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List of Essex County Cricket Club grounds

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The County Ground in Leyton (left) was Essex's original first-class venue, but it has not been used since 1977, and all matches are now held at the similarly-named County Ground in Chelmsford (right).

Essex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 member clubs of the English County Championship, representing the historic county of Essex. The club was established on 14 January 1876 and has played first-class cricket since 1894,[1] List A cricket since 1963[2] and Twenty20 cricket since 2003.[3][A] Unlike most professional sports, in which a team usually has a single fixed home ground, county cricket clubs have traditionally used different grounds in various towns and cities within the county for home matches, although the use of minor "out grounds" has diminished since the 1980s.[4][5] Essex have played first class, List A, or Twenty20 matches at 14 different grounds.

The club's debut home fixture in first-class cricket was played at the County Ground in Leyton against Leicestershire in 1894. This ground remained the county's headquarters and principal match venue until the end of the 1933 season and was used regularly for over 80 years.[6] Until April 2024 it had still hosted more of the county's first-class matches than any other ground. Essex played their final match at the venue in 1977, however, since when the similarly named County Ground in Chelmsford has hosted the majority of first-class games. The ground in Leyton has continued to be used for matches in local competitions.[7]

The club's first home List A fixture took place in 1965 against Derbyshire at the Old County Ground in Brentwood. This venue had been used since the 1920s for first-class matches, but only staged two List A matches, and its use was discontinued altogether in 1969. The County Ground in Chelmsford played host to the club's first home Twenty20 fixture in 2003, against Kent, and has since hosted every one of the county's home Twenty20 matches with the exception of a single game in 2014 which was played at Castle Park in Colchester.

Essex traditionally staged annual "cricket festivals" in the towns of Colchester, Ilford and Southend-on-Sea, which usually consisted of two first-class matches over the course of a week, and later incorporated one List A match following the introduction of that format. The Ilford event was abandoned following the 2002 season.[8] The Southend festival moved from its traditional home at Southchurch Park to Garon Park in 2005,[9] making the latter venue the county's only new home ground of the 21st century. Following the 2011 season, however, Essex discontinued the Southend festival altogether,[10] leaving Castle Park in Colchester as the only venue regularly used by the county other than its main base in Chelmsford. The Colchester festival was not held in 2017, and all the county's home games were played at Chelmsford;[11] the Colchester festival has remained suspended.[12]

Grounds

[edit]

Below is a complete list of grounds used by Essex County Cricket Club for first-class, List A and Twenty20 matches. Statistics are complete through to the end of the 2024 season. Only matches played by Essex CCC at the grounds are recorded in the table. Matches abandoned without any play occurring are not included.

