a little with AFL fans in this thread with your reply to BobDaBuilder.


As for the worlds best cricket stadium, I dont think there is one clear answer. Lords for history, definitely, and the MCG for atmosphere. The SCG also for being a nice mix of old and new, and Cape Town and Adelaide Oval for scenic beauty.

^^ ummm, back on topic.

I love the SCG too and I'm really looking forward to the redevelopment. The vision:

http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/9925/scglargeym2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Which is exactly what BobDaBuilder said, and what you quoted from him;

yet for some reason you felt it necessary to repeat what he said and 'correct' him. :weirdo:
You really are being quite pedantic about this aren't you. I corrected a mistake, whether Bob was referring to soccer or AFL when he said football it doesn't matter anymore because, thanks to you, this thread has been derailed. Congratulations.

Looking closer at your posts, I see you arent too fond of AFL fans (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=11021219&postcount=9), and are quite pedantic as to the naming of football codes (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=11250254&postcount=51).The first link is my response to a troll and the second is an explanation as to where the word football comes from, it had nothing to do with any code of football at all. Better luck next time.

Yeah, back on topic though...the re developed SCG looks brilliant there. They've also left the 2 old stands alone, which i think is a good thing although some people may disagree.

Yeah, back on topic though...the re developed SCG looks brilliant there. They've also left the 2 old stands alone, which i think is a good thing although some people may disagree.

If you mean the Ladies and Members Stands, if anybody is advocating knocking them down they must have rocks in their head!

Once the new stand is built (if they're starting next month I guess it will be open in time for the 2008/09 season. When it's complete the only real eyesore left will be the Dally Messenger Stand, though I read on the SCG site that they will be moving the scoreboard there from Yabba's Hill, so maybe they'll be getting rid of that awkward upper tier that faces in a bizarre direction. Alternatively they could knock down the Bill O'Reilly Stand, and build a new one connecting the Bradman Stand (which is fine as it is and gives a nice symmetry behind the bowler's arm) and the one that's about to be built, but if you look at maps or satellite photos there isn't much room to build, with the old showgrounds behind. Could they knock any of that down, or is it being used for something else now?

When I was in Sydney in 1996 I actually landed a job working backstage at the Michael Jackson concert. It was dead easy work - we just had to be there from when it finished until dawn, and when the permanent crew packed some equipment away into a box on wheels, they'd yell at one of us in a red T-shirt to push it all the way to the correct numbered juggernaut, where somebody else who knew what they were doing would make sure it was loaded in the right order. As there was a lot of waiting around, I gave myself a guided tour of the SCG - the only parts I couldn't get into were the Ladies and Members Stands. Love the ground.

Apparently you missed this;

No, I assure you I can read. I was merely demonstrating that I had found out which two stands they are and when they were built. It was a central part of my point.


Unlikely, the crowds that the Swans drew back then, and even until the late 1990's, wouldn't have warranted it.

So the answer (after all that) is 'unlikely'. I can accept that. Having asked the question, it would be churlish to argue with a reasoned, factual answer from someone who is more closely acquainted with the subject matter. Prior to that every answer did not stand to reason. I was simply applying some rigour to half-answers.

Congratulations, you got the hang of acronyms. Pity you had to be so precious about it.

Just because I mistakenly held my shift down, you presumed I though Gabba was an acronym and not a contraction (as CharlieP correctly notes). Check your first quote. You really should have had a colon instead of a semicolon there.

Easily done, isn't it?

I think we all need a group hug and a nice cup of tea.

No, I assure you I can read. I was merely demonstrating that I had found out which two stands they are and when they were built. It was a central part of my point. Your central point was to prove me right? Nice fall back.

So the answer (after all that) is 'unlikely'. As I have already pointed out, the low crowds that the Swans were pulling from their relocation up until the late nineties would not have warranted an expansion. Having yearly crowd averages of less than 10,000 can do that.

I can accept that. Good for you, you're making progress.

Having asked the question, it would be churlish to argue with a reasoned, factual answer from someone who is more closely acquainted with the subject matter. Even better!

Prior to that every answer did not stand to reason. I was simply applying some rigour to half-answers.

Your previous point was that the two SCG stands built in the 1980's would have been paid for by the Swans, at a time when they were relying on handouts from the AFL to survive...

