10 cricket venues you must visit before you die

In a perfect world, there’s nothing better for a cricket fanatic with money in the bank and a live passport than travelling across the globe pursuing his passion. But the world isn’t perfect and you don’t possess that much money to do a globe-trotting visiting every stadium of each of the 11 Test playing nations. So here goes the solution to your problem as I present you the one-stop guide enlisting the attractions of 10 cricket venues you must visit before you die.

#10 Pallekele Stadium, Kandy, Sri Lanka

Originally built for hosting the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup along with the Hambantota International Cricket Stadium, the recently unveiled Pallekele Stadium presents a picturesque view with hilly plantations around the periphery and gentle grassy slopes on either side for the spectators to sprawl on.

The stadium that has been renamed after the legendary Muttiah Muralitharan, an Antonian and Kandy native, was constructed along the lines of Supersport Park in Centurion, South Africa. The Australian cynodon dactylon grass covered outfield hosted its first One Day International between New Zealand and Pakistan on March 8, 2011.

Besides being the home of Kandurata cricket team, Pallekele boasts of being only the third venue in the world that witnessed a dismissal on the first ball bowled in its first Test match. Suranga Lakmal achieved this feat when he claimed the wicket of Chris Gayle on December 1, 2010. Interestingly, the ground also holds the record for highest opening partnership in a World Cup game that was created by Tillakaratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga during a 282 run stand against Zimbabwe on March 26, 2011.

Palekelle is a quiet suburb in the Kandy district that houses the Sri Lanka International Buddhist Academy (SIBA) and offers an elaborate view into the simple, uncomplicated lifestyle of its townsmen.

#9 Galle International Stadium, Galle, Sri Lanka

Devastated by the tsunami in December 2004, the Galle International Stadium had to endure recurrent complications during its reconstruction that ultimately began on May 8, 2006 and was reopened on December 17, 2007. In 2010, it hosted the farewell Test of Sri Lankan legend Muttiah Muralitharan that saw him earn his 800th scalp by dismissing Pragyan Ojha in the final innings of the match.

The stadium lies adjacent to the Dutch built Galle fort, which is a UNESCO world heritage site and is fringed by the Indian Ocean on two sides. The relatively less spectacular seating capacity of 35,000 hardly portrays the actual picture, for Galle presents the only Test ground in the world where you can watch the action while walking or driving past the ground.

The scenic route from Colombo along the coastline promises an enriching experience with the sound of the sea complementing the authentic Sri Lankan food served at rooftop restaurants. The boutique hotels inside the fort offers decent hospitality and the ramparts provide one of the best places to watch cricket from.

Originally designed as a race course and later upgraded to international cricket standards, this stadium is the home ground of the Galle Cricket Club. The spinning turf and the blue grass adorned outfield have witnessed as many as 23 Tests being played with the home team winning 12 of them.

#8 Newlands, Cape Town, South Africa

The home to Cape Cobras, Newlands Cricket Ground in a suburb of Cape Town is acknowledged as one of the most scenic stadiums in the world, being overlooked by the Table Moutain and Devil’s Peak. Officially, the ground is known as Sahara Park Newlands, acknowledging a commercial sponsorship agreement.

As one of the handful of cricket tracks in the country that assist spinners, Newlands has hosted 50 Tests as of January 2014 with South Africa winning 18 of them and losing as many as 22. It hosted its first ODI on December 7, 1992 when South Africa defeated India by 6 wickets.

The ground renders a magnificent aerial view during day-night games as the twilight of the setting sun sketches a palette of exotic reddish hues across the outfield making it a treat for the visitors. Located near vantage points like the Newlands Stadium which hosts rugby union and football matches, it is a major crowd-puller every year with the new seating capacity being increased to 25,000.

#7 Queenstown Event Centre, Queensland, New Zealand

Remember Corey Anderson blasting his way to the fastest century in ODI cricket overshadowing Shahid Afridi’s 17-year-old record on New Year’s Day? Then you must also remember the ground that witnessed the team record for most sixes in an ODI innings during that match. Yes, that was the Queensland Event Centre in the South Island of New Zealand.

Opened in 1997, it is a multipurpose sports stadium with indoor and outdoor facilities for a multitude of sports like rugby, cricket, swimming, tennis, netball and fitness training. Sandwiched between the Remarkables and the shores of Lake Wakatipu with Queensland International Airport’s runway threshold nearby, QEC presents spectacular mountainous scenery.

The appeal of the airport lying immediately beyond the perimeter increases manifold every time a large aircraft takes off or lands. Besides being the home ground for Otago Cricket, the venue also hosts trade shows, exhibitions, seminars and concerts.

#6 HPCA Stadium, Himachal Pradesh, India

The blazing red pagoda of the pavilion is a shocker for the first-timer, but the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in the city of Dharamsala has more to offer than merely artificial delight. With a capacity barely exceeding 25,000, it serves as the home ground of Kings XI Punjab in the IPL.

The backdrop of snow-capped Dhauladhar peaks characterizes astounding natural beauty of the ground that lies at an altitude of 1317 metres above the sea level. The small sized stands allow for vast areas of open grounds with the wind sweeping across the field and assisting the fast bowlers in action. The venue is the first in India to use winter rye grass in the outfield which does not die when the temperature falls below 10 degrees.

For all its picturesque grandeur, the hilly terrain of Dharamsala has its cons as well. The nearest airport is in Chandigarh, 250 km away by road. The risk of snow deterring the start of India vs England ODI last year (which, interestingly, remains the only international match played at this venue) provides a direct testament to the harshness of winters here.

The panoramic view from the boundary line and the serenity of the mountains in the background, however, makes up for all the inconveniences and the HPCA stadium continues to grow in popularity courtesy the Indian Premier League.

