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Stuart Broad Retirement Tribute: Sun Sets on Legendary Career

by | Jul 29, 2023 | Article Index, Tributes: Cricketing Heroes

“And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”

– Quote Attributed to Abraham Lincoln

This quote perfectly epitomizes Stuart Broad.

Stuart Broad has made each of his 6182 days in international cricket count. Ultra-competitive, yet also super fun to be around.

When Stuart Broad appealed, we saw the joy in him. When Broad took a wicket, we saw the joy in him. And when Broad talks about cricket, we still see the joy in him.

The all-time great has hung up his boots. Today, we look back at the highs, lows, and everything in between.

Here is Stuart Broad retirement tribute.

Table of Contents

Stuart Broad Debut: How Did it All Start?

Although fast bowling was his true calling, his beginning wasn’t always that.

He started his youth cricketing career as an opening batter (which is why he still valued technique till end). Rising up the ranks, we was called up in the England U-19 & England A sides during 2005-06. A certain Jimmy Anderson had made the senior side, so there was a vacancy in the A team.

On 28 August, 2006, Broad made his international debut at age of 20. And he did not disappoint—2 in 2 and on-a-hattrick in his first ever senior match.

By 2007, he had made England’s ODI & T20I World Cup teams. A couple of years later, he had announced himself on the big stage at the Ashes when his 5-fer reduced Australia from 73/0 to 111/7.

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Also Read: Dale Steyn, The Embodiment of Simplicity and Intensity, Retires—The Greatest Fast Bowler of Them All, MS Dhoni and SK Raina Retire: An End of An Era

Stuart Broad Stats & Records

Before we go on any further, here are a bit of his career highlights.

Teams

To elongate his Test career, Broad only played a handful of franchise tournaments early on. The only teams that he played for were

  • England, England U-19, England A, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), Hobart Hurricanes, Kings XI Punjab
  • 845 International Wickets (602* – Tests, 178 – ODI, 65 – T20I)
  • 4303 International Runs (3656 – Test, 529 – ODI, 118 – T20I)

Broad Test Wickets & Runs

  • 167 Tests
  • 602 Wickets, 8/15 (best inning), 11/121 (best match), 27.68 average, 55.7 strike rate: 20/3 (5-fer/10-fer)
  • 3647 Runs, 18.05 average, 54 sixes, 1 -100, 13 – 50s

Broad ODI & T20I Career

  • 121 ODIs
  • 178 wickets, 5/23 (best), 30.13 average, 34.3 strike rate,1 (5-fer)
  • 529 Runs, 45* (best), 12.3 average
  • 56 T20Is
  • 65 wickets, 4/24 (best), 22.93 average, 7.62 economy
  • 118 runs, 18* (best), 100.00 strike rate

Records

  • 167 Tests – 5th Most Matches in Test Career
  • 8/15 (2015) – Best spell by a pacer since Glenn McGrath’s 8/24 in 2004
  • 33454 – 5th Most balls bowled in career
  • Most wickets in the Ashes by an Englishmen (151)
  • Joint Most wickets against a single batter (20) – David Warner
  • Two hat-tricks

Timeline

  • 2004 – Debuted in County Cricket at Leicestershire
  • 2006 – T20I debut, ODI debut, Cricket Writers’ Club Young Cricketer of the Year
  • 2007 – Test debut, Yuvraj Singh six sixes
  • 2008 – Moved to Nottinghamshire, First Test 5–fer
  • 2010 – T20 World Cup Winner, 169 vs Pakistan
  • 2011 – Hat-trick against India, Kings XI Punjab IPL deal
  • 2014 – Seelcted as captain of England’s T20 World Cup side
  • 2015 – 8/15 spell against Australia
  • 2016 – Hobart Hurricanes BBL deal, British honor – MBE
  • 2023 – 600 Test wickets, Retirement

Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson: The Gift That Kept on Giving

Let’s be honest, England have not really been the most stable Test side in history.

That’s why the duo of Broad & Jimmy Anderson is so cherished by the English fans. They provided England with the stability they needed.

Amidst the 0-5 Ashes defeats, World Cup debacles, or Pietersen-Strauss drama, these two remained the only constants.

When Broad was out of form, Anderson swung it England’s way. When Anderson did not get the early breakthroughs, Broad produced one of those spells.

Although the talk of the decade was Steyn vs Anderson, Broad uncharacteristically went under the radar. But he didn’t mind. He actually flourished under Anderson’s wisdom and when his time came, he mentored the next generation of English bowlers.

A partnership that was bound to be. A partnership that kept on giving.

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The Famous Broad Spells: Ashes 8/15, Hat-Tricks, and Many, Many More

Have you seen magic?

I have, and it is known as a Stuart Broad bowling spell.

When he is on fire, he is really on fire.

Although he was not lucky on his T20I debut, he finally got a hat-trick against India at Nottingham in 2011.

He was so good, sometimes he forgot he even took a hat-trick.

“He becomes the first Englishmen to take two hat-tricks in Test cricket, and he has got no idea. Typical fast bowler.”

With his famous headband, he found a second wind. In 2022, he took 2/3 wickets in a team hat-trick (the second wicket was also due to him. His celebrappeal for LBW took de Grandhomme by surprise, after which he was run out).

Broad found his forte when the pressure was its highest. The Johannesburg spell for example.

He took almost 25% of his career wickets (151/602) in the Ashes, becoming the leading Ashes wicket-taker of-all time by an Englishmen. Therefore, it is no surprise that his greatest spell – 8/15 came against the Aussies as well.

4th Test at Nottingham in Ashes 2015, Australia sent into bat, and Broad did the rest. Every wicket due to pace and perfect line & length. He ended with figures of 9.3-5-15-8. Watch it here. One of the greatest modern day bowling spells.

For some of his other highlights, look at this video.

