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

2021
Sun Jun 20 (20 ovs) 14:30 local | 13:30 GMT 09:30 EDT | 08:30 CDT | 06:30 PDT	Vitality Blast South Group - Gloucestershire v Hampshire
Tue Jun 22 (20 ovs)           18:30 local | 17:30 GMT 13:30 EDT | 12:30 CDT | 10:30 PDT	Vitality Blast South Group - Gloucestershire v Kent
Thu Jun 24 (20 ovs)           18:30 local | 17:30 GMT 13:30 EDT | 12:30 CDT | 10:30 PDT	Vitality Blast South Group - Gloucestershire v Glamorgan
Sun Jun 27 (50 ovs) 10:30 local | 09:30 GMT 05:30 EDT | 04:30 CDT | 02:30 PDT	1st ODI - England Women v India Women
Thu Jul 1 (20 ovs) 18:30 local | 17:30 GMT 13:30 EDT | 12:30 CDT | 10:30 PDT	Vitality Blast South Group - Gloucestershire v Somerset
Sun Jul 4 (50 ovs) 11:00 local | 10:00 GMT 06:00 EDT | 05:00 CDT | 03:00 PDT	ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Super League 3rd ODI - England v Sri Lanka
Sun Jul 25 (50 ovs)	Royal London One-Day Cup Gloucestershire v Lancashire
Tue Jul 27 (50 ovs)	Royal London One-Day Cup Gloucestershire v Worcestershire
Tue Aug 3 (50 ovs)	Royal London One-Day Cup Gloucestershire v Essex
Fri Aug 6 (50 ovs)	Royal London One-Day Cup Gloucestershire v Hampshire
Sun Sep 12 (50 ovs) 10:30 local | 09:30 GMT 05:30 EDT | 04:30 CDT | 02:30 PDT	Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy Western Storm v Lightning
Thu Sep 16 (50 ovs) 10:30 local | 09:30 GMT 05:30 EDT | 04:30 CDT | 02:30 PDT	1st ODI - England Women v New Zealand Women
Sat Sep 18 (50 ovs) 10:30 local | 09:30 GMT 05:30 EDT | 04:30 CDT | 02:30 PDT	Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy Western Storm v Sunrisers
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Latest Photos

Jun 14, 2021

Bristol's County Ground will host the one-off women's Test between England and India
© ECB

May 21, 2021

It was a bleak scene at the County Ground
© Getty Images

Jun 11, 2019

Michael Gough (extreme right) was on the ICC list of umpires for the 2019 World Cup
© IDI via Getty Images

Jun 11, 2019

The umpires Richard Kettleborough, Richard Illingworth and Michael Gough inspect the Bristol pitch
© IDI via Getty Images