The first-ever international cricket game was played between England and Australia in 1877. The match was played at Melbourne Cricket Ground. Cricket gradually evolved and with that, it led to the establishment of more cricket grounds. Not only in England and Australia, other countries like India, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka too contributed in building picturesque venues for playing cricket. Popularly known as the Mecca of cricket, Lord’s cricket ground is the oldest cricket ground in the world, with Trent Bridge making his way as the second oldest ground.
In this article, we look at the top 10 oldest cricket grounds in the world:
#1. Lord’s Cricket Ground (Year-1814)
It’s the mecca of world cricket. The oldest cricket ground in the world, Lord’s remains as one the most iconic cricket grounds in the world. The ground hosted its first match on 21st July 1884 between England and Australia. Situated in St. John Wood, London, Lord’s was named after its founder Thomas Lord. Marylebone Cricket Club owns the ground, while it is home to Middlesex County Cricket Club. The oldest cricket ground in the world, Lord’s can accommodate as many as 30, 000 people. Since 1883 till date, Lord’s has managed to host 139 test matches, 67 ODI matches and 10 T20 internationals.
#2. Trent Bridge (Year-1830)
One of England’s premier cricketing grounds, Trent Bridge hosted its first test match in 1899. Trent Bridge is the second oldest cricket ground and has been a blessing for players such as Gary Sobers, Clive Rice and Richard Hadlee. It is the same ground where Australia were skittled out for just 60 runs in 2015, giving Stuart Broad his best bowling figures of 8-15. The Trent Bridge stadium boasts of a seating capacity of 17,500.
#3. The Oval Cricket Ground (Year-1845)
An iconic cricket ground with a rich history, the Oval cricket ground is known for hosting a first-ever international match on English soil in September 1880. England won that game by 5 wickets against Australia. Oval cricket grounds is said to be the third oldest cricket ground in the world, having established in 1845. In addition to that, the oval cricket stadium is also famous for hosting some significant sporting events. The Oval ground became the host to England’s first international football match against Scotland. Located at Kennington, London, the Oval cricket stadium has a seating capacity of 23,500.
#4. Sydney Cricket Ground (Year-1848)
Having a reputation of producing high-scoring contests, Sydney Cricket Ground is a paradise for batsmen. It is Australia’s oldest ground and is the fourth oldest cricket ground in the world, with its establishment taking place in the year 1848. It has a seating capacity of 44, 002. The first international test match at Sydney cricket ground was played in 1882 between Australia and England, while the first ODI took place in the year 1979 between the same sides.
#5. Melbourne Cricket Ground (Year-1853)
Australia’s iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground needs no introduction. For those of you who don’t know, Melbourne Cricket Ground is the world’s largest cricket ground with a seating capacity of over 1,00,000 people. Melbourne Cricket Ground is the fifth oldest cricket ground in the world. It was established in the year 1853, while the first international test match was played in 15th March 1877. Melbourne Cricket Ground recently hosted the 2020 T20 World Cup final between India and Australia which witnessed the biggest ever crowd in a women’s game. As many as 86,174 people turned up for the game.
#6. Old Trafford (1857)
England’s one of the famous cricket ground, Old Trafford acts as a breeding turf for many bowlers in the world. Old Trafford is the sixth oldest cricket stadium in the world. Old Trafford cricket stadium was established in 1857 and played host to the first Ashes Test in 1884. Legendary spinner, Shane Warne produced the ball of the century to Mike Gatting at this very ground, leaving everyone in awe. The test match at Old Trafford cricket ground was played in 1884 between England and Australia, while the first one-day game was held in 1972 between the same sides.
#7. Eden Gardens (1864)
The second-largest cricket arena in the world, Eden Garden has been India’s premier cricket stadium. Over the years, the ground has seen some of the best spectacles ever in world cricket. Eden Gardens is India’s oldest cricket stadium. It was established in the year 1864. It is also the home ground of the Bengal Cricket Team and Kolkata Knight Riders. Eden Gardens has a seating capacity of 66,000 people. The first-ever test match here was played in the year 1934 between India and England, while the first ODI took place in 1987 between India and Pakistan. Eden Garden recently played host to the first-ever day-night test match in India between India and Bangladesh. India won that game easily by an innings and 46 runs.
#8. Basin Reserve (Year-1868)
New Zealand’s oldest cricket stadium, Basin Reserve is a happy hunting ground for the team in search of big totals. In the list of oldest cricket stadium in the world, Basin Reserve sits at the eighth spot with a seating capacity of just 11,600. Basin Reserve stadium was built in the year 1868. Basin Reserve is mostly known for hosting test matches, the ground is also used to host events such as concerts, sports events, and other social gatherings. The first-ever test match played at Basin Reserve was between New Zealand and England in 1930.
#9. Adelaide Oval (Year-1873)
With a seating capacity of close to 50,000, Adelaide Oval is noted for its carnival-like atmosphere producing memorable contests. Adelaide Oval in the third oldest cricket stadium in Australia after Sydney cricket stadium and Melbourne Cricket Ground. Overall, it stands at nine positions in the list of oldest cricket grounds in the world. Built-in the year 1873, Adelaide has gone on to host some of the finest cricket game ever played in International cricket. The test match played at Adelaide oval was in the year 1884 between Australia and England, while the first ODI was played against West Indies in 1975.
#10. Galle International Stadium (Year-1876)
One of the most picturesque venues, Galle International Stadium is the oldest cricket ground in Sri Lanka. Galle International Stadium was established in 1876 and has been one of the most successful grounds for Sri Lanka. Galle is the tenth oldest ground in world cricket. It played host for the first time in the month of January, 1998 in a test match against New Zealand, while the first ODI was played in the same year against Sri Lanka on June 25.