Stuart Broad vs David Warner

From 2013 to 2023, if there is one batter that has been haunted by Stuart Broad, it has to be David Warner. The record across formats reads as follows:

63 innings, 556 runs scored in 934 balls, 68 fours, 3 sixes, and 20 wickets. That’s the joint 2nd of all-time only behind Ambrose-Mark Waugh (21).

When Warner had learned how to face Broad for a little while, Broad came around the wicket and became even more lethal.

Here’s Cricinfo’s detailed description of all his Test dismissals. And here are the videos.

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Things That May Not Have Gone According to Plan

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room—The Six Sixes.

Yuvraj Singh Six Sixes: Stuart Broad vs Yuvraj Singh

Amidst all the glory and the highs, there were some low points in his career too.

Yuvraj Singh, at his peak of his batting prowess, hit Broad out of the park the entire over. Yuvraj was angry at Flintoff, but Broad got the treatment.

Also Read; What If Flintoff Kept His Cool to Yuvraj Singh?

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England vs Netherlands 2009

His T20 World Cup experience continued to not go according to the plan.

In the 2009 T20 World Cup, the Netherlands defeated the English while Broad was bowling the last over.

There were some dropped catches, misfields, and overthrows from Broad that tilted the match in the Dutch’s favor. Oops.

No worries though. In a years time, he was a T20 World Cup winner.

Bumrah vs Stuart Broad

What’s worse than getting hit for 36 runs by Yuvraj Singh in a T20I?

Getting hit by Jasprit Bumrah for 35 runs (including extras) in a Test match.

The 2015 World Cup

Prior to England’s revival in limited overs cricket, they were actually a mediocre side for the better part of the last two decades.

The lowest point, though, was getting knocked out in the group stage by Bangladesh.

With 16 needed from 12 runs, there was still a chance. But Rubel Hussain castled Broad and Anderson to take Bangladesh to the knockouts.

That was the end of Broad & Anderson’s limited over careers. But a blessing in disguise, extending their Test careers by 8 years.

The Twitter Troll

Broad’s career rise coincided with the rise of social media. As an active Twitter user, he is often hilarious and engages the crowd with some banter.

Sometimes it comes off, and at least once a year, the video resurfaces of Broad hilariously not walking off despite edging the ball….So, there’s that.

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Stuart Broad 169: The Batter He Was

In his early days, Stuart Broad was considered an all-rounder.

In fact, between 2008 & 2011, Broad produced scores of 169, 76, 74*, 67*, 65, 65, and 64.

And then he got hit by a Varun Aaron bouncer in 2014.

Even though he had a couple of fifties in 2017, his batting perhaps did not see the best of him again.

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Stuart Broad Retirement

The series had underlying murmurs of, “Is this Jimmy Anderson’s last Test series?” Or at least, if this will be his last Ashes.

There was no such news about Broad.

In fact, Broad was at his best. He developed an outswing to counter the threat of Smith-Labuschagne and became the leading wicket-taker for England in the process. Anderson, on the other hand, had an abysmal series with Woakes & Wood leading English revival.

But in Broad fashion, he decided the night before at 8:30 PM and announced it today.

I knew I wanted to leave the game loving cricket and lasting memories being a very enjoyable changing room, and I’ve got lots of friends. I’ve played a long time, and the body feels great. I could have carried on, but it’s just feels like the right time.

– Stuart Broad

His final day may well be on Jimmy Anderson’s 41st birthday. How the stars align.

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What Can We Learn from Broad?

Despite initially being remembered for being hit for six sixes against Yuvraj Singh, Broad constructed a career of greatness, consistency, and longevity. By the time he was done with the England T20I side, he not only was England’s highest wicket-taker, but also a T20 World Cup winner.

This is a quality of great personalities. They realize that everyday might not go as planned, but they continue to believe and march forward.

That’s exactly what Broad did. Marched forward for seventeen years. Improving till the very last series, where he developed an outswing during the offseason to help him get rid of Marnus Labuschagne & Steve Smith.

Broad’s retirement took me by surprise. I am a bit sad but realize that we will see him in the commentary box for years to come. I will always remember his smooth flying action, those spells & hat-tricks, and most importantly, the joy he got from playing cricket and winning the crucial moments. A true match-winner. So, what can we learn from Stuart Broad?

Keep learning, keep moving, mentor others, lift the group, and never back down. All that while having fun. That’s what Broad’s life and career teach me.

The Legacy

Nasser Hussain & Mike Atherton summed it up perfectly.

“An undeniably great cricketer….He’s the complete article. The fitness, the hunger, the competitiveness, the skill, and being very clever and bright.”

Broad was an expert at wearing various hats. The commentator & analyst. The viral tweeter. The all-rounder & swashbuckling batter. The celebrappeal. The great entertainer.

For over a decade, Stuart Broad was England cricket and England cricket was Stuart Broad. With Jimmy Anderson, he gave us memories to last a lifetime.

It has been real, Stuart Broad.

What an incredible journey. Brilliant, wonderful career. What a player. What a man.

Peace out and have a wonderful second innings.

Facts About Broad

Stuart Broad Height

  • 6 ft 5 in

Stuart Broad Age

  • 37 years

Stuart Broad Net Worth ($1 million)

  • $790,000 (Red ball Contract)
  • $17,600 (Test match fees)

In 2023, he played 8 Tests& in 2020, he played 9 Tests. With the contract and match-fees, he earned $900000+. With brand endorsements & sponsorship deals, his net worth is welll over millions of dollars.

Personal Life

  • Chris Broad (father)
  • Mollie King (Partner)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many wickets has Stuart Broad taken?

Broad has taken 845 international wickets, 602 in Test cricket.

How tall is Stuart Broad?

Broad is 6 ft, 5 inches tall.

Who hit Broad for six sixes?

Yuvraj Singh hit Stuart Broad for six sixes in the 2007 T20 World Cup.