Just because I mistakenly held my shift down,
Great GABBA pictures! Every county in England (maybe outside of Middlesex, and even then for reasons of history) would swap their ground for the GABBA - and it's not even the best venue in Australia.


You mistakenly held down your shift for the whole word not once but twice? :| Just accept the correction and move on with your life.

you presumed I though Gabba was an acronym and not a contraction (as CharlieP correctly notes).
Not that you have any credibility at all in the matter but the Gabba is actually the nickname for the BCG. The name Gabba comes a contraction of the suburb that the BCG is in, not the ground itself. If it were a contraction of the ground it would mean that the Gabba is actually called the Woolloongabba, which it never has been.

As I have already pointed out, the low crowds that the Swans were pulling from their relocation up until the late nineties would not have warranted an expansion. Having yearly crowd averages of less than 10,000 can do that.

Your previous point was that the two SCG stands built in the 1980's would have been paid for by the Swans, at a time when they were relying on handouts from the AFL to survive...

You mistakenly held down your shift for the whole word not once but twice? :| Just accept the correction and move on with your life.

So I can't be trusted to use the correct letter case and you can't punctuate correctly. I can live with that.

Actually my serious point was (before this got silly) that with the availabilty of multiple usage of cricket grounds being far greater in Australia than in England, would any of the top 5 roster of venues be quite as magnificent as they undoubtedly are if they had always been cricket-only venues (like we have here)?

The subtext to this is that I think it's fair to say that they are all vastly superior to our own cricketing venues as tools to bring the game to the greatest number of fans. Read my earlier posts again and I think you'll find I've made it quite clear that I strongly favour the utilitarian appeal of, say, the MCG over the historic 'charm' of our county grounds. If it were any smaller, I think I'd go as far as including Lords in that unfavourable comparison.

Clearly, the incidental usage of other sports at the WACA and the Adelaide Oval has not been enough to have an effect on their capacities, as they are still both comparatively small for Australian grounds.

At the other end of the scale, the MCG has clearly been assisted by its suitability to host AFL - and it is no coincidence that this game is strongest in Victoria. As I said, even if no direct subsidy to expand was paid by the AFL teams, their guaranteed presence must help the venue present a more healthy revenue stream when raising funds to redevelop. I also appreciated that the AFL factor should not undermine the importance to cricket that the MCG undoubtedly has. It's only an opinion but it's not certain that the G would be 100k without any AFL representation there.

Which leaves Brisbane and Sydney. Both are outside the traditional heartland of the AFL and both have been granted expansion teams in the last 25 years. A search on Wikipedia shows that neither AFL team has consistently filled wither venue. The Brisbane Lions have a record attendance of 37,224/42,200, the Sydney Swans as you say started badly but have more recently fared slightly better, with odd games played at Telstra Stadium to accommodate more than the 44,002 that can be seated at the SCG.

The two SCG stand developments in the Swans era came early on and are consequently difficult to objectively link any AFL involvement at that time.

The Gabba meanwhile has been almost completely redeveloped at a time which curiously coincides with the attempts to integrate first the Bears then the Lions into the AFL. Even though cricket has since attracted a greater attendance than the Lions have managed (39,874/42,200), its demonstrably greater viability for cricket does not necessarily demonstrate that the capacity increase was made by its owner (the Queensland Goverment), purely on cricketing grounds.

Therefore, I accept your argument about Sydney, but having done some research, I find my question is of greater significance in the growth of the Brisbane 'Cricket' Ground.

Still, what do I know?

Arent you just a bit too negative to put it mildly.

England is ranked SECOND in the world, I believe with a positive record against everyone except Australia. How on earth did they get there?

I admit (and I said as much initially) that my view is probably coloured by the recent shameful performance in Australia and the resultant bad press. It's true that losing to Australia is no disgrace. Losing 5-0 is a bit more than unfortunate, especially with a 1st innings of 550 in Adelaide. There has been too little backbone in the team, with every session going Australia's way when it really mattered. That's not down to (lack of) talent, it's down to (lack of) application and that's what's most depressing about England.

Even if we're still second, if we continue to play as spinelessley as we have on this tour, we either won't be for long, or the other nations will have to be worse than us.

I do concede that this may not be the case if our under-performance is due to intimidation/mental pressures/fears that are specific to facing Australia (Harmison's opener to second slip at Brisbane, the debacle at Adelaide, the final collapse at Sydney). Even then, it's hardly a ringing endorsement of the team is it?

