Adelaide Oval

Infobox cricket ground
ground_name = Adelaide Oval
nickname =

---

country = Australia
location = Adelaide, South Australia
establishment = 1871
seating_capacity = 33,597
owner = South Australia Cricket Association
tenants = Australia, South Australia
end1 = River End
end2 = Cathedral End
international = true
firsttestdate = 12 December
firsttestyear = 1884
firsttesthome = Australia
firsttestaway = England
lasttestdate = 24 January
lasttestyear = 2008
lasttesthome = Australia
lasttestaway = India
firstodidate = 20 December
firstodiyear = 1975
firstodihome = Australia
firstodiaway = West Indies
lastodidate = 19 February
lastodiyear = 2008
lastodihome = India
lastodiaway = Sri Lanka
year1 = 1877 – present
club1 = South Australia
date = 5 March
year = 2008
source = http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/2/5.html CricketArchiveThe 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. [austadiums|2] 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. [ [http://www.cricketsa.com.au/Content.aspx?p=75 SACA - Adelaide Oval - Overview] 28/12/06]

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 ( [http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/ausveng/engine/match/62412.html 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 ( [http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/australia/engine/match/62891.html 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 ( [http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/ausveng/engine/match/64155.html Scorecard] ).
*In 1978, the ground hosted the first concert by David Bowie in the Southern Hemisphere. It was also the first large scale outdoor concert he had ever played.
*In October 1982, vs Victoria, David Hookes hit a 43 minute, 34 ball century - in some respects the fastest hundred in history. [http://aus.cricinfo.com/db/STATS/FC/BATTING/BAT_FASTEST_FC.html]
*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 ( [http://aus.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1992-93/WI_IN_AUS/WI_AUS_T4_23-26JAN1993.html 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 [ [http://content-www.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/65556.html Cricinfo - 2nd Match: New Zealand v South Africa at Adelaide, Dec 6, 1997 ] ] .
*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.( [http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ausveng/engine/match/249223.html 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.

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 25,039 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).

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). [http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,20737054-2682,00.html]

Abductions

In 1973, Adelaide Oval was the scene for the abduction and presumed murder of two young girls, Joanne Ratcliffe (aged 11) and Kirsty Gordon (aged 4). They had left their parents during a football match to go to the toilet and didn't return back. They were seen by several witnesses in the company of a tall, blonde man and were both seemingly distressed. The man matched the description of the individual last seen with the Beaumont Children several years earlier prior to their disappearance on Australia Day, 1966. The two girls and the man last seen with them have never been found.

Oval Layout

The oval dimensions are 190m x 125m. [http://www.saca.com.au/library/seating_plan.pdf]

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.

The scoreboard and the western stands are listed on the City of Adelaide Heritage Register, helping to maintain the charm of the ground.

Ground redevelopment

In August 2008 the South Australian Cricket Association announced that it had approved plans to redevelop the ground, involving expanding its capacity to 40,000. Development plans showed a reconfiguration of the playing surface and a remodelled western stand. The redevelopment would make the ground a viable option for hosting Australian Football League games as well as international soccer and rugby. The state and federal Governments have each pledged $25m to the project, leaving the SACA to raise at least $30m. The SACA is hoping the new stand will be ready in time for the 2010-11 Ashes series. [ [http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24114103-2722,00.html New-look Adelaide Oval to chase AFL | The Australian ] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.cricketsa.com.au/Content.aspx?p=75 Adelaide Oval Official Website]