Who is Stuart Broad’s father?

Chris Broad is Stuart Broad’s fagther.

What is Broad’s highest Test score?

169 is Broad’s highest test scores against Pakistan in 2010.

© Copyright @Nitesh Mathur and Broken Cricket Dreams, 2021. Originally published on 7/30/2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Broken Cricket Dreams with appropriate and specific direction to the original content (i.e. linked to the exact post/article).

Most Beautiful Cricket Stadium in Each of the 12 Countries – Lord’s, Newlands, MCG, Galle,…Which Is Your Favorite?

by | Jul 15, 2021 | Article Index, Featured, World XIs - With Twists

There are numerous scenic venues in world cricket, but if you had to choose the most beautiful cricket stadium from each country, what would they be?

Novelist Margaret Wolfe Hungerford penned the famous idiom “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”

Everyone has their own definition of beauty. How would you define the most beautiful stadium in cricket? Would you choose the one with scenic backgrounds, largest capacity, the environment & fans, or history?

We choose the #1 international stadium from each country and state why we chose it. We will also list the stadiums that narrowly missed out.

And if you were wondering about the largest cricket stadiums in each country, which country has the most stadiums, the oldest venues to have hosted Test cricket, and the list of international stadiums in each country, we got you covered as well.

Table of Contents

Also Read: Top 10 Commentary Highlights, Top 7 Most Popular Cricket Videos, Best XI Cricket Fielders

The Motivation

Earlier this year, the picturesque Gwadar Stadium in Balochistan (Pakistan) was inaugurated and immediately social media went viral. Playing cricket with white clays of Koh-e-Mehdi Hills in the background is just breathtaking.

At about the same time, England toured Sri Lanka for a Test series. The aerial view surrounding the stadium was magnificent.

This got us thinking—Choose the most beautiful stadium from each country but the catch is—the stadium has to have hosted at least one international match in any format. Without further ado, here is our list.

Lots of images head! Make sure to swipe right under each section to get a glimpse of all the stadiums in our shortlist.

*Note: Afghanistan is not considered since it plays its home matches in India. Also, the UAE is considered since international cricket is played there frequently.

List of Most Beautiful Cricket Grounds in the World

1. Melbourne Cricket Groud (MCG), Australia

  • Location: Jolimont, Melbourne (Victoria), Australia
  • Capacity: 100,000, Year Established: 1853
  • Home Teams: Australia, Victoria, Melbourne Stars
  • Why Is it the Most Beautiful Stadium in Australia? The second largest stadium by capacity now, the MCG has everything. The ideal place for an Ashes Test, a World Cup Final, or a Women’s T20 World Cup Final, the atmosphere at the MCG is electric. Each clap is heard, the Barmy Army is never too far away, and even the batters have to utilize the 90 meter boundaries by running the twos and threes.
  • Australia’s Top 3
    1. Melbourne Cricket Ground
    2. Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), New South Wales – The iconic green roof & Sydney’s skyline with the Sydney Opera house in the background seals the deal for me.
    3. The Bradman Oval*, Bowral, New South Wales – Home of Sir Donald Bradman, the ground captures the imagination of any cricket fan. With the Bradman Museum and white fence in the background, what’s not to like? And yes, Bradman’s ashes were sprinkled on the ground as well to add to the history.

*Note, Bradman Oval has hosted a women’s Test (Australia Vs England) along with a few other women’s ODIs. Check out MCG, SCG, and Bradman Oval’s picturesque images below.

Pictured Below (In this order): (1) MCG, (2) SCG, (3) Sydney, (4) Bradman Oval, (5) Sir Donald Bradman

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2. Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, Bangladesh

  • Location: Sylhet, Bangladesh
  • Capacity: 13,533, Year Established: 2007
  • Home Teams: Sylhet Division Cricket Team, Sylhet Sixers, Bangladesh
  • Why Is it the Most Beautiful in Bangladesh: Lush forests in the background to go along with the contrasting red roof—lovely scenery.
  • Bangladesh’s Top 3:
    1. Sylhet International Cricket Stadium
    2. Sher-e-Bangla Stadium (Mirpur), Dhaka
    3. Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium, Khulna

Pictured Below: Sylhet

3. Lord’s Cricket Ground, England

  • Location: London, England
  • Capacity: 30,000, Year Established: 1814
  • Home Teams: Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), Middlesex, England
  • Why Is it the Most Beautiful in England: Home of cricket, the iconic Lord’s pavilion, the balcony, the honors board, J.P. Morgan Media Centre, and the long room. Historic. Aesthetic.
  • England’s Top 3:
    1. Lord’s
    2. Old Trafford (Manchester) – The shining red pavilion gives Old Trafford its unique look.
    3. Riverside Ground (Chester-le-Street, Durham): Nothing better than a castle in the background.
    4. Consolation: The Oval (Kennington, London) New Road (Worcester), County Ground (Taunton)

Pictured Below (In this order): (1) Lord’s stadium, (2) Lord’s balcony, (3) The Long Room, (4) Old Trafford, (5) Riverside Ground

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Five pictures for England’s grounds was just not enough, so here are some more. Churches and castles put a unique touch in England.

