Since England is credited with inventing cricket, we can expect some of the oldest cricket grounds to be located here. As of 2023, England has 11 stadiums that hold international cricket matches. In addition, 12 cricket grounds have previously hosted international games.
In England and Wales, there are 18 professional counties, each with at least 2 grounds. When you include the many thousands of club and community cricket grounds, the total is rather large.
Here are the top 5 cricket stadiums in England.
1. Lord’s
Lord’s is commonly referred to as the ‘home of cricket‘ in England. It’s the most famous cricket ground in the country, and it’s where all touring teams want to go.
The original ground, named after its founder, Thomas Lord, opened in 1774 before being relocated to its current site in 1814. Lord’s hosted its inaugural match in 1884 and now holds the record for the most tests played in the United Kingdom. It now holds Tests, ODIs, T20Is, and domestic matches of all formats, including The Hundred.
There have been a few remarkable games here, but possibly the most famous was in 1984 when the visiting West Indies won by scoring 344-1 in the fourth innings after England set a huge target.
2. Trent Bridge
Trent Bridge is another of England’s most historic test grounds, located near Nottingham. It is recognised as a fast-scoring field in limited-overs cricket, and it has produced some of the highest team scores. England scored a massive 481/6 against Australia in 2018 and 444/3 against Pakistan two years earlier.
Trent Bridge was built in 1841, and the first match was played there in 1899. The stadium now holds Tests, ODIs, and T20s, as well as domestic cricket in all forms. Trent Bridge is also the home ground of Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club.
Also Read | England’s Domestic Cricket: Explained
3. The Oval
The Oval in London is famous for holding the first-ever test match played in England. The year was 1880, and England hosted the visitors, Australia.
The Oval hosts matches on a regular basis, and the stadium has held over 100 tests. ODIs and T20s are also held here, as well as county games for Surrey and Hundred matches for the Oval Invincibles.
Surrey recorded the world’s highest List A score of 496/4 versus Gloucestershire in 2007 at the home ground, the Oval Stadium.
4. Edgbaston
The Edgbaston Stadium in Birmingham opened in 1882 and staged its first test 20 years later. Edgbaston, like the other top stadiums, hosts limited-over internationals as well as domestic competitions.
Warwickshire and the Birmingham Phoenix both play here on a regular basis. Edgbaston is well-known for its lively atmosphere and rowdy audience.
Edgbastion’s Ashes Test in 1981 stands out among the finest matches played here. With England on the verge of loss, the great Ian Botham returned with a stupendous bowling performance of 5/11 to claim a miraculous triumph.
5. Headingley
The professional teams that play at Headingley are Yorkshire, England, and the Northern Superchargers. The stadium, which is located in Leeds, opened its doors in 1890 and hosted its first test match in 1899.
All kinds of games are played here, and it was once renowned as ‘seamer’s heaven,’ with swing and seam assisting the faster bowlers. That may not be the case in the present day, but Headingley’s pitch can still help the bowling units.
Once again, the most memorable game is from the 1981 Ashes series. After Australia had forced the follow-on, Ian Botham and Bob Willis combined for an astonishing England victory.
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