Overview

When people think of the perfect English cricket ground, New Road will be high on their list. It is on the banks of a river, tree-lined, and with the famous cathedral spire creating a stunning backdrop, while the Ladies Pavilion continues to churn out its famous cakes during tea intervals. The county ground was owned by the cathedral until 1976, when it was bought for £30,000. Worcestershire had moved to New Road in 1899, after playing at Boughton Park and the arrangements for the first game were made in such a rush that the sightscreens were still being painted when play started. During the winter New Road has often looked more suitable for rowing or water-skiing than cricket, as the proximity to the Rivers Teme and Severn cause regular flooding, and in the wet summer of 2007 more than half the season's matches were lost as the ground was underwater. With its excess moisture the pitch often helps the seamers, but it hasn't stopped the likes of Graeme Hick, Tom Graveney and Basil D'Oliveira making batting look simple against a succession of bowling attacks. D'Oliveira now has a stand named after him, the newest addition to New Road, but further development has been resisted and the ground retains its English charms.
Andrew McGlashan January 2008