Pictured Below (In this order): (1) New Road, (2) Taunton, (3) The Oval

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4. Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, India

  • Location: Dharamsala, India
  • Capacity: 23,000, Year Established: 2003
  • Home Teams: Himachal Pradesh Cricket Team, Kings XI Punjab, India
  • Why Is it the Most Beautiful in India: Backdrop of the snow-capped Himalayan range, it is a wonderful attraction all around. Home to the Dalai Lama, it also has a spiritual overtone to it.
  • India’s Top 3:
    1. Dharamsala
    2. Eden Gardens (Kolkata) – One of the most animated sporting crowds in the world. The place of the 2001 Test against Australia feat VVS Laxman’s magical 281 and Brathwaite’s carnage in the 2016 T20 World Cup final. Also the venue of the infamous 1996 World Cup semi-final, where the match was abandoned due to the enraged spectators.
    3. Wankhede Stadium (Mumbai) – Another one due to the atmosphere. After India’s 2011 World Cup victory, it was an ideal place to party. Just listen to this when Dhoni finished it off in style.
    4. Consolation: Narendra Modi Stadium (Ahmedabad), Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium – Dehradun (host for Afghanistan team)

Pictured Below (In this order): (1) Dharamsala, (2) Dehradun, (3) Wankhede, (4) Eden Gardens, (5) Ahmedabad

5. Malahide Cricket Club Ground (The Village), Ireland

  • Location: Malahide, Ireland
  • Capacity: 11,500, Year Established: 1861
  • Home Teams: Ireland Cricket Team
  • Why Is it the Most Beautiful in Ireland: Hosted Ireland’s only Test at home (along with a few ODIs, and women’s fixtures). The venue gives away a calm aura with trees right behind the sight-screen.
  • Ireland’s Top 3
    1. Malahide
    2. Bready Cricket Club (Bready)
    3. Civil Service Cricket Club (Belfast)

Pictured Below: Malahide

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6. Bay Oval, New Zealand

  • Location: Mount Maunganui, Tauranga, New Zealand
  • Capacity: 10,000, Year Established: 2007
  • Home Teams: Northern Districts, New Zealand
  • Why Is it the Most Beautiful in New Zealand: New Zealand is the ideal place to watch cricket. You can choose any stadium here, and it will be scenic. Add to that the grass banks and the casual, party-mood culture, and you have a perfect atmosphere for cricket. Mount Maunganui’s aerial view makes it my #1 in New Zealand—The hill, beaches, and a sandbar connecting the mainland to the island.
  • New Zealand’s Top 3:
    1. Bay Oval
    2. Queenstown Events Centre (Queenstown, Otago) – Queenstown is a resort town, known for its tourism. And why not? The mountain range overseeing the cricket ground is literally called The Remarkables. Lake Wakatipu nearby as well.
    3. Basin Reserve (Wellington)
    4. Consolation: Pukekura Park (New Plymouth, Taranaki), Eden Park (Auckland), Saxton Oval (Nelson), University Oval (Dunedin)

Pictured Below (In this Order): (1) Bay Oval, (2) Mount Maunganui, (3) Tauranga Aerial View, (4) Queenstown, (5) The Basin Reserve

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Pictured Below (In this Order): (1) Pukekura Park, (2) spectators’ seating at Pukekura, (3) Eden Park, (4) Saxton Oval, (5) University Oval

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Pictured Below (John Davies Oval, Queenstown) – India vs NZ series, 2022

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7. Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Pakistan

  • Location: Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan
  • Capacity: 15,000, Year Established: 1992
  • Home Teams: Northern Cricket Team, Islamabad United, Pakistan
  • Why Is it the Most Beautiful in Pakistan: An aerial view of ‘Pindi’, as it is usually known, will give you a glimpse of the mountain resort town of Murree along with historic neighborhoods and mosques.
  • Pakistan’s Top 3
    1. Rawalpindi
    2. Bugti Stadium (Quetta)
    3. Gaddafi Stadium (Lahore)

*Bugti Stadium hosted an ODI between Pakistan and Zimbabwe in 1996.

Now here is where we diverge a little bit. Apart from Gwadar stadium (at the top of the article), we have also included a couple of pictures of stadiums that have not hosted an international fixture but are just too good to ignore—namely Muzaffarabad Cricket Stadium and Chitral Cricket Ground.

Pictured Below (In this Order): (1) Muzaffarabad, (2) Quetta, (3) Rawalpindi, (4) Chitral, (5) Lahore

8. Galle International Stadium, Sri Lanka

  • Location: Galle, Sri Lanka
  • Capacity: 35,000, Year Established: 1876
  • Home Teams: Galle Cricket Club, Sri Lanka
  • Why Is it the Most Beautiful in Sri Lanka: Galle’s harbor, Indian Ocean, and the Galle Fort to watch cricket from. The England-Sri Lanka series was basically just 3 parts: Joe Root, Lasith Embuldeniya, and multiple aerial views of Galle.
  • Top 3 in England:
    1. Galle
    2. Dambulla
    3. Kandy
    4. Consolation: Welagedara Stadium (Kurunegala)

*Welagedara Stadium has hosted a couple of women ODIs

Pictured Below (In this Order): (1) Galle by the ocean, (2) Dambulla, (3) Kandy, (4) Kurunegala, (5) spectators from Galle’s hill/fort, (6) English super fan Rob Lewis from Galle stadium who had stayed in Sri Lanka for 10 months after the England-Sri Lanka tour was delayed due to COVID.

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9. Newlands Cricket Ground, South Africa

  • Location: Cape Town, South Africa
  • Capacity: 25,000, Year Established: 1888
  • Home Teams: Western Province, Cape Town Blitz, South Africa
  • Why Is it the Most Beautiful in South Africa:
  • South Africa’s Top 3:
    1. Newlands
    2. Boland Park (Paarl)
    3. New Wanderers Stadium (Johannesburg) – AB De Villiers. Pink ODI. 149 (44). The atmosphere. Enough said.

*Also pictured – Ellis Park – hosted Tests between 1948 and 1954, but now only used mainly for Rugby and soccer (2010 FIFA World Cup). Red roof and about 65,000 capacity, it is a South African special.