#5 The WACA, Perth, Australia

The lofty floodlights, the Inverarity Stand (originally called the Test Stand) and the Prindiville Stand along the abundance of majestic white structures constitute the perimeters of one of the fastest and bounciest grounds in the world – the Western Australia Cricket Association Ground at Perth.

While the blazing fast outfields have contributed to four of the seven fastest Test centuries (as of December 2012), the afternoon sea breeze (the Fremantle Doctor) caressing the ground has made it a favorite hunting ground for pacers and swing bowlers. Brett Lee, for instance, has enjoyed immense success at this venue.

With a seating capacity of slightly above 24,000, the WACA hosted its first Test in 1970 between England and Australia. It serves as the home ground for Western Warriors and the local Big Bash League franchisee, the Perth Scorchers. It has also been used for a variety of other sports like baseball, soccer, rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football, and athletics.

#4 Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne, Australia

The traditional Boxing Day Test begins at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, better known as the MCG, on December 26 every year attracting large crowds. Established in 1854, the MCG is the largest cricket stadium in the world with a humongous seating capacity of over 95,000.

Similar to Lord’s and the Eden Gardens by historical standards, MCG had carved its name in the annals of history while hosting the first ever international Test between England and Australia in the 19th century and the first ever ODI in 1971, also between the same teams. It was at this ground that Pakistan defeated England in the 1992 final to win their first World Cup.

The colossal stadium presents an imposing structure with the Ponsford Stand, the Olympic Stand, a Gallery of Sport, two massive electronic scoreboards and a vast array of corporate and media facilities. Lying in the heart of the city, it is easily accessible by public transport and therefore enjoys an enormous turnaround during the weekends.

It may be pertinent to mention here that the MCG was the centerpiece of the 1956 Olympic Games held in Australia. Since then it has been host to a number of exhilarating cricket contests with the 1982-83 Test series against England and the Australia-New Zealand decider in 1987-88 being two of them.

#3 The Kennington Oval, London, England

England is a land of historical splendor. While Lord’s remains the quintessential specimen of Victorian architecture, the Kennington Oval, also known as the Kia Oval or the Brit Oval is the ground that literally witnessed the genesis of the sport.

Not only was the first ever Test on English soil played here in September 1880, but the legend of the Ashes also took birth here a couple of years later when England were dismissed for 78 chasing a paltry score of 85. Established in 1845, it has been the headquarters of Surrey cricket ever since.

Situated near the Vauxhall Tube Station (from where one of the ends of the ground derives its name), the Oval with its seating capacity of 23,500, is considered the most elegant stadium in the world. The realness of red brick and wrought iron in addition of open blue skies portray a serenity that’s in perfect harmony with the rhythm of Test cricket.

The Oval staged the first FA Cup final in 1872 followed by England’s first international football match (against Scotland) the next year. It also served as the temporary home to prisoners in transit during the Second World War. No wonder, England prefers to keep to the tradition of ending a Test series at this hallowed ground.

#2 Eden Gardens, Kolkata, India

Widely regarded as one of the most iconic cricket stadiums across the world, along with the Lord’s in England and MCG in Australia, Eden Gardens has often been described as ‘cricket’s answer to The Colosseum’. The second largest cricket stadium in India by seating capacity is the home to the Bengal cricket team and the defending Indian Premier League champions, Kolkata Knight Riders.

The 150-year-old historical ground that hosted its first World Cup match in 1987 between New Zealand and Zimbabwe has undergone renovations in recent years with the ultimate consequence of the seating capacity being trimmed down to 66,349 from 100,000 before the upgrade. The High Court End and Pavilion End define the boundaries of a spinner-friendly track under the authority of curator Probir Mukhejee.

The ground that is renowned for its exceedingly passionate and highly vociferous crowds has had its fair share of disturbances, especially in the 1996 World Cup semifinal between India and Sri Lanka when a section of the stadium went up in flames.

However, it remains the same ground that witnessed the legendary 376 run partnership between Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman in one of the greatest turnarounds in cricketing history against Australia in 2001. Laxman has scored five centuries here – same as Md. Azharuddin – while Harbhajan Singh has scalped the most wickets (46) in his favorite hunting ground.

Flooded with people who are as obsessive about sports as their politics and food, Kolkata provides the ultimate destination for journalists and sportsmen alike. Calcuttan traffic may not be as sweet to you as ‘mishti doi’ (a trademark delicacy here) but expect high standard of deference and admiration if you are a sports fanatic who knows more Bengali than just ‘Aami bhalo achhi’.

#1 The Lord\'s, London, England

Perhaps the most historically profound stadium in the entire world, Lord’s was named after its founder Thomas Lord in 1814 and is widely referred to as the ‘home of cricket’. It is the headquarters of the Marylebone Cricket Club and also the county team of Middlesex.

The Victorian-era Pavilion of Lord’s with its Long Room remains a historic landmark that underwent a refurbishment program in 2004-05. Equally famous is the Lord’s balcony that witnessed former India captain Sourav Ganguly’s antics during the NatWest series against England. Old Father Time, Media Centre, the Tavern Stand, and Grace Gates make up a few of Lord’s historical attractions.

The significance of this ground can easily be traced to the four World Cup finals that it hosted in 1975, 1979, 1983 and 1999. Don Bradman’s 254 in 1930 that set up a total of 729/6 declared continues to remain the international record at the ground even after 84 years.

Lord’s is also the home for the MCC Museum which is the oldest sports museum in the world along with the renowned MCC library. Seated at the heart of London, Lord’s epitomizes British elegance and love for heritage. It has, on more occasions than one, been described as the Mecca of cricket for players and fanatics alike.