Name Location First-class List A Twenty20
First Last Matches First Last Matches First Last Matches
County Ground[13] Leyton 14 May 1894
v Essex		 10 August 1977
v Glamorgan		 407[14] 3 August 1969
v Sussex		 7 August 1977
v Derbyshire		 10[15] – – 0
Southchurch Park[16] Southend-on-Sea 13 August 1906
v Leicestershire		 28 July 2004
v Nottinghamshire		 130[17] 10 July 1977
v Middlesex		 25 July 2004
v Northamptonshire		 28[18] – – 0
Castle Park[19] Colchester 18 June 1914
v Worcestershire		 4 August 2016
v Sussex		 123[20] 30 June 1974
v Yorkshire		 5 August 2015
v Middlesex		 46[21] 12 July 2014
v Kent		 no other matches to date 1[22]
Old County Ground[23] Brentwood 5 July 1922
v Dublin University		 24 May 1969
v Worcestershire		 58[24] 28 April 1965
v Derbyshire		 13 May 1967
v Kent		 2[25] – – 0
Valentines Park[26] Ilford 9 June 1923
v West Indians		 12 June 2002
v Northamptonshire		 116[27] 15 June 1969
v Middlesex		 16 June 2002
v Lancashire		 37[28] – – 0
Garrison A Cricket Ground[29] Colchester 18 June 1924
v Gloucestershire		 7 June 1972
v Somerset		 25[30] 26 June 1970
v Yorkshire		 4 June 1972
v Lancashire		 2[31] – – 0
County Ground[32] Chelmsford 20 June 1925
v Oxford University		 26 September 2024
v Surrey		 413[33] 27 April 1969
v Nottinghamshire		 9 August 2024
v Surrey		 381[34][B] 20 June 2003
v Kent		 14 July 2024
v Surrey		 120[35]
Vista Road Recreation Ground[36] Clacton-on-Sea 22 July 1931
v Lancashire		 20 August 1966
v Leicestershire		 60[37] – – 0 – – 0
Chalkwell Park[38] Westcliff-on-Sea 13 June 1934
v Nottinghamshire		 10 July 1976
v Worcestershire		 69[39] 12 July 1970
v Middlesex		 11 July 1976
v Leicestershire		 8[40] – – 0
Gidea Park Sports Ground[41] Romford 24 May 1950
v Hampshire		 22 May 1968
v Surrey		 34[42] – – 0 – – 0
Hoffmann's Sports and Social Club Ground[43] Chelmsford 29 August 1959
v Lancashire		 14 June 1961
v South Africa Fezelas		 3[44] 6 July 1969
v Northamptonshire		 no other matches 1[45] – – 0
Harlow Sportcentre[46] Harlow 27 June 1970
v Cambridge University		 1 July 1970
v Kent		 2[47] 25 May 1969
v Worcestershire		 27 June 1982
v Leicestershire		 7[48] – – 0
Thames Board Mills Sports Ground[49] Purfleet – – 0 20 July 1969
v Kent		 9 July 1972
v Glamorgan		 4[50] – – 0
Garon Park[51] Southend-on-Sea 3 August 2005
v Durham		 27 July 2011
v Leicestershire		 7[52] 7 August 2005
v Middlesex		 31 July 2011
v Somerset		 7[53] – – 0

Notes

[edit]

A. ^ First-class cricket matches are designed to be contested over multiple days, with each team permitted two innings with no limit to the number of overs in an innings. List A matches are intended to be completed in a single day and restrict each team to a single innings of between 40 and 60 overs, depending on the specific competition. Twenty20 matches restrict each team to a single innings of 20 overs.