Pictured Below (In this Order): (1) Newlands, (2) Boland Park, (3) Paarl landscape, (4) Wanderers, (5) Ellis Park

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10. Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, West Indies

  • Location: Gros Islet, St. Lucia
  • Capacity: 12,400, Year Established: 2002
  • Home Teams: Windward Islands, St. Lucia Zouks
  • Why Is it the Most Beautiful in West Indies: Most places in the Caribbean are amazing by default—beaches, hills, and the weather. St. Lucia’s ambience and the effervescent Daren Sammy cheering at almost every game just edges out Arnos Vale and Queen’s Park.
  • West Indies’ Top 3:
    1. Daren Sammy (formerly Beausejour Cricket Ground)
    2. Arnos Vale Stadium (St. Vincent)
    3. Queen’s Park Oval (Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago)
    4. Windsor Park (Dominica)

Pictured Below: Windsor Park

11. Sheikh Zayed Stadium, U.A.E.

  • Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.)
  • Capacity: 20,000, Year Established: 2004
  • Home Teams: UAE, Afghanistan, Pakistan, PSL/IPL Teams
  • Why Is it the Most Beautiful in UAE : The roof and the lighting are spectacular in day-night matches.
  • UAE’s Top 3:
    1. Sheikh Zayed Stadium (Abu Dhabi)
    2. Dubai International Stadium (Dubai)
    3. Sharjah Cricket Ground (Sharjah)

Pictured Below (In this Order): (1) Abu Dhabi, (2) Dubai, (3) Sachin Tendulkar & Shane Warne after ‘Desert Storm’ in Sharjah

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12. Harare Sports Club, Zimbabwe

  • Location: Harare, Zimbabwe
  • Capacity: 10,000, Year Established: 1900
  • Home Teams: Mashonaland, Mashonaland  Eagles Rhodesia/Zimbabwe
  • Why Is it the Most Beautiful in Zimbabwe: The purple flowers right behind the trees at the edge of the boundary wins it for me.
  • Zimbabwe’s Top 2:
    1. Harare Sports Club (Harare)
    2. Queens Sports Club (Bulawayo)
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13. Al-Amerat Cricket Stadium (Oman Cricket Academy Ground), Oman

  • Location: Muscat, Oman
  • Capacity: 3,000, Year Established: 1900
  • Home Teams: Oman
  • Why Is it the Most Beautiful in Zimbabwe: The Al-Hajar mountains overseeing the stadium are absolutely majestic. The 2021 T20 World Cup brought the beauty of this small cricketing nation to the rest of the world.
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Which Country Has the Best Cricket Stadiums?

Which country has the best cricket stadiums in the world?

New Zealand probably has the best cricket stadiums. Seven of their international stadiums can vouch to be in the most beautiful category.
Bay Oval (Mount Maunganui), Queenstown, Basin Reserve (Wellington), Pukekura Park (New Plymouth), Eden Park (Auckland). Saxton Oval (Nelson), and University Oval (Dunedin).
Sri Lanka and West Indies are not too far behind in terms of scenic views. Australia (MCG/SCG) and India (Eden Gardens/ Wankhede) have the most grand and fan-fueled stadiums, while England have the most historic and mellow cricket grounds.Panaromic photo of Westpac Cricket Stadium

Which is the World’s Largest Cricket Stadium by country?

1. Narendra Modi Stadium (132,000) – Ahmedabad, India
2. Melbourne Cricket Ground (100,000) – Melbourne, Australia
3. Eden Park (41,000) – Auckland, New Zealand
4. R. Premadasa Stadium (35,000) – Colombo, Sri Lanka
5. National Stadium (34,000) – Karachi, Pakistan
6. Lord’s (30,000) – London, England
7. Wanderers Stadium (28,000) – Johannesburg, South Africa
8. Kensington Oval (28,000) – Barbados, Bridgetown
9. Sher-e-Bangla Cricket Stadium (25,000) – Dhaka, Bangladesh
10. Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground (20,000) – Kirtipur, Nepal
11. Central Broward Park (20,000) – Ft. Lauderhill, United States
12. Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium (20,000) – Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
13. Sophia Gardens (15,000) – Cardiff, Wales (U.K.)
14. Guanggong International Cricket Stadium (12,000) – Guangzhou, China
15. Malahide Cricket Club Ground (11,500) – Dublin, Ireland
16. Harare Sports Club (10,000) – Harare, Zimbabwe
17. Gymkhana Club Ground (7,000) – Nairobi, Kenya
18. Maple Leaf Cricket Club (7,000) – King City, Canada
19. The Grange Club (5,000) – Edinburgh, ScotlandNarendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad

Which cricket ground has the highest capacity?

Here are the top 10 largest cricket stadiums by size:

1. Narendra Modi Stadium (132,000) – Ahmedabad, India
2. Melbourne Cricket Ground (100,000) – Melbourne, Australia
3. Eden Gardens (80,000) – Kolkata, India
4. Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium (65,000) – Raipur, India
5. Perth Optus Stadium (60,000) – Perth, Australia
6. Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium (55,000) – Hyderabad, India
7. Greenfield International Stadium (55,000) – Thiruvananthapuram, India
8. Adelaide Oval (54,000) – Adelaide, Australia
9. M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, JSCA International Cricket Stadium, Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari 10. Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium (50,000) – Chennai/Ranchi/Lucknow, India
11. Docklands Stadium, Sydney Cricket Ground (48,000) – Melbourne/Sydney, AustraliaNarendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad

Which country has the most stadiums?

Here are the number of international cricket stadiums by Test playing country:

India (53)
Australia (22)
England (21)
Pakistan (18)
South Africa, West Indies (16)
New Zealand (14)
Sri Lanka (10)
Bangladesh (8)
United Arab Emirates (6)
Zimbabwe (5)
*Note, we only consider countries with Test status

Which Is the Oldest Cricket Stadium in the World?

We will organize this when their first Test match was hosted.

