County Ground, Southampton
Encyclopedia
The County Ground in Southampton
, England was a former cricket
and football ground. It was the home of Hampshire County Cricket Club
from the 1885 English cricket season
until the 2000 English cricket season
. The ground also served as the home ground for Southampton Football Club from 1896 to 1898.
. In that match Hampshire bowler James Fellowes
ended with the best figures of 3-38 in the opening innings at the County Ground, during which the Marylebone Cricket Club made 269. Batting at number eleven, Fellowes was also top scorer with 18 in Hampshire's first innings total of 74 and remained unbeaten on seven when Hampshires second innings was wrapped up for 82, with Hampshire losing the match by an innings and 113 runs
Hampshire went into their first County Championship
match at the County Ground against Derbyshire
in the same season as their loss to the Marylebone Cricket Club. Hampshire, losing the toss, struggled to stem the flow of runs coming from the Derbyshire batsman, in particular from the bat of Frank Sugg
who made 187. James Fellowes claimed three wickets but Hampshire once again crashed to an innings and 243 run defeat.
The highest score at the County Ground came two years after the Club moved to Northlands Road from its previous home ground of the Antelope Ground
. In 1887 Francis Lacey
made 323 not out against Norfolk
.
In 1912 the County Ground played host to Hampshire's victory over touring side Australians. In Hampshire's first innings Phil Mead
scored an unbeaten 160 runs. In the Australians reply Alec Kennedy to 6/90, to restrict the Australians to 197. Following on, the Australians were restricted to 256, with Kennedy taking his second five wicket haul in the match, taking 5/91 to leave him with match figures of 11/181. Hampshire required 86 runs to win, which they reached for the loss of two wickets.
With the onset of the First World War in 1914, first-class cricket was stopped until 1919, from which first-class cricket resumed at the County Ground.
With the start of the Second World War in 1939, just like in 1914 first-class cricket was suspended, with matches not resuming at the County Ground until 1946.
.
In 1983 the ground hosted its first One Day International when Australia took on Zimbabwe in the 1983 Cricket World Cup
. Australia won the match by four wickets.
Cardigan Connor
who took 9-38 in 1996 and Kevan James
took four wickets in four balls in the match against the touring Indians in the same year. In 1999 the ground played host to its final two One Day Internationals in the 1999 Cricket World Cup
when New Zealand played the West Indies, with the West Indies winning by seven wickets. The second match saw Kenya play Sri Lanka, which the Sri Lankans won by 45 runs.
After 115 years at the County Ground, the 2000 County Championship marked the clubs last season at the County Ground. The grounds last first-class match saw Yorkshire
as the visitors. The County Ground played host to 3 One Day International, 565 first-class matches and 211 List-A matches.
For the 2001
, they moved to the new Rose Bowl ground. The County Ground no longer exists, and is now a housing estate.
championship in both seasons and reached the FA Cup semi-final in 1898. The highest score during this period was in a Southern League match against New Brompton on 7 November 1896, which "the Saints" won 8–3 with a hat-trick
from Willie Naughton
. In the FA Cup
, Southampton defeated Swindon Town
8–2 on 2 January 1897, with Jack Farrell
scoring three, and Eastville Rovers 8–1 on 11 December 1897.
Southampton had used the County Ground for high-profile matches prior to 1896, including FA Cup matches and the finals of the Hampshire Senior Cup
. On 26 April 1893, a team from Stoke visited the County Ground to play a friendly match against Southampton St Mary's
. Even with the future founder of football in Brazil
, Charles Miller
playing at outside-left, the "Saints" were "outplayed fairly and squarely on every point", losing 8–0. Despite the result, it was reported that the spectators "thoroughly enjoyed the exhibition" and looked forward to witnessing "more matches of a similar character" in future.
