Adelaide Oval
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Adelaide Oval | ||||
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 Australia |
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| Ground information | ||||
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| Location | Adelaide, South Australia | |||
| Establishment | 1871 | |||
| Seating capacity | 33,597 | |||
| Owner | South Australia Cricket Association | |||
| Tenants | Australia, South Australia | |||
| End names | River End Cathedral End |
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| International information | ||||
| First Test | 12 December 1884: Australia v England | |||
| Last Test | 24 January 2008: Australia v India | |||
| First ODI | 20 December 1975: Australia v West Indies | |||
| Last ODI | 19 February 2008: India v Sri Lanka | |||
| Domestic team information | ||||
| Years | Team | |||
| 1877 – present | South Australia | |||
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As of 5 March 2008 |
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The Adelaide Oval is a sports ground in Adelaide, South Australia. It is located between the central business district and North Adelaide and has a history which dates back to the 1870s. It is considered to be one of the most picturesque Test cricket grounds in Australia, if not the world.[1] The oval is managed by the South Australian Cricket Association (SACA). The current curator is Les Burdett. It has a current capacity of approximately 32,000 - 34,000 spectators.[2]
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[edit] History
- The ground was established in 1871 after the formation of SACA.
- The first Test match was played at the Oval from 12-16 December 1884. England beat Australia by eight wickets (Scorecard).
- In 1894/1895 Albert Trott collected 8/43 on debut against England, the best ever single-innings Test match figures at the ground.
- The picket fence was put up surrounding the Oval (then with a cycling track) in 1900.
- From 5-12 August 1911 the Australian Football Council Carnival was played at the ground, won by South Australia. The competing sides were SA, VFL, VFA, Western Australia, Tasmania and New South Wales.
- The Adelaide Oval scoreboard, designed by architect Kenneth Milne, began service on 3 November 1911. The clock was added in 1912 and the windvane in the 1930s.
- In 1931/1932 Donald Bradman scored the highest score ever at the ground in Test Cricket, compiling 299* against South Africa. In the same game, Clarrie Grimmett collected fourteen wickets, the most ever taken in a test match at the ground by a bowler.
- In 1932/1933, the Bodyline affair reached its lowest point at the ground when Bill Woodfull and Bert Oldfield were struck, and on the third day mounted police patrolled to keep the 50,962 spectators in order (a record crowd for cricket at the ground). The total attendance for the match was 174,351.
- In 1947/1948 Australia scored 674 against India, the highest team total at the ground in Test matches.
- Considered by some to be the best Test Match ever competed at the ground, Australia played the West Indies in the fourth test of the Frank Worrell Trophy, 1960/1961. The match ended in a draw, with the West Indies unable to take the final wicket of Australia's fourth innings, as the last batsmen Ken Mackay and Lindsay Kline held out for 109 minutes. West Indies bowler Lance Gibbs took the only ever Test cricket hat trick at the ground in Australia's first innings (Scorecard).
- A record attendance of 62,543 people was recorded for the 1965 SANFL Grand Final between Port Adelaide and Sturt.
- In 1975/1976 the first One-Day International match was played at the ground between Australia and West Indies (40-over match), which Australia won by 5 wickets (Scorecard).
- In October 1982, vs Victoria, David Hookes hit a 43 minute, 34 ball century - in some respects the fastest hundred in history.[1]
- In 1989/1990 Dean Jones scored twin Test hundreds against Pakistan.
- South Australia compiled the highest fourth innings winning total in Sheffield Shield history, reaching 6/506 (set 506 to win) against Queensland in 1991/1992.
- In 1992/1993 the West Indies defeated Australia by one run in the fourth test of the Frank Worrell Trophy, when a bouncer by Courtney Walsh brushed Craig McDermott's glove to end a 40-run last-wicket partnership. It was the narrowest victory ever in Test cricket. Curtly Ambrose picked up ten wickets in the game (Scorecard).
- Lights were constructed at the ground in 1997, allowing sport to be held at night. This was the subject of a lengthy dispute with the Adelaide City Council, due to environmental issues relating to the parklands area. The first towers erected were designed to retract into the ground; however one collapsed and they were replaced with permanent towers. The first cricket match under lights was a One Day International between South Africa and New Zealand on 6 December 1997[3].
- In 1999, Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan was called for throwing by umpire Ross Emerson in a one day international against England. The Sri Lankan team almost abandoned the match, but after instructions from the president of the Sri Lankan cricket board (relayed to captain Arjuna Ranatunga by mobile phone) the game resumed.