And Australia is now severely weakened as the best bowler in history has retired along several others

Hmmm, Ponting, Gilchrist, Symons, Lee. That's four players who would get into the England team off the top of my head. Knowing (and admiring) the Australians' approach to sports, I won't be holding my breath believing that the next generation are no less of a threat.[/QUOTE]

County crowds are up.

Please. From what, 17 and a dog to 19 and two dogs? Are you sure you can use the words 'County' and 'crowd' in the same sentence?

Test matches are now usually sold out nearly a year before they are played, as they go on sale, and tickets are way more expensive than anywhere else.

True, although you wouldn't always be clutching your Monday ticket with a great deal of hope! In may respects, this is a symptom of what is wrong with the game not a sign of its health. It's like rugby union. You virtually have to pay people to watch the domestic leagues but get England at Twickenham and you can guarantee that 80-odd thousand will be happy to part with upwards of 50 quid to demonstrate their 'love' for the game. What kind of a support is that for the sport itself?

There are lots of developments planned for several grounds around the country. Grounds improvements seem to be a constant now and picking up speed. Headingley is underway, I think, and may soon be followed by Trent Bridge, Cardiff and Hampshire. Lord´s are looking at it as well.

Headingley has already had one and is having more done. In truth, many of these are long overdue and are further nudged into life by raised standards from punters' experience of recent football stadium improvements (15-20 years ago, an identical situation existed in football). Consider also the economic impact of Twenty20. Without it, I'm not sure the impetus would even be there.

Even when they happen (The Oval), they don't necessarily raise capacity, even if the facilities do become way better. It's not quite 'polishing a turd', but as a service to game, it's hardly ambitious, is it?

Just because England have voluntarily made the choice to slowly improve cricket grounds and not go for multi-purpose venues, as you may prefer, doesnt mean that everything is pathetic.

Quite the opposite.

Well, I don't think I ever used the word pathetic. I understand the virtues of conservatism and the financial pitfalls of overestimating demand. It concerns me that after the summer of 2005, a great opportunity has been/is being wasted and any feeble board/administrator can counter accusations of a lack of ambition by playing the 'prudence' card.

Actually, I'm not particularly a fan of multi-use venues, especially as we would have them here - a messy compromise of rectangular and oval fields. I have speculated on the feasibility advantages that the AFL brings to the development of cricketing venues in Australia (you may have caught that entertaining interlude).

Deep down, I feel that cricket (and I'm talking off the field here, not just on it) is being let down by its administrators in this country. I'd even be happy if someone could tell me in all certainty that we are 30 years behind Australia because I look at their infrastructure and facilities and I know the future of their game is in safe hands. We'll never have an MCG here - ever. Even the assurance that you have to wait 30 years for one is a better state of affairs than that.

I may appear pessimistic to you but I feel the game deserves better than the limited amitions it seems to have for itself when all you have to do for another month is just switch on Sky Sports to see how it could be done.

I'm currently reading Mike Atherton's autobiography. It is an Interesting take on English cricket off the field.

As an Aussie, for some reason, I was always a fan of Atherton and yet I don't know why...him and Gower.

Hmmm, Ponting, Gilchrist, Symons, Lee. That's four players who would get into the England team off the top of my head. Knowing (and admiring) the Australians' approach to sports, I won't be holding my breath believing that the next generation are no less of a threat.

It's not that Australia won't have any young players coming through to fill gaps left by the recent (and soon-to-be) retirees - it's that the gaps being left are so big. Warne - arguably the best bowler ever. McGrath - one of the most consistant and effective pace bowlers of all time. Plus by the next Ashes series they will have lost both members of the all-time (statistically) best opening pair in the world, the best batsman-wicketkeeper of all time, and possibly the second best test batsman of all time... Add to that the fact that both Lee and S.Clark will be close to finished by 2009, and McGill doesn't have much fuel left in the tank, and you've got a lot of wholes to fill - some of them massive.

That said, they'll still be good enough to beat any English side that shows the lack of spirit and resilience that this mob did.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/130/354763748_88d965898d_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/130/354763748_88d965898d_o.jpg

what happening there , why everybody is on ground.