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
, England was a former cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
and football ground. It was the home of Hampshire County Cricket Club
Hampshire County Cricket Club
Hampshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Hampshire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1863 as a successor to the Hampshire county cricket teams and has played at the Antelope Ground from then until 1885, before moving to the County Ground where it...
from the 1885 English cricket season
1885 English cricket season
The 1885 English cricket season was the third in succession in which Notts was proclaimed the champion county-Playing record :-External sources:* -Annual reviews:* James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual , Lillywhite, 1886...
until the 2000 English cricket season
2000 English cricket season
The 2000 English cricket season was marked by the dominance of Surrey in first-class cricket and Gloucestershire in limited overs.-Honours:*County Championship - Surrey*NatWest Trophy - Gloucestershire*National League - Gloucestershire...
. The ground also served as the home ground for Southampton Football Club from 1896 to 1898.
1885–1914
Hampshire's first match at the County Ground was in 1885 against the Marylebone Cricket ClubMarylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
. In that match Hampshire bowler James Fellowes
James Fellowes (cricketer)
James Fellowes was an amateur English cricketer. Fellowes was a right-handed batsman who bowled right-arm fast-roundarm....
ended with the best figures of 3-38 in the opening innings at the County Ground, during which the Marylebone Cricket Club made 269. Batting at number eleven, Fellowes was also top scorer with 18 in Hampshire's first innings total of 74 and remained unbeaten on seven when Hampshires second innings was wrapped up for 82, with Hampshire losing the match by an innings and 113 runs
Hampshire went into their first County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
match at the County Ground against Derbyshire
Derbyshire County Cricket Club
Derbyshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the England and Wales domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Derbyshire...
in the same season as their loss to the Marylebone Cricket Club. Hampshire, losing the toss, struggled to stem the flow of runs coming from the Derbyshire batsman, in particular from the bat of Frank Sugg
Frank Sugg
Frank Howe Sugg was an English footballer and first-class cricketer. He played for England in two Test matches in 1888 and for three county cricket clubs - Yorkshire in 1883, Derbyshire from 1884 to 1886 and Lancashire from 1887 to 1899...
who made 187. James Fellowes claimed three wickets but Hampshire once again crashed to an innings and 243 run defeat.
The highest score at the County Ground came two years after the Club moved to Northlands Road from its previous home ground of the Antelope Ground
Antelope Ground
The Antelope Ground, Southampton was a sports ground that was the first home of both Hampshire County Cricket Club, who played there prior to 1884, and of Southampton Football Club, who played there from 1887 to 1896 as "Southampton St...
. In 1887 Francis Lacey
Francis Lacey
Sir Francis Eden Lacey was the first man to be knighted for services to cricket, on retiring as Secretary of MCC, a post which he held from 1898 to 1926. As Secretary, he initiated many important reforms...
made 323 not out against Norfolk
Norfolk County Cricket Club
Norfolk County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Norfolk and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy...
.
In 1912 the County Ground played host to Hampshire's victory over touring side Australians. In Hampshire's first innings Phil Mead
Phil Mead
Charles Phillip Mead was a left-handed batsman for Hampshire and England between 1905 and 1936. He was born at 10 Ashton Buildings , second eldest of seven children...
scored an unbeaten 160 runs. In the Australians reply Alec Kennedy to 6/90, to restrict the Australians to 197. Following on, the Australians were restricted to 256, with Kennedy taking his second five wicket haul in the match, taking 5/91 to leave him with match figures of 11/181. Hampshire required 86 runs to win, which they reached for the loss of two wickets.
With the onset of the First World War in 1914, first-class cricket was stopped until 1919, from which first-class cricket resumed at the County Ground.
1919–1939
In 1921 the touring Australians scored 708-7 declared, the highest first-class innings on the ground. The match ended in a draw. In 1930 crowds flocked to the County Ground to watch Don Bradman complete his 1,000 runs before the end of May, with Bradman making 191 runs in Australians first innings. During this period in the grounds history, Phil Mead was in his prime and by 1932, Mead had completed centuries against every county, finishing with a hundred against Derbyshire. In a career that spanned from 1905 to 1936, he made 138 centuries in 700 matches and heads the list of Hampshire's great runmakers. Mead played on the ground 187 times, where he scored 14,504 runs at an average of 56.42.With the start of the Second World War in 1939, just like in 1914 first-class cricket was suspended, with matches not resuming at the County Ground until 1946.