1. Melbourne Cricket Ground – Melbourne, Australia (15 March 1877)
2. The Oval – London, England (6 September 1880)
3. Sydney Cricket Ground – Sydney, Australia (17 February 1882)
4. Old Trafford – Manchester, England (10 July 1884)
5. Lord’s – London, England (21 July 1884)
6. Adelaide Oval – Adelaide, Australia (12 December 1884)
7. St. George’s Park – Port Elizabeth, South Africa (12 March 1889)
8. Newland’s – Cape Town, South Africa (25 March 1889)
9. Old Wanderers – Johannesburg, South Africa (2 March 1896)
10. Trent Bridge – Nottingham, England (1 June 1899)

England, Australia, and South Africa lead the oldest stadiums to host Test cricket, between 1877 and 1899. New Zealand and West Indies would host their first Tests in 1930 with India following suit in 1933. Post-Partition of British India, Bangladesh & Pakistan hosted their fist Tests in 1955.
Sri Lanka (1982), Zimbabwe (1992), UAE (2002), and Ireland (2018) would host much later.Photo of Melbourne Cricket Stadium

Which country has the most beautiful cricket stadiums?

Here are the most beautiful cricket stadiums from each of the Test playing nations.

1. Australia (Melbourne Cricket Ground)
2. Bangladesh (Sylhet International Cricket Stadium)
3. England (Lord’s Cricket Ground)
4. India (Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium)
5. Ireland (Malahide Cricket Club Ground)
6. New Zealand (Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui)
7. Pakistan (Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium)
8. Sri Lanka (Galle International Stadium)
9. South Africa (Newlands Cricket Ground)
10. West Indies (Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium)
11. United Arab Emirates (Sheikh Zayed Stadium)
12. Zimbabwe (Harare Sports Club)Most Beautiful Cricket Stadiums In the World - Images

List of International Stadiums By Country

Australia

  • Adelaide: Adelaide Oval
  • Albury: Lavington Sports Oval
  • Ballarat: Eastern Oval
  • Berri: Berri Oval
  • Brisbane: Exhibition Ground, Brisbane Cricket Ground (Woolloongabba)
  • Cairns: Cazaly’s Stadium
  • Canberra: Manuka Oval
  • Darwin: TIO Stadium
  • Devonport: Devonport Oval
  • Hobart: Tasmania Cricket Ground, Bellerive Oval
  • Launceston: North Tasmania Cricket Association Ground
  • Mackay: Harrup Park
  • Melbourne: Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Docklands Stadium
  • Perth: WACA Ground, Perth Stadium
  • South Geelong: Simonds Stadium (Victoria)
  • Sydney: Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), Stadium Australia
  • Townsville: Tony Ireland

Bangladesh

  • Bogra: Shaheed Chandu Stadium
  • Chattogram: Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, MA Aziz Stadium
  • Dhaka: Bangabandhu National Stadium, Shere Bangla National Stadium (Mirpur)
  • Fatullah: Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium
  • Khulna: Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium
  • Sylhet: Sylhet International Cricket Ground

England

  • Birmingham: Edgbaston
  • Bristol: County Ground
  • Canterbury: St. Lawrence Ground
  • Cardiff: Sophia Gardens
  • Chester-le Street: Riverside Ground
  • Chelmsford: County Ground
  • Derby: County Ground
  • Hove: County Ground
  • Leeds: Headingley
  • Leicester: Grace Road
  • London: Lord’s, Kennington Oval
  • Manchester: Old Trafford
  • Northampton: County Ground
  • Nottingham: Trent Bridge,
  • Scarborough: North Marine Road Ground
  • Sheffield: Bramall Lane
  • Southampton: The Rose Bowl, County Ground
  • Swansea: St. Helen’s
  • Taunton: The Cooper Associates County Ground
  • Tunbridge Wells: Nevill Ground
  • Worcester: County Ground (New Road)

India

  • Ahmedabad: Sardar Vallabhai Patel Stadium, Narendra Modi Stadium (Motera)
  • Amritsar: Gandhi Sports Complex Ground
  • Bengaluru: M. Chinnaswamy Stadium
  • Chandigarh: Sector 16 Stadium
  • Chennai: MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chepauk)
  • Cuttack: Barabati Stadium
  • Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Arun Jaitley Stadium (formerly Feroz Shah Kotla)
  • Dehradun: Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium
  • Dharamsala: Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium
  • Faridabad: Nahar Singh Stadium
  • Greater Noida: Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground
  • Guwahati: Nehru Stadium, Barsapara Cricket Stadium
  • Gwalior: Captain Roop Singh Stadium
  • Hyderabad: Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium (Uppal), Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium
  • Indore: Nehru Stadium, Holkar Cricket Stadium
  • Jaipur: Sawai Mansingh Stadium
  • Jalandhar: Gandhi Stadium
  • Jammu: Maulana Azad Stadium
  • Jamshedpur: Keenan Stadium
  • Jodhpur: Barkatullah Khan Stadium (Pal Road)
  • Kanpur: Green Park
  • Kochi: Nehru Stadium
  • Kolkata: Eden Gardens
  • Lucknow: University Ground, K.D. Singh ‘Babu’ Stadium, Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium
  • Margao: Nehru Stadium (Fatorda)
  • Mohali: Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium (Chandigarh)
  • Mumbai: Wankhede Stadium, Gymkhana Stadium, Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy, Brabourne Stadium
  • Nagpur: Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium (Jamtha), Vidarbha C.A. Ground
  • Patna: Moin-ul-Haq Stadium
  • Pune: Nehru Stadium, Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium
  • Ranchi: JSCA International Stadium Complex
  • Rajkot: Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Madavrao Scindia Cricket Ground
  • Srinagar: Sher-i-Kashmir Stadium
  • Trivandrum: University Stadium, Greenfield International Stadium
  • Vadodara: Reliance Stadium, Moti Bagh Stadium
  • Vijaywada: Indira Gandhi Stadium
  • Visakhapatnam: Indira Priyadarshini Stadium, Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium

Ireland

  • Belfast: Civil Service Cricket Club (Stormont)
  • Bready: Bready Cricket Club (Magheramason)
  • Dublin: The Village Malahide, Castle Avenue