That was the one-day international against the West Indies in 2004. When South Africa were fielding, Shaun Pollock realised that he had lost his wedding ring, and, realising that it could be anywhere considering the amount of ground he had covered in the innings, offered a 2,000 rand reward to anybody that found it, and the umpires generously allowed the game to be stopped while the crowds searched the outfield. This is the only time a game of cricket has been stopped for this reason.

^^ did they find it?

The SCG will look superb once it has the new grandstand on the old hill. A bit of a shame however the length of the ground was not increased by 20 to 30 metres to accommodate FOOTBALL better. Currently it is a little too short for Australian FOOTBALL League standards. With the defacation of the old Showgrounds there is no problem in grabbing some of their land as it is just a waste of space nowadays.

Further down the track the SCG trust could demolish the O'Reilly and Bradman stands to further increase the capacity to keep more Swans FOOTBALL matches at Moore Park. :wink2:

EADGBE

Just a few points. regarding county crowds, its not 2 men and a dog. average daily crowds are about 850 people and an unknown number of animals and thats for all days including days with poor weather or meaningless play. On day 1 and 2 of a county game, the average att. is probably beyond 2,000 if the weather is good.

Thats on par with Oz and better than anywhere else in the world.

You say you look at australian venues and think their game is in safe hands. Perhaps, but test crowds there werent actually much better than english crowds pre the 2005 ashes. The venues were bigger but half empty most of the time. Its only since then that crowds have been really impressive.
Long may that continue, but it doesnt paint a picture of England being way behind.
Its just a political/cultural choice in England not to play in football stadiums. Thats the difference. Their MCG is England´s Wembley. That choice doesnt define enormous differencens for the game in the two countries.

England and Australian cricket are if anything in a similar situation, off the field, and quite dependant on eachother to provide the pinnacle of test cricket, a version of the game that is basically bankrupt or dead in basically all the other test nations except perhaps India.


Thats not to say that everything in England is great regarding venues and its an interesting question what should or could be done. It neednt be hopeless for english cricket to offer far bigger capacities for big games. Perhaps it would help if there were more overall control of developments to target some venues for the top games and others for the smaller ones..

Your pic of OT is an eye-opener and shows the possibilities. I didnt know there was that much space and the football means the area can handle the crowds. Ambitious plans for a large scale expansion of 60-80,000 would appear possible perhaps with ECB contributions, lottery funding etc.
If Lords then would also just accept to ditch their small nursery ground (which I am sure they never will) then that ground could relatively easily go close to 50,000 by building just one very large stand.

In theory you could then play 2 ashes matches each at Lords and OT and 1 in Birmingham. That would be a quite fair and the overall capacity would be bigger than in Australia without having abandoned the historic venues.
Great, but small, grounds like the Oval or Headingley, which can never really be expanded by much, would then be used for the smaller series every year.

Of course, all Australian grounds have the advantage of sharing their usage with AFL teams, which I'm sure pays lots of bills and underwrites lots of expansion plans. We'll never know quite how big the MCG would be if it was only ever used for cricket because no other sport was suitable or allowed to use it. I'm betting it would be a long way short of 100,000 - however passionate Melburnians are about their Boxing Day tests.


No doubt there is some truth to that.

However the catalyst for the MCG's Great Southern Stand was the 1992
Cricket World Cup. And the reason for the Northern development was not AFL, it was the Commonwealth games (yes i know it still wasnt cricket).

And it's not only Tests which get large crowds. ODI's average around 75k. And the new circus that is Twenty20 will surely get some huge crowds if played there.

Auckland, New Zealand
Eden Park
Capacity: 45,500

http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictures/oceania/new_zealand/auckland_eden1.jpg

This ground hosts both rugby and cricket, but is unique in the sense that the weighting between cricket and rugby is equal, not to mention the fact that the ground is basically square shaped almost looking like a baseball stadium. The pitch is located at a diagonal angle to the ground....i've always found this one of the most interesting venues of world cricket.

That was the one-day international against the West Indies in 2004. When South Africa were fielding, Shaun Pollock realised that he had lost his wedding ring, and, realising that it could be anywhere considering the amount of ground he had covered in the innings, offered a 2,000 rand reward to anybody that found it, and the umpires generously allowed the game to be stopped while the crowds searched the outfield. This is the only time a game of cricket has been stopped for this reason.

i call shenanigans

That was the one-day international against the West Indies in 2004. When South Africa were fielding, Shaun Pollock realised that he had lost his wedding ring, and, realising that it could be anywhere considering the amount of ground he had covered in the innings, offered a 2,000 rand reward to anybody that found it, and the umpires generously allowed the game to be stopped while the crowds searched the outfield. This is the only time a game of cricket has been stopped for this reason.
Haha!! I never heard about this.... Pollock would wanna hope everyone out there were honest!!

