County Ground        

Bishopston,
Bristol, England

Records and statistics

Profile

The County Ground was bought by WG Grace in 1889 (he lived nearby) and although it has had a somewhat troubled existence - more than once the county has considered leaving the ground - it remains the home of Gloucestershire, and is now even host to the occasional ODI. In 1919 the county sold the venue to Fry's, the confectionary firm, who brought in their own groundsman and, for a time, changed the name. In 1933 the county bought it back again. In 1976 they once again sold it, this time to Royal & Sun Alliance, buying it back in 2004.

The venue is not beautiful but it is steeped in cricket history, from the moment spectators enter via the Grace Gates, the role that legends such Gilbert Jessop and Wally Hammond have played is unmistakable. The ground is full of character, fringed by trees, with a solid Edwardian pavillion. The wicket is good, and can favour spinners. Difficult conditions can prevail, as when Gloucestershire played Middlesex here in 1909, when the game was completed in a single day, or when Tom Goddard took 17 wickets in a day here in 1939. In another Gloucestershire-Middlesex game in 1938, Jim Smith made the fastest uncontrived first-class fifty (11 minutes, 6 sixes, 2 fours). Grace scored a triple century here in 1896 against Sussex, a feat matched by Hammond in 1934 v Glamorgan.

The ground now acts as a general sports centre, with squash and tennis courts, and in winter the turf serves as the target for a golf driving range.
Martin Williamson

Notes

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Fixtures

2017
Thu Jun 29 (50 ovs) 10:30 local | 09:30 GMT 05:30 EDT | 04:30 CDT | 02:30 PDT	ICC Women's World Cup Australia Women v Sri Lanka Women
Sun Jul 2 (50 ovs) 10:30 local | 09:30 GMT 05:30 EDT | 04:30 CDT | 02:30 PDT	ICC Women's World Cup Australia Women v New Zealand Women
Wed Jul 5 (50 ovs) 10:30 local | 09:30 GMT 05:30 EDT | 04:30 CDT | 02:30 PDT	ICC Women's World Cup England Women v South Africa Women
Sun Jul 9 (50 ovs) 10:30 local | 09:30 GMT 05:30 EDT | 04:30 CDT | 02:30 PDT	ICC Women's World Cup England Women v Australia Women
Wed Jul 12 (50 ovs) 10:30 local | 09:30 GMT 05:30 EDT | 04:30 CDT | 02:30 PDT	ICC Women's World Cup Australia Women v India Women
Sat Jul 15 (50 ovs) 10:30 local | 09:30 GMT 05:30 EDT | 04:30 CDT | 02:30 PDT	ICC Women's World Cup England Women v West Indies Women
Tue Jul 18 (50 ovs) 10:30 local | 09:30 GMT 05:30 EDT | 04:30 CDT | 02:30 PDT	ICC Women's World Cup 1st Semi-Final - TBC v TBC
Tue Jul 25 (20 ovs) 18:30 local | 17:30 GMT 13:30 EDT | 12:30 CDT | 10:30 PDT	NatWest t20 Blast South Group - Gloucestershire v Glamorgan
Fri Jul 28 (20 ovs) 18:30 local | 17:30 GMT 13:30 EDT | 12:30 CDT | 10:30 PDT	NatWest t20 Blast South Group - Gloucestershire v Hampshire
Fri Aug 4 (20 ovs) 18:30 local | 17:30 GMT 13:30 EDT | 12:30 CDT | 10:30 PDT	NatWest t20 Blast South Group - Gloucestershire v Somerset
Sun Aug 13 (20 ovs) 14:30 local | 13:30 GMT 09:30 EDT | 08:30 CDT | 06:30 PDT	NatWest t20 Blast South Group - Gloucestershire v Essex
Sat Aug 26 (20 ovs)	Women's Cricket Super League Western Storm v Lancashire Thunder
Tue Sep 12 - Fri Sep 15           10:30 local | 09:30 GMT 05:30 EDT | 04:30 CDT | 02:30 PDT	Specsavers County Championship Division Two Gloucestershire v Kent
Sun Sep 24 (50 ovs) 11:00 local | 10:00 GMT 06:00 EDT | 05:00 CDT | 03:00 PDT	3rd ODI - England v West Indies
Mon Sep 25 - Thu Sep 28 10:30 local | 09:30 GMT 05:30 EDT | 04:30 CDT | 02:30 PDT	Specsavers County Championship Division Two Gloucestershire v Derbyshire
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