- In 2003, two matches of the Rugby World Cup were played at Adelaide Oval, with Australia thrashing Namibia 142-0 and a neutral match both selling out.
- In December 2003 the highest day-score was compiled at the Adelaide Oval, by Australia against India, with the home side finishing at 5/400 at stumps.
- In November 2005 Brian Lara broke Allan Border's world record for the most Test runs before eventually being dismissed for 226.
- During the 2006/2007 Ashes series, many temporary stands were erected to cope with the demand for tickets. Stands were put between the Chappell stands and on the top of the hills. Australia beat England by 6 wickets on a remarkable last day.(Scorecard).
- Most recently,India held off Australia for a draw in the 4th test match of the 3 mobile test series, enabling Australia to win the series 2-1 and retain the Border-Gavaskar trophy.
[edit] Western Stands Upgrade
In 2007 SACA announced that the Western Grandstands are to be upgraded after the 2008 Adelaide Sevens tournament. Plans include extra grandstand tiers and member facilities, with an upgrade of the players facilities. This upgrade has been postponed indefinately, but SACA states it would like to have them complete before the 2010-11 Ashes series.
[edit] Major sporting events
Adelaide Oval hosts the following major sporting events:
- International cricket — Test and One Day International. There are normally two or three one-day games on the Australia Day weekend in January (replacing a traditional Australia Day test). The test is now normally in December and is Australia against the international touring team of the time. These matches include one test match during The Ashes series. Cricket Australia has announced that the Australia Day Test match will return in the 2007/08 season to cater for touring side India's playing schedule.
- Domestic cricket — Adelaide Oval is the home ground of the Southern Redbacks, the South Australian state cricket team. They play in three competitions: Sheffield Shield (first-class), Ford Ranger Cup (one-day) and KFC Twenty20 Big Bash. The 2005/06 ING Cup (now known as the Ford Ranger One Day Cup) final was played at Adelaide Oval between SA and NSW.
- Australian rules football — Adelaide Oval hosts SANFL matches, including many of the finals. Traditional fixtures include a "Grand Final rematch" between last year's Grand Finalists on the afternoon of ANZAC Day, which is well attended due to the venue's close proximity to the Torrens Parade Ground, the end of the ANZAC Day Parade in Adelaide, and the Finals in the first 3 weeks of the SANFL Finals Series, with only the Grand Final being played at AAMI Stadium. Australian Football League matches are played at AAMI Stadium; although the SACA continues to lobby the SANFL and AFL for AFL matches to be played at the ground.
- Rugby sevens — Starting in 2007, Adelaide Oval will host the new Australia Sevens event in the IRB Sevens World Series.
- Football (soccer) — Adelaide United FC played a one-off A-League home game against Sydney FC on December 28, 2007 which attracted 25039 people. They will play more games there in the 2008/09 season, due to the Oval increased capacity over their official home ground, Hindmarsh Stadium
Adelaide Oval was also home base for some of the Adelaide Rams rugby league team's short history. 16 sports have been played at one time or another at the oval: archery, athletics, baseball, cycling, American football, highland games, hockey, lacrosse, lawn tennis, rugby league, rugby union, quoits and football (soccer).
[edit] Concerts
Adelaide Oval has hosted major concerts during its time, with some of the most famous acts including Fleetwood Mac (in 1977 and 2004), David Bowie (1978 and 1983), KISS (1980), Madonna (1993), Michael Jackson (1996), Billy Joel and Elton John (1998).[2]
[edit] Oval Layout
The oval dimensions are 190m x 125m. [4]
The oval is laid out as follows, around the centre of the oval. In front of the stands there is plastic seating all the way around the oval.
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The Hill was created in 1898 with earth from the banks of the River Torrens. The scoreboard:was first used in 1911 and still shows its original Edwardian architecture.
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There are three stands from around the start of the 20th century:
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(surrounded by picket fence and advertising billboards) |
Two grandstands, named the Chappell Stands, after the South Australian cricketing brothers Ian Chappell, Greg Chappell and Trevor Chappell were completed in 2003. |
The Sir Donald Bradman stand: built in 1990 to replace the John Creswell stand, now provides up to date facilities for spectators. |
Several open air corporate boxes | |
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The scoreboard and the western stands are listed on the City of Adelaide Heritage Register, helping to maintain the charm of the ground.
[edit] References
- ^ Adelaide Oval at Austadiums
- ^ SACA - Adelaide Oval - Overview 28/12/06
- ^ Cricinfo - 2nd Match: New Zealand v South Africa at Adelaide, Dec 6, 1997
- ^ http://www.saca.com.au/library/seating_plan.pdf
[edit] External links
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