Haha!! I never heard about this....

That's because I made it up :lol:

That's because I made it up :lol:

And I so nearly bit! I'm so glad I deleted my post before I sent it.

You cheeky trickster!!

That's because I made it up :lol:

:lol: D'oh................... Now i feel REALLY stupid!! :doh:

Hardly the best cricket stadium in the world, but its got a great atmosphere, pitty about the shitty turnouts for test matches tho.

http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/5823/181688196o969750151ul9.jpg

http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/6896/181688501o888461785sk9.jpg

http://img481.imageshack.us/img481/2297/181688506o459351950dw7.jpg

Silly question, but where is that? Kingsmead?

oh yeh, sorry my bad, forgot to put the stadium name

Yes it is Kingsmead Cricket Ground in Durban
now known as "Sahara Park Kingsmead"

Edgbaston revamp plans unveiled


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/6407097.stm

Warwickshire County Cricket Club has unveiled plans for a £20m redevelopment aimed at securing the future of international cricket at Edgbaston.
Capacity would increase to more than 25,000, plus a new pavilion and residential development would be built, if planning permission were granted.

Chief executive Colin Povey said Edgbaston needed to remain competitive.

It was the scene of a thrilling two-run victory over Australia in the second Test during the 2005 Ashes series.

It is great to have a project of this magnitude in the pipeline

Colin Povey

At an annual general meeting on Wednesday an artist's impression was shown of how the ground could look.

Mr Povey said it was important that the club modernised its facilities to make them world-class.

"The fulfilment of our dream is some way off but it is great to have a project of this magnitude in the pipeline," he said.


Edgbaston was recognised as a Test venue in 1902 and is considered to be England's most successful home venue.

The current hosting agreement with England & Wales Cricket Board expires in 2010.


England clinched a dramatic win at Edgbaston in August 2005

The ground's capacity stands at 22,000 since the lively Eric Hollies Stand was built.

A club spokesman said the staging of international matches generated in excess of £10 million per annum for the local economy.

Birmingham City Council said it backed the plans and recognised the need to improve facilities.

"International cricket is a great asset to Birmingham and it is crucial that we do not lose such an important part of our history and sporting culture," a spokesman said.

"We fully recognise the value of sports-led regeneration and are keen to work with Warwickshire to help them develop state-of-the-art sporting and spectator facilities."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/uk_enl_1172747125/img/1.jpg

looks quite impressive!!

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That stand looks like a piece of moderm art, but very impressive, I wonder though what are the odds of the final design looking like that.
Shame that there are no renders of the interior.

it may only be in its early stages but it would be a shame to see one of the oldest parts of the ground gone to be replaced by that structure, im all for redevelopment but more details are needed and some interior pics, the land opposite where this new stand would go is also currently being developed (of which i have the plans and drawings) but im not sure that new stand would fit in with the context of its surroundings

i love the new Egbaston cricket ground design. although i guess this rules out the Warwickshire Bears ever being co-tennants with Birmingham City FC in the City of Birmingham stadium proposal (if that ever happens)

i love the new Egbaston cricket ground design. although i guess this rules out the Warwickshire Bears ever being co-tennants with Birmingham City FC in the City of Birmingham stadium proposal (if that ever happens)

Seriously, how likely does the City of Birmingham stadium sound at the moment? I haven't heard much about since the original proposal (other than Sullivan bleating on about it without actually saying anything). Is it probably, unlikely or 50/50?

cricket's been played @ the millennium stadium too shall we count that...and the toronto skydome (whatever it's called these days)..

Personally I like the Oval the best but it doesn't count because they've played AFL there :lol: :lol:

Nah for some reason my favourite is the WACA. Just seems nice and breazy.

No one has bothered putting up all the grounds in the West Indies yet I noticed.

Looks like they have done a pretty good job from the pictures I saw on flickr.

