Ek Park
Encyclopedia
Ek Park is a cricket
ground in Kitwe
, Zambia
. The first recorded match on the ground came in 1957 when Northern Rhodesia played the touring Australians.
The ground later held its first first-class
match in 1962 when Rhodesia played a touring International XI, resulting in a drawn match. The second first-class match held on the ground came later in 1962 when Rhodesia played the touring Commonwealth XI
, with the match again ending in a draw. During this time, what is today Zambia was administered as part of Northern Rhodesia
. These two matches mark the only time first-class cricket has been played anywhere in what is today Zambia.
Following independence the ground has been used by the Zambia national cricket team, who played county
opponents in the form of Gloucestershire
, Glamorgan
and Warwickshire
at the ground in the 1970s, though the matches held no official status. Today, the ground is used by Nkana Cricket Club.
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...
ground in Kitwe
Kitwe
Kitwe is the second largest city in terms of size and population in Zambia. With a population of 547,700 Kitwe is one of the most developed commercial and industrial areas in the nation, alongside Ndola and Lusaka...
, Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
. The first recorded match on the ground came in 1957 when Northern Rhodesia played the touring Australians.
The ground later held its first first-class
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
match in 1962 when Rhodesia played a touring International XI, resulting in a drawn match. The second first-class match held on the ground came later in 1962 when Rhodesia played the touring Commonwealth XI
Commonwealth XI cricket team
The Commonwealth XI cricket team played over 100 first-class cricket matches from 1949 to 1968. The team started out as a side made up of mostly English, Australian and West Indian cricketers, that toured the subcontinent but later on played first-class fixtures in England...
, with the match again ending in a draw. During this time, what is today Zambia was administered as part of Northern Rhodesia
Northern Rhodesia
Northern Rhodesia was a territory in south central Africa, formed in 1911. It became independent in 1964 as Zambia.It was initially administered under charter by the British South Africa Company and formed by it in 1911 by amalgamating North-Western Rhodesia and North-Eastern Rhodesia...
. These two matches mark the only time first-class cricket has been played anywhere in what is today Zambia.
Following independence the ground has been used by the Zambia national cricket team, who played county
County cricket
County cricket is the highest level of domestic cricket in England and Wales. For the 2010 season, see 2010 English cricket season.-First-class counties:...
opponents in the form of Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Gloucestershire. Its limited overs team is called the Gloucestershire Gladiators....
, Glamorgan
Glamorgan County Cricket Club
Glamorgan County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Glamorgan aka Glamorganshire . Glamorgan CCC is the only Welsh first-class cricket club. Glamorgan CCC have won the English County...
and Warwickshire
Warwickshire County Cricket Club
Warwickshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Warwickshire. Its limited overs team is called the Warwickshire Bears. Their kit colours are black and gold and the shirt sponsor...
at the ground in the 1970s, though the matches held no official status. Today, the ground is used by Nkana Cricket Club.
External links
- Ek Park, Kitwe at CricketArchiveCricketArchiveCricketArchive is a website that aims to provide a comprehensive archive of records relating to the sport of cricket. It claims to be the most comprehensive cricket database on the internet, including scorecards for all matches of first-class cricket , List A cricket , Women's Test cricket and...