New Zealand

  • Auckland: Eden Park, AMI Stadium (formerly Lancaster Park, Jade Stadium)
  • Christchurch: Hagley Oval
  • Dunedin: University Oval, Carisbrook
  • Hamilton: Seddon Park
  • Lincoln: Bert Sutcliffe Oval
  • Mount Maunganui: Bay Oval
  • Napier: McLean Park
  • Nelson: Saxton Oval
  • New Plymouth: Pukekura Park
  • Queenstown: John Davies Oval
  • Wellington: Sky Stadium, Basin reserve
  • Whangarei: Cobham Oval (New)

Pakistan

  • Bahawalpur: Bahawal Stadium
  • Faisalabad: Iqbal Stadium
  • Gujranwala: Jinnah Stadium
  • Hyderabad: Niaz Stadium
  • Lahore: Gaddafi Stadium, Bagh-e-Jinnah
  • Multan: Multan Cricket Stadium, Ibn-e-Qasim Bagh Stadium
  • Peshawar: Peshawar Club Ground
  • Karachi: National Stadium, Southend Club Cricket Stadium
  • Quetta: Bugti Stadium
  • Rawalpindi: Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Pindi Club Ground
  • Sahiwal: Zafar Ali Stadium
  • Sialkot: Jinnah Stadium
  • Sheikhupura: Sheikhupura Stadium
  • Sargodha: Sports Stadium

Sri Lanka

  • Colombo: Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, P Sara Oval, Colombo Cricket Club Ground
  • Dambulla: Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium
  • Galle: Galle International Stadium
  • Hambantota: Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium (Sooriyawewa)
  • Kandy: Asgiriya Stadium
  • Kurunegala: Welagedara Stadium
  • Moratuwa: Tyronne Fernando Stadium
  • Pallekele: Pallekele International Cricket Stadium

South Africa

  • Benoni: Willowmoore Park
  • Bloemfontein: Mangaung Oval
  • Cape Town: Newlands
  • Centurion: SuperSport Park
  • Durban: Moses Mabhida Stadium, Lord’s, Kingsmead
  • East London: Buffalo Park
  • Johannesburg: The Wanderers Stadium, Old Wanderers, Ellis Park
  • Kimberly: Diamond Oval
  • Paarl: Boland Park
  • Pietermaritzburg: City Oval
  • Port Elizabeth: St. George’s Park
  • Potchefstroom: Senwes Park

United Arab Emirates

  • Abu Dhabi: Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Tolerance Oval
  • Dubai: Dubai International Stadium, ICC Academy, ICC Academy Ground No.2
  • Sharjah: Sharjah Cricket Ground

West Indies

  • Antigua: Sir Vivian Richards Stadium (North Sound), Coolidge Cricket Ground (Osbourn), Antigua Recreation Ground (St. John’s)
  • Barbados: Kensington Oval (Bridgetown)
  • Dominica: Windsor Park (Rouseau)
  • Jamaica: Sabina Park (Kingston)
  • Grenada: Queen’s Park – Old (St. George’s), National Cricket Stadium (St. George’s)
  • Guyana: Providence Stadium (Providence), Bourda (Georgetown), Albion Sports Complex (Albion, Berbice)
  • St. Lucia: Mindoo Phillip Park (Castries), Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium (Gros Islet)
  • St. Kitts: Warner Park (Basseterre)
  • St. Vincent: Arnos Vale Ground (Kingstown)
  • Trinidad: Park Oval (Port of Spain)

Zimbabwe

  • Bulawayo: Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo Athletic Club
  • Harare: Old Hararian, Harare Sports Club
  • Kwekwe: Kwekwe Sports Club

COPYRIGHT @Nitesh Mathur, aka Nit-X, 07/15/2021; Email at bcd@brokencricketdreams.com

Sources: ESPNCricinfo Grounds, Cricinfo Monthly (Beautiful Outgrounds of England)

Image Courtesy: Getty Images, Sylhet – Facebook by Nahian Chowdhury, Dharamshala – by TheSereneRebel CC 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons, Galle – by Sergie Gussev via CC 2.0, Eden Gardens – JokerDurden, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons, Wankhede – Anand Desai, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, Bugti Stadium – Facebook, Chitral – Altamish Azhar, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons, Rawalpindi – Facebook @mehmoodyousafzaii, Gaddafi Stadium – Younisjunejo, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons, Daren Sammy – Timothy Barton (timtranslates.com), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, Queens Park Oval – Dominic Sayers from London, England, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons, Arnos Vale – AFP PHOTO/Greg WOOD (Photo credit should read GREG WOOD/AFP/Getty Images), Windsor Park – SDGibbons, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons, Narendra Modi Stadium – Gujarat Cricket Association, Dehradun Cricket Stadium – Facebook

World Test Championship Table: Surprising Changes

by | Aug 30, 2020 | Cricket innovations, World Test Championship

World Test Championship III: Implementing the Proposed Points Table

After the conclusion of the England-Pakistan Test series, we decided to update the World Test Championship Table based on our new proposed system in Part II of the segment, WTC: Good Structure But Needs Structural Improvement.

Earlier in Part I, How can the World Test Championship improve?, we described how the Big 3 is creating an imbalance in the World Test Championship via ‘marquee’ series’ like The Ashes and what can be done to improve it.

World Test Championship: Current System

Let us recall why we are discussing changing the World Test Championship (WTC) Table in the first place. Here are some of the flaws that WTC possesses today:

  • Number of Tests Played is uneven: England play 22, while Pakistan/Sri Lanka play 13 each.
  • Currently no distinction is made for Home/Away advantage: So far, England have played 11/4 (H/A), while New Zealand have played 2/5 (H/A).
  • Number of points fluctuate depending on # of games per series: Unfair to shorter series, and hence, discriminating against lower-ranked (and less financially stable) teams.
  • All-or-Nothing System: Test matches occur over 5 days or a max-of-15 sessions. One session can have a huge impact on the series, as the First Test of Eng-Pak exhibited. Yet, the points are awarded on an all-or-nothing basis.