Interesting thread guys.
Here's a pic I took at the SCG during the opening day of the Aus vs Pakistan test match

http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/7120/img47189iv.jpg

Wow after reading this I'm surprised all the haters and skeptics didn't have anything to say after ALL the grounds were completed for the worldcup. Well I guess the finals was a bit of a mess wid the light and all but to all the Caribbean time bs. haha. I'll take that laugh now.

West Indies Cricket Grounds

Kensington Oval, Barbados (or little Lords as I call it)
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1197/1277521184_2e047fd30f.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1249/1277523872_5da8eec995.jpg?v=0

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1072/1277522482_edf14e48d2.jpg?v=0

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1229/1276659889_2d13233f04.jpg?v=0

Sabina Park, Jamaica
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/207/450261445_ef079d0a41.jpg?v=0

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1013/893937414_ebb4e08dc0.jpg?v=0

http://l.yimg.com/www.flickr.com/images/spaceball.gif

Beausejour Cricket Ground, St Lucia

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/219/450263795_9d255635d8.jpg?v=0

Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2343/1788407634_61021ba329.jpg?v=0

Queens Park, Grenada

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/223/489976362_9cd9543486.jpg?v=0

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/192/476405970_feffa637b3.jpg?v=0

The Queens Park Oval, Trinidad (home ground and best IMHO)

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1312/1044786736_b18eb4c3df.jpg?v=0

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/226/463450776_1c6e43109c.jpg?v=0

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/230/458318834_7b964c015c.jpg?v=0

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/203/458282354_0b41eb91b1.jpg?v=0

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/251/458290307_7353350a06.jpg?v=0

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/219/457928682_8e00f1d50a.jpg?v=0

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/196/440910805_cfab5bf1f3.jpg?v=0

Not the best or most picturesque (great wicket though) but my home town's WACA Ground (Western Australian Cricket Association Ground)has not had a pic so I'm gonna fill the gap.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/205/505690316_bcc41f9c7d.jpg
http://www.lmsc.com.au/media/images/The_WACA.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/WACA_north.JPG/800px-WACA_north.JPG
http://www.abc.net.au/wa/stories/The_giant_m1336776.jpg
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42145000/jpg/_42145684_waca416.jpg

I don't know if a thread has been started for this before, but I can't remember seeing one so I think it is a time that a thread is started that lists all or as many of the test cricket stadiums around the world. For me cricket grounds have some of the most interesting and unique designs in sports stadiums. Just post your picks and after there are a few I will stick them all together in this post.

I'm going to start with an obvious one

Lords, London, England
Capacity: 29,000
Opened: 1814

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/tms/lords_getty438.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Lord%27s_Pavillion.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/23/Nat_West_media_centre_cropped.jpg

Can't see this stand at the arial pic
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Lord%27s_Pavillion.jpg

Did'nt knew that it has got 2 tiers

^^
Really I can see it fine it's at the top of the picture.

Holy s...
My fault.
I thought it was one the the sight stands :) and i was searching for a stand with just few rows.
Looks bigger from above.

Trent Bridge, Nottingham, England
Capacity: 17,500
Opened: 1838

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm314/n0077425/IMGP0434.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3006/2561086175_fd479c8a8c_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3135/2561909778_db5dd1068b_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3078/2561087943_625410367e_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3082/2561907196_31d984d57c_b.jpg

And an old aeriel picture taken before the new Bridgford Road Stand was built

http://www.mattwardman.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/20080519-trent-bridge-birds-eye-view.jpg

The most beautiful Test ground in England by a mile.

Trent bridge is a cracker, have always liked it

Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados
Capacity: 28,000
Opened: 1871 refurbished 2005-2007

http://www.architen.com/projects/kensington-oval/primaryPhoto_wide

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/38/Kensington_Oval_yes.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/210/460550601_263cc24c05.jpg?v=0

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42860000/jpg/_42860461_crowd_afp416.jpg

Visited many cricket grounds around the world.

Have to say I was most impressed with Lord's, Oval, Durham, Southhampton, Nottingham and Cape Town.

All grounds in NZ are shit, like trying to play cricket at a rugby stadium. Wellington is okay, but really is just a club venue.

Obviously, Australia is the best of all by a mile. It is the home of test cricket. If you ever get the chance to watch a match at Melbourne from the member's, I think this is one of the best experiences of all.

Sydney is surprisingly quite petite for the largest city in Australia.

