Sydney Cricket Ground
Sydney, Australia
48,000
1848
Sydney, Australia
Grass
About this Ground
Traditional New Year's Test venue. Famous for drop-in pitches since 2016.
History & Significance
The Sydney Cricket Ground, opened in 1848 on land granted by the New South Wales government, is the oldest continuously used cricket venue in Australia and one of the most atmospheric in world cricket. The Hill — a grassy embankment on the northern side — became the spiritual home of Australian barracking culture through the twentieth century, producing generations of forthright, opinionated spectators who could turn a match by sheer force of voice. Don Bradman amassed enormous scores at the SCG throughout the 1930s, his 452 not out for New South Wales against Queensland in 1930 remaining the highest first-class innings ever recorded on the ground. Shane Warne dismissed England's Andrew Strauss here in January 2005 to claim his 700th Test wicket, one of the most choreographed moments in Australian cricket history. The New Year's Test has been a Sydney fixture since the 1880s, drawing families during the school holidays and giving the SCG a sun-soaked festival character that distinguishes it from the colder formality of Melbourne's Boxing Day match. The shift to drop-in pitches in 2016 changed the playing characteristics dramatically, producing flatter surfaces and longer matches. The ground's intimate scale — close-in grandstands within earshot of the batsmen — means spectators feel every ball in a way that larger venues cannot match.
Ground Record
Don Bradman
Highest innings at SCG · 1930
Famous For
- New Year's Test
- Don Bradman era
- Shane Warne's 700th wicket
About Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground, opened in 1848 on land granted by the New South Wales government, is the oldest continuously used cricket venue in Australia and one of the most atmospheric in world cricket. The Hill — a grassy embankment on the northern side — became the spiritual home of Australian barracking culture through the twentieth century, producing generations of forthright, opinionated spectators who could turn a match by sheer force of voice. Don Bradman amassed enormous scores at the SCG throughout the 1930s, his 452 not out for New South Wales against Queensland in 1930 remaining the highest first-class innings ever recorded on the ground. Shane Warne dismissed England's Andrew Strauss here in January 2005 to claim his 700th Test wicket, one of the most choreographed moments in Australian cricket history. The New Year's Test has been a Sydney fixture since the 1880s, drawing families during the school holidays and giving the SCG a sun-soaked festival character that distinguishes it from the colder formality of Melbourne's Boxing Day match. The shift to drop-in pitches in 2016 changed the playing characteristics dramatically, producing flatter surfaces and longer matches. The ground's intimate scale — close-in grandstands within earshot of the batsmen — means spectators feel every ball in a way that larger venues cannot match.
Upcoming & Recent Matches
All matches →Live match schedule coming soon for this venue.