B. ^ The Essex Cricket Board played four List A matches at the County Ground between 2000 and 2003, including one match against Essex. The Essex Cricket Board is a separate organisation from Essex County Cricket Club and its matches are not included in the totals. The match between the Board team and Essex CCC is excluded as the Board team were officially the home team.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Marshall, Ian (2015). Playfair Cricket Annual 2015. Hachette UK. p. 1876. ISBN 978-1472212184.
  2. ^ "List A Matches played by Essex". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 25 September 2015. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
  3. ^ "Twenty20 Matches played by Essex". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 25 September 2015. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
  4. ^ Glover, Andrew (10 April 2013). "Remembering Yorkshire County Cricket Club's out grounds". BBC News. Archived from the original on 25 September 2015. Retrieved 24 May 2015.
  5. ^ Stockton, Edward (13 June 2006). "Out of town but not out of favour". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 27 June 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  6. ^ David Lemmon; Mike Marshall (1987). Essex County Cricket Club The Official History. London: Kingswood Press. pp. 184–186.
  7. ^ "Other Matches played on County Ground, Leyton (164)". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  8. ^ "Southend Cricket Festival is axed by Essex". The Echo. 28 September 2011. Archived from the original on 27 June 2015. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
  9. ^ "Essex switch Festival venue". BBC Sport. 30 September 2004. Archived from the original on 31 August 2017. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
  10. ^ "Essex decide to scrap 2012 Southend Cricket Festival". BBC Sport. 28 September 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
  11. ^ "Essex drop Colchester Festival for 2017". ESPN Cricinfo. 26 November 2016. Archived from the original on 31 August 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  12. ^ Jennings, Ryan (29 November 2018). "Colchester Cricket Festival suspended again next season". www.gazette-news.co.uk. Archived from the original on 8 February 2018. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  13. ^ "County Ground, Leyton". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 3 July 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  14. ^ "First-Class Matches played on County Ground, Leyton (407)". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 27 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  15. ^ "List A Matches played on County Ground, Leyton (10)". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 27 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  16. ^ "Southchurch Park, Southend-on-Sea". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 2 July 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  17. ^ "First-Class Matches played on Southchurch Park, Southend-on-Sea (130)". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  18. ^ "List A Matches played on Southchurch Park, Southend-on-Sea (28)". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  19. ^ "Castle Park Cricket Ground, Colchester". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 29 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  20. ^ "First-Class Matches played on Castle Park Cricket Ground, Colchester (123)". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  21. ^ "List A Matches played on Castle Park Cricket Ground, Colchester (46)". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  22. ^ "Twenty20 Matches played on Castle Park Cricket Ground, Colchester (1)". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  23. ^ "Old County Ground, Brentwood". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 29 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  24. ^ "First-Class Matches played on Old County Ground, Brentwood (58)". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 27 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  25. ^ "List A Matches played on Old County Ground, Brentwood (2)". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 27 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  26. ^ "Valentine's Park, Ilford". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 29 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  27. ^ "First-Class Matches played on Valentine's Park, Ilford (116)". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 27 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  28. ^ "List A Matches played on Valentine's Park, Ilford (37)". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 27 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  29. ^ "Garrison A Cricket Ground, Colchester". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  30. ^ "First-Class Matches played on Garrison A Cricket Ground, Colchester (25)". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  31. ^ "List A Matches played on Garrison A Cricket Ground, Colchester (2)". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  32. ^ "County Ground, Chelmsford". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 3 July 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  33. ^ "First-Class Matches played on County Ground, Chelmsford (363)". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 31 March 2016. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  34. ^ "List A Matches played on County Ground, Chelmsford (350)". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 31 March 2016. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  35. ^ "Twenty20 Matches played on County Ground, Chelmsford (76)". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 31 March 2016. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  36. ^ "Vista Road Recreation Ground, Clacton-on-Sea". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  37. ^ "First-Class Matches played on Vista Road Recreation Ground, Clacton-on-Sea (60)". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  38. ^ "Chalkwell Park, Westcliff-on-Sea". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  39. ^ "First-Class Matches played on Chalkwell Park, Westcliff-on-Sea (69)". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  40. ^ "List A Matches played on Chalkwell Park, Westcliff-on-Sea (8)". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 27 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  41. ^ "Gidea Park Sports Ground, Romford". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  42. ^ "First-Class Matches played on Gidea Park Sports Ground, Romford (34)". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  43. ^ "Hoffman's Sports and Social Club Ground, Chelmsford". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  44. ^ "First-Class Matches played on Hoffman's Sports and Social Club Ground, Chelmsford (3)". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 27 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  45. ^ "List A Matches played on Hoffman's Sports and Social Club Ground, Chelmsford (1)". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 27 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  46. ^ "Harlow Sportcentre, Harlow". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  47. ^ "First-Class Matches played on Harlow Sportcentre, Harlow (2)". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  48. ^ "List A Matches played on Harlow Sportcentre, Harlow (7)". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  49. ^ "Thames Board Mills Sports Ground, Purfleet". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  50. ^ "List A Matches played on Thames Board Mills Sports Ground, Purfleet (4)". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  51. ^ "Garon Park, Southend-on-Sea". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 6 July 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  52. ^ "First-Class Matches played on Garon Park, Southend-on-Sea (7)". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  53. ^ "List A Matches played on Garon Park, Southend-on-Sea (7)". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.

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