West Indies has improved a lot, and should be far better. Problem is they are incredibly badly organized there. How hard is it just to keep the surface smooth and well maintained? They do that at high school cricket grounds in Australia.

Leeds, Yorkshire needs to be looked at. Nice enough location. It needs the field levelled and the stands built accordingly.

...All grounds in NZ are shit, like trying to play cricket at a rugby stadium. Wellington is okay, but really is just a club venue...

Agree with you totally on that Bob. Very disappointing, but I guess we have to use 'multi purpose' stadiums.

Still shit though...

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,25112579-5006301,00.html

Oval grandstand work set to begin
DANIEL WILLS LOCAL GOVERNMENT REPORTER
February 26, 2009 10:00pm

REDEVELOPMENT of Adelaide Oval's western grandstand is set to begin within weeks following approval to use neighbouring land as a construction site.

The Adelaide City Council was expected to approve the use of Adelaide Oval 2 on Monday, but claims community objections had been omitted from official reports delayed the decision to a special meeting tonight.

Final consent for the revamp is required from the State Government's Development Assessment Commission, which was expected to pass the plans in a closed meeting.

The council's approval comes just in time for the South Australian Cricket Association, which plans to break ground on March 10.

Adelaide City Council first gave approval for the revamp in October 2007 but was forced to hurriedly reconsider when SACA lodged new plans in December last year.

Councillor Michael Henningsen said the council had gone out of its way to ensure construction began on time.

"This entire affair speaks of that we're on a very tight deadline, and a deadline imposed by SACA," he told tonight's meeting.

"To be quite frank, we've got a revolver to our head almost, in terms of the timelines to start this project to have them finished in time for these sporting events at the Adelaide Oval."

In a submission to a council committee, SACA Chief Executive Michael Deare said the redevelopment was essential if the Oval was to attract top-flight sport.

"Redevelopment of the western grandstands at Adelaide Oval will significantly enhance the venue for the purposes of maintaining Adelaide's status as a city which can competently support the hosting of major summer and winter sports," he wrote.

The submission includes plans to host a Wallabies international rugby union match and two NRL games featuring the Canterbury Bulldogs in 2011.

The redevelopment will change the playing field from its current semi-rectangular shape to an oval, and the new grandstand will boost the stadium's capacity to 37,000.

Heritage elements of the current stands, including red brick arches and the George Giffen Stand facade, will be maintained.

SACA officials expect the project to be completed around November 2010, in time for the homes Ashes series.

The redevelopment is expected to cost $95 million, with the state and federal governments each contributing $25 million and SACA supplying the remainder with borrowings from Westpac Bank.

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z37/daeh0004/AdelaideOval.jpg

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z37/daeh0004/AdelaideOval5.jpg

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z37/daeh0004/AdelaideOval2.jpg

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z37/daeh0004/AdelaideOval1.jpg

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z37/daeh0004/AdelaideOval3.jpg

very interesting and nice stands.

The Gabba, Brisbane, Australia
Capacity: 42,000
Opened: 1895 refurbished 1993-2005

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/Gabba_ashes_24112006.jpg

http://www.pitchcare.com.au/image/L/OlK9DvsYfM.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2357/2243616947_e1f9496015.jpg?v=0

Agree with you totally on that Bob. Very disappointing, but I guess we have to use 'multi purpose' stadiums.

Why do you have to, when cricket crowds rarely get close to filling the large rugby stadia? Why can't, say, Canterbury build a 10,000 seat ground (with big grass banks to take capacity beyond this) along the lines of the Riverside or Rose Bowl for a few million, dedicated to cricket?

Why do you have to, when cricket crowds rarely get close to filling the large rugby stadia? Why can't, say, Canterbury build a 10,000 seat ground (with big grass banks to take capacity beyond this) along the lines of the Riverside or Rose Bowl for a few million, dedicated to cricket?

Again I agree with you too Charlie. Your point regarding Canterbury is very close to the mark.

Provincial cricket has moved away from Lancaster Park (Jade Stadium, AMI or whatever) and has now made it's home at the Village Green at QEII park. A beautiful oval with a grass verge virtually circling the outfield. With some capital expenditure Canterbury (and NZ cricket!) could have a beautiful test venue.

http://www.cjca.org.nz/mod_content/UserFiles/Image/Village%20Green.jpg

It already has a fantastic pavillion towards the NW of the outfield and to begin, I feel we just need one grandstand which could hold maybe 2-3000 spectators.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

That seems to be the way to go.

