The Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton        

St James Street,
Taunton, England

Records and statistics

Profile

The County Ground, Taunton, is set right within the town of Taunton itself, minutes from the town centre. The most south-westerly of English first-class grounds, it is a ground that retains much character, despite extensive renovations and improvements. For many years the playing area was circled by a greyhound track, removed in the 1970s. The towers of St. Jame's, St. George's and St. Mary's churches rise behind the pavilion, and the Quantock Hills overlook the other end. The main entrance gates are named after JC White, who plied his trade here from 1909 to 1937. The county established itself here in 1882, although the first Championship match was not played here until 1891. The record attendance was in 1948 when 10,000 packed in to see Don Bradman's Australians. The venue also staged one-day internationals during the 1983 and 1999 World Cups.

It has seen many splendid innings, including two quadruple hundreds (a record shared with Melbourne and Karachi), Archie Maclaren's record of 424 being followed 93 years later by Graeme Hick's 405*. Viv Richards made a stunning 322 in a day for the county against Warwickshire in 1985, and Major RM Poore made 304 here during his remarkable season of 1899 (he made 1399 runs in only 12 innings). When conditions are right, however, bowlers can do well, and Tyler (1895), Trott (1900) and Rushby (1921) all took all 10 wickets here. It was on this ground as well, that Jack Hobbs first equalled, then beat the great WG's record of 126 centuries in 1925.

In 2006 Taunton was unveilled as the official home of English women's cricket.
Martin Williamson

Notes

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Fixtures

2022
Mon Jun 27 - Thu Jun 30 11:00 local | 10:00 GMT 06:00 EDT | 05:00 CDT | 03:00 PDT	Only Test - England Women v South Africa Women
Sun Jul 3 (20 ovs)           18:30 local | 17:30 GMT 13:30 EDT | 12:30 CDT | 10:30 PDT	Vitality Blast South Group - Somerset v Surrey
Tue Jul 12 (50 ovs) 11:00 local | 10:00 GMT 06:00 EDT | 05:00 CDT | 03:00 PDT	England Lions v South Africans
Tue Jul 19 - Fri Jul 22 11:00 local | 10:00 GMT 06:00 EDT | 05:00 CDT | 03:00 PDT	County Championship Division One Somerset v Yorkshire
Thu Aug 4 (50 ovs) 11:00 local | 10:00 GMT 06:00 EDT | 05:00 CDT | 03:00 PDT	Royal London One-Day Cup Group A - Somerset v Nottinghamshire
Wed Aug 10 (50 ovs) 11:00 local | 10:00 GMT 06:00 EDT | 05:00 CDT | 03:00 PDT	Royal London One-Day Cup Group A - Somerset v Durham
Sun Aug 14 (50 ovs) 11:00 local | 10:00 GMT 06:00 EDT | 05:00 CDT | 03:00 PDT	Royal London One-Day Cup Group A - Somerset v Middlesex
Fri Aug 19 (50 ovs)           13:00 local | 12:00 GMT 08:00 EDT | 07:00 CDT | 05:00 PDT	Royal London One-Day Cup Group A - Somerset v Sussex
Mon Sep 5 - Thu Sep 8 10:30 local | 09:30 GMT 05:30 EDT | 04:30 CDT | 02:30 PDT	County Championship Division One Somerset v Gloucestershire
Sun Sep 11 (50 ovs) 10:30 local | 09:30 GMT 05:30 EDT | 04:30 CDT | 02:30 PDT	Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy Western Storm v Northern Diamonds
Tue Sep 20 - Fri Sep 23 10:30 local | 09:30 GMT 05:30 EDT | 04:30 CDT | 02:30 PDT	County Championship Division One Somerset v Northamptonshire
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Latest Articles

• Lyth gets that Taunton feeling (Apr 13, 2014)
• Head groundsman leaves Somerset (Feb 12, 2010)
• Somerset announce record profit (Nov 25, 2008)
• Somerset set green light for Taunton development (Jun 15, 2007)
• Home comforts at Taunton (Aug 29, 2006)

Latest Photos

Jun 29, 2022

Rain and wet outfield meant covers were a familiar sight at the Taunton County Ground
© Getty Images

Jul 25, 2021

Somerset take on Derbyshire in the Royal London Cup
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Sep 23, 2019

Will their be a maiden Championship title for Somerset at the end of the rainbow?
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Aug 30, 2019

Somerset's players take the field
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