Table I: Current World Test Championship Table

TeamSeriesTestsPoints
PWLDPWLDT
India431097200360/480
Australia3201107210296/360
England4301158430292/480
New Zealand311173400180/360
Pakistan4*12082330166/420
Sri Lanka20114121080/240
West Indies20205140040/240
South Africa20207160024/240
Bangladesh2*010303000/180
World Test Championship Table: Current System

*Note: Bangladesh tour of Pakistan was postponed after 1 Test match (out of a 2-Test series) due to COVID. Points are calculated as if the 2-match series will be completed eventually.

Brief Review – WTC Points Table Proposed System

Recall, our points distribution proposal is a two-tiered system, based on (1) session by session data and (2) Home/Away respectively.

In our proposed system, each team plays 12 Home/12 Away tests for a total of 24 matches over 2 and a half years, where the total points possible for each team is 1200 points, for an average of 50 points per match. The criteria is as follows:

I. Session By Session
  • Session Won: 2 Points, Even/Wash-Out/Bad Light: 1 Point, Session Lost: 0 Points
  • Points Possible Per Match: 30 (15 sessions)
  • Winning team is rewarded remaining sessions if match finishes early
II. Home and Away
  • (Home Team): Win: 16 Points, Draw: 8 Points, Lose: 0 Points
  • (Away Team): Win: 24 Points, Draw: 12 Points, Lose: 0 Points
  • (Average Total): Win: 20 Points, Draw: 16 Points, Lose: 0 Points

I. Updated Points Table – Session by Session

In the last article, we displayed the process for computing the session by session and overall total score for the West Indies-England series.

After the completion of the England-Pakistan series, we went back and similarly computed session by session points for every Test match in the WTC thus far…by hand.

After analyzing the 34 Test matches completed so far (with maximum of 510 sessions) , we came up with the following summary:

Table II: (New) Series and Session Summary

TeamsMatchesSessions
Played (H/A)Won (H/A)Lost (H/A)Drawn (H/A)WonDrawnWO/BLSessions Left
India9
(5/4)		7 (5/2)2 (0/2)0
(0/0)		5619330
Australia10
(5/5)		7
(5/2)		2
(0/2)		1
(0/1)		6818915
England15
(11/4)		8
(5/3)		4
(3/1)		3
(3/0)		77453216
Pakistan8
(3/5)		2
(2/0)		3
(0/3)		3
(1/2)		2617207
New Zealand7
(2/5)		3
(2/1)		4
(0/4)		0
(0/0)		2614712
Sri Lanka4
(1/3)		1
(1/0)		2
(1/1)		1
(0/1)		1111142
West Indies5
(2/3)		1
(0/1)		4
(2/2)		0
(0/0)		72180
South Africa7
(4/3)		1
(1/0)		6
(3/3)		0
(0/0)		201344
Bangladesh3
(0/3)		0
(0/0)		3
(0/3)		0
(0/0)		2500
Proposed World Test Championship Table: Session Points

*WO/BL – Wash out/Bad Light

II. Updated Points System – Total Points Based on H/A

After computing the (I.) total session points, we add the (II.) base Home and Away score. Hence, the updated World Test Championship Table looks as follows:

Table III: New Points Table

I.Session Points
(H/A)		II.Points (Home)II.Points (Away)Points Total%Rank (By %)Rank (By Total)Rank by Session (without H/A)
India194
(130/64)		210/230112/216322/44672.19%132
Australia193
(118/75)		198/230135/270333/50066.6%223
England267
(196/71)		284/506143/216427/70260.83%311
Pakistan127
(63/64)		103/13878/270181/40844.36%444
New Zealand97
(49/48)		80/9273/270153/36242.27%555
Sri Lanka51
(29/22)		45/9234/10879/20039.5%677
West Indies43
(8/35)		8/9259/16267/25426.37%788
South Africa 65
(49/16)		65/18416/16281/34623.4%866
Bangladesh9
(-/9)		N/A9/1629/1625.55%999
Proposed World Test Championship Table: Session Points – Based on Home and Away

Observations

  • We went ahead with percentage (%) of points won for the time being, since each team has not (and will not) play the same number of Test matches.
  • Pakistan and New Zealand switch positions as compared to Table I (4/5).
  • The most recent series, Eng-Pak actually received 66-26 points. According to our method, the scores would have been 82-62, which is a much better reflection of the series (and given that Pakistan was the away team).
  • If we had utilized Rank (By Total) as in the current system, we would have England #1, Australia #2, India #3, and South Africa up to #6, who have not had a good WTC so far.
  • Australia has one extra Test match drawn away from home compared to India. Hence, they are rewarded and are ahead based on total points. If we disregard H/A, India would be #2.

*Fun Fact: 32 sessions involving England (both home and away) were impacted by wash-outs or rained out, which is more than 2 Test matches or almost 11 days.

Conclusion

Note, at this point in time, the Proposed Table and the Actual Table look quite similar, but we attribute it to the small sample size, especially for teams ranked below 5.

We conjecture that as teams play similar amount of matches, our table will benefit the lower ranked teams and hence make the championship more competitive.

We will continue to update this table as more WTC matches are played.

In the meanwhile, let us know what suggestions you have to improve this table. Comment below, and we will see if it is possible to implement the idea!

Anyway, share, subscribe, and follow us on social media!

Source: Sincere Thanks to Vandit for helping in analyzing session by session data and computing overall points.

Image Courtesy: South Africa vs England, at Newlands, Cape Town Jan 2005, Test Day 3 Louis Rossouw /CC via 2.0