If I was the NZ government, I would be using the rugby/cricket world cups coming up to make a clean break.

that new stand at nottingham looks awful.
any test venue in christchurch is going to come from hagley park instead of the village green, never knew the village green was beautiful and the crowds there are pathetic. i would like to turn that athletics stadium into a cricket venue however.
village green:
http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/8025/nzvillagegreen2.th.jpg (http://img519.imageshack.us/my.php?image=nzvillagegreen2.jpg)
needs to be bigger to accommodate demand

that new stand at nottingham looks awful.

I have to agree with you, and Trent Bridge is my favourite English Test ground. Sadly its layout was dictated by the road running adjacent to the ground, but what bugs me most about it is how the seats square of the wicket are still at an angle - if they'd made the stand narrower, so it stopped in line with the stumps, then they could build a new stand parallel to the wicket, something like this (apologies for the seams):

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3557/3325779368_b033e6ffdd.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3652/3325776342_cb23519eda.jpg

Newlands, Cape Town
http://www.cricinfo.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/51200/51250.jpg

http://images.supersport.co.za/2006-07_SaharaParkNewlands_sunset_400.jpg

http://www.capetowndailyphoto.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/pro20_cricket_newlands_img_1287.jpg

Newlands is great, but it would be even better if they built a new stand to hide the view of the brewery!

I hate Brisbane & Melbourne, give me Sydney & Lords anyday.

Cricket grounds should have character, not be bland souless bowls

Newlands is great, but it would be even better if they built a new stand to hide the view of the brewery!

I suppose certain things have a certain nostalgic feeling for locals no matter how much of an eyesore they are. I personally feel that the steam that continuously rises from the brewery in front of Devil's Peak is one of those small details which add to the scene and the atmosphere at the ground. I understand that non-locals might not feel the same. A larger pavilion at the Railway Stand though would obscure the view of Devil's Peak and I can't see that ever getting past the authorities. And personally I'm rather relieved.

I feel the same way, but much more so, about the horrible eyesore which is situated just to the right of the main grandstand at the Oval in London. I've heard it's some sort of power station or something? That really spoils an otherwise decent ground.

I suppose certain things have a certain nostalgic feeling for locals no matter how much of an eyesore they are. I personally feel that the steam that continuously rises from the brewery in front of Devil's Peak is one of those small details which add to the scene and the atmosphere at the ground. I understand that non-locals might not feel the same. A larger pavilion at the Railway Stand though would obscure the view of Devil's Peak and I can't see that ever getting past the authorities. And personally I'm rather relieved.

I feel the same way, but much more so, about the horrible eyesore which is situated just to the right of the main grandstand at the Oval in London. I've heard it's some sort of power station or something? That really spoils an otherwise decent ground.

Ah, you probably mean the Victorian-era gas holders (though they're completely opposite the side of the ground you're talking of) . I've seen worse eyesores.

http://www.wineanorak.com/blog/uploaded_images/oval_test-761759.jpg

This venue hosted the Cricket World Cup, the opening ceremony
http://www.twenty20worldcup.net/cricket/newlands.jpg
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_H13ltSqSDyY/RxE4UFhWFbI/AAAAAAAADZ8/kIdyfZ3EIzk/South+Africa+093.jpg

does a cricket pitch have to be an oval?? and where do the boundaries get marked?? surely if twenty20 takes over you'll start to see stands closer to the centre?

Newlands is great, but it would be even better if they built a new stand to hide the view of the brewery!
I dont think so, and it would block off the mountain. Its cool sitting on the grass, but if they had to make a new stand, it would be very low, i doubt they would want to block the view of Table Mountain

I dont think so, and it would block off the mountain. Its cool sitting on the grass, but if they had to make a new stand, it would be very low, i doubt they would want to block the view of Table Mountain

The brewery doesn't block the view of Table Mountain, so a new stand that's just high enough to block the view of the brewery wouldn't block it either.

...any test venue in christchurch is going to come from hagley park instead of the village green

Yeah, like CCC are going to build a new cricket ground in Hagley Park, and Canterbury cricket has made the Village Green there home for a reason.

never knew the village green was beautiful

???

and the crowds there are pathetic....

and they will be better in Hagley?

:ohno: