Adelaide Oval

North Adelaide,
Adelaide, South Australia

North Adelaide, SA, 5006 Telephone: +61 8 8300 3800

Established 1873
Capacity 50,000
Playing area 190.2m long, 126.2m wide
Floodlights Yes
End names City End, Cathedral End
Home team South Australia
Other sports Australian Rules Football (since 1877), Rugby League (1997-1998) as well as archery, athletics, baseball, cycling, american football, highland games, hockey, lacrosse, lawn tennis, rugby union, quoits and soccer
Curator Les Burdett
Current local time 20:15, Thu Mar 30, 2023 (UTC +1030)

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Records and statistics

First Test	Australia v England - Dec 12-16, 1884	Scorecard
Last Test	Australia v West Indies - Dec 8-11, 2022	Scorecard
Test records \| Results \| High totals \| High scores \| Most runs \| Best bowling \| Most wickets \| Partnerships \| Statsguru
First ODI	Australia v West Indies - Dec 20, 1975	Scorecard
Last ODI	Australia v England - Nov 17, 2022	Scorecard
ODI records \| Results \| High totals \| High scores \| Most runs \| Best bowling \| Most wickets \| Partnerships \| Statsguru
First T20I	Australia v England - Jan 12, 2011	Scorecard
Last T20I	England v India - Nov 10, 2022	Scorecard
T20I records \| Results \| High totals \| High scores \| Most runs \| Best bowling \| Most wickets \| Partnerships \| Statsguru
Records index

Profile

The Adelaide Oval remains one of cricket's most picturesque Test venues despite recent developments to increase the capacity and upgrade the facilities. Its position, situated amid gardens and trees and with the spire of St Peter's Cathedral as a backdrop, gives it a quintessentially English feel.

The ground opened in 1873 amid bitter local disputes over boundaries and money, and in its early years the pitches were often dreadful. Things gradually improved, although Adelaide's tendency to attract controversy remained. In 1884-85 it staged its first Test, but that was dogged by arguments with the English tourists over appearance money and who would umpire. In 1932-33, the Bodyline affair reached its nadir at The Oval when Bill Woodfull and Bert Oldfield were struck, and on the third day mounted police patrolled to keep the 50, 962 spectators in order. But these days the pitches are true and disputes rarer.

The ground has hosted many sports other than cricket - the biggest attendance there was 62,543 to watch the 1965 SANFL final between Port Adelaide and Sturt - as well as concerts.

The ground is a true oval, which makes straight sixes a rarity but ones square of the wicket more common. The western public and members grandstands and the famous scoreboard are all items listed on the City of Adelaide Heritage Register, and two news stands finished in 2003 have raised the capacity to 34,000 (for football) and 32,000 for cricket.
Martin Williamson