1939–2000
The County Ground played host to Hampshire's 1961 and 1973 County Championship winning seasons, as well as playing host to its first List-A match in 1965, when Norfolk were the visitors in the 1965 Gillette Cup1965 Gillette Cup
The 1965 Gillette Cup was the third Gillette Cup, an English limited overs county cricket tournament. It was held between 23 April and 4 September 1965. The tournament was won by Yorkshire, following Geoff Boycott's 146 runs in the final at Lord's...
.
In 1983 the ground hosted its first One Day International when Australia took on Zimbabwe in the 1983 Cricket World Cup
1983 Cricket World Cup
The 1983 ICC Cricket World Cup was the third edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup tournament. It was held from 9 June to 25 June 1983 in England and was won by India. Eight countries participated in the event. The preliminary matches were played in two groups of four teams each, and each...
. Australia won the match by four wickets.
Cardigan Connor
Cardigan Connor
Cardigan Adolphus Connor is a Anguillan born former English cricketer. Connor was a right-handed batsman and a right-arm fast-medium bowler.-Career:...
who took 9-38 in 1996 and Kevan James
Kevan James
Kevan David James was educated at the Edmonton County School, in the London Borough of Enfield.James was an English first-class cricketer for 19 years...
took four wickets in four balls in the match against the touring Indians in the same year. In 1999 the ground played host to its final two One Day Internationals in the 1999 Cricket World Cup
1999 Cricket World Cup
-England:-Outside England:-Group A:-Results:-------------------------------------------------------------Group B:-Results:------------------------------------------------------------...
when New Zealand played the West Indies, with the West Indies winning by seven wickets. The second match saw Kenya play Sri Lanka, which the Sri Lankans won by 45 runs.
After 115 years at the County Ground, the 2000 County Championship marked the clubs last season at the County Ground. The grounds last first-class match saw Yorkshire
Yorkshire County Cricket Club
Yorkshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Yorkshire as one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure....
as the visitors. The County Ground played host to 3 One Day International, 565 first-class matches and 211 List-A matches.
For the 2001
2001 English cricket season
The 2001 English cricket season saw Yorkshire win the County Championship for the first time since 1968. Australia again won the Ashes, this time largely due to some fine performances by Adam Gilchrist....
, they moved to the new Rose Bowl ground. The County Ground no longer exists, and is now a housing estate.
Football
Between 1896 and 1898, the County Ground was home to Southampton Football Club, during which period the club won the Southern LeagueSouthern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
championship in both seasons and reached the FA Cup semi-final in 1898. The highest score during this period was in a Southern League match against New Brompton on 7 November 1896, which "the Saints" won 8–3 with a hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
from Willie Naughton
Willie Naughton
William A. "Willie" Naughton was a Scottish professional footballer, who played as an outside-forward for various clubs in Scotland and England in the 1880s and 1890s, including Celtic, Stoke and Southampton...
. In the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
, Southampton defeated Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
8–2 on 2 January 1897, with Jack Farrell
Jack Farrell (footballer)
John "Jack" Farrell was an English professional footballer who played as a forward. Farrell played in the Football League for Stoke and New Brighton Tower and played a major part in Southern league club Southampton's major cup runs at the turn of the 20th Century.-Early career:Farrell was born in...
scoring three, and Eastville Rovers 8–1 on 11 December 1897.
Southampton had used the County Ground for high-profile matches prior to 1896, including FA Cup matches and the finals of the Hampshire Senior Cup
Hampshire Senior Cup
The Hampshire Senior Cup is a cup competition open to football teams affiliated with the Hampshire Football Association. The competition was founded in 1888 and has been contested every year since, with the exception of 1914 to 1919 when it was postponed due to World War I.Despite the...
. On 26 April 1893, a team from Stoke visited the County Ground to play a friendly match against Southampton St Mary's
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
. Even with the future founder of football in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Charles Miller
Charles William Miller
Charles William Miller was a Brazilian sportsman, who is considered to be the father of football in Brazil.-Early life:...
playing at outside-left, the "Saints" were "outplayed fairly and squarely on every point", losing 8–0. Despite the result, it was reported that the spectators "thoroughly enjoyed the exhibition" and looked forward to witnessing "more matches of a similar character" in future.