What beautifies the sport the most? The passion for the game, the never say die attitude, the spirit of the game. But apart from that, it is also the place where the game is played. If there are no cricket grounds, there will be no cricket played.
Each cricket ground is significant in its own way. Some grounds like The Lord”s, MCG, Sydney, Wankhede have a rich cricketing legacy, while others are picturesque in view.
Here is a look at Top 5 most beautiful places where cricket is played
– by Atharva Apte
5) Newlands, Cape Town
Located on the South Western coast of South Africa in the city of Cape Town, Newlands is one of the oldest cricket ground in South Africa. It is surrounded by Table Mountain in Southern Suburbs of Cape Town. The ground first hosted a Test match in 1889. So far, the ground has hosted 54 test matches. The ground is home for domestic T20 side Cape Cobras. Some of the significant milestones that came on this ground are Sachin Tendulkar”s last test century in 2011 and Ben Stokes” 258 which is the fastest 250 in test history off just 198 balls.
4) Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, St. Lucia
Situated in Beausèjour hills, just around the corner from Rodney Bay in Gros Islet St.Lucia, Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium is one of the most beautiful cricket stadiums in the Caribbean. It is a relatively new venue which first hosted a One Day International in 2002 and the first test next year. The ground which was used for 2007 World Cup, as well as WT20 2010, was renamed after the island”s first cricketer to represent the West Indies, Daren Sammy. The ground is home to Windward Islands Cricket team as well as CPL franchise Saint Lucia Stars, previously known as Saint Lucia Zouks.
3) Galle International Stadium
Located on South Western Coast of Sri Lanka, surrounded by the Indian Ocean on both sides, the Galle International Stadium is a must visit place for every cricket fanatic. The stadium has a fort in the background, and grass banks which make the view more scenic. The stadium does not have concrete stands on the sides which allow the breeze to flow without any hindrance. The ground was destroyed after 2004 tsunami but was rebuilt. Shane Warne picked up his 500th test wicket on this ground dismissing Hashan Tillakaratne in 2004 thereby becoming the first bowler to do so.
2) Saxton Oval, Nelson
The Saxton Oval is another mesmerizing ground which will leave you enthralled by its beauty. It is a small stadium with a capacity of only 6000. It was constructed by Nelson Cricket Association and was established in 2009. The ground first hosted an ODI in 2014 and was used for 3 matches in 2015 World Cup. It is scheduled to host its first test match against Bangladesh in 2018-19.
1) HPCA Stadium, Dharamshala
Arguably the most picturesque ground in India, it is regarded by many people as heaven! The ground which is located at 1457 m at sea level has snow capped Himalayan mountains in the backdrop to add to its beauty. Also in the high altitudes and low atmospheric pressure ball tends to travel a little quicker. The ground hosted its first ODI against England in January 2013 and first Test match vs Australia in March 2017. It was used for T20 WC 2016.
– by Atharva Apte