Bristol County Ground facts for kids
| Fry's Ground, Nevil Road | |||
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| Ground information | |||
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| Location | Ashley Down, Bristol | ||
| Coordinates | 51°28′38.01″N 2°35′02.96″W / 51.4772250°N 2.5841556°W | ||
| Establishment | 1889 | ||
| Capacity | 8,000 17,500 for internationals |
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| End names | |||
Ashley Down Road End  Bristol Pavilion End |
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| International information | |||
| First ODI | 13 June 1983: New Zealand v  Sri Lanka |
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| Last ODI | 29 September 2024: England v  Australia |
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| First T20I | 28 August 2006: England v  Pakistan |
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| Last T20I | 8 June 2025: England v  West Indies |
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| Only women's Test | 16–19 June 2021: England v  India |
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| First WODI | 21 July 1984: England v New Zealand |
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| Last WODI | 3 July 2024: England v New Zealand |
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| First WT20I | 25 June 2011: England v Australia |
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| Last WT20I | 1 July 2025: England v India |
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| Team information | |||
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| As of 29 September 2024 Source: CricInfo |
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The Bristol County Ground is a famous place in Bristol, England, where cricket games are played. It is also known as Nevil Road or the Seat Unique Stadium because of sponsorship. This ground is the home of the Gloucestershire County Cricket Club.
Contents
History of the Cricket Ground
The ground was first called Ashley Down Ground when it opened in 1889. A very famous cricketer named W. G. Grace bought it that year. Since then, it has been the home for the Gloucestershire cricket team.
Over the years, the ground changed hands and names a few times. It was once called Fry's Ground after a local sweet company. Later, it was known as the Phoenix County Ground and then The Royal & Sun Alliance County Ground. Eventually, the cricket club bought it back, and it returned to its current name.
Hosting International Cricket Matches
The Bristol County Ground often hosts big international cricket matches, usually one each year. For these special games, extra seats are added to fit more fans.
In 2018, the England team played against India here. In 2019, England played Pakistan. The ground was also chosen to host three matches for the 2019 Cricket World Cup. Sadly, two of those games were cancelled because of bad weather. The only World Cup match played here was between Australia and Afghanistan, which Australia won.
The cricket field at Bristol County Ground has long boundaries. This means players have to hit the ball a long way to score a four or a six!
Modern Upgrades and Changes
In 2009, the Gloucestershire C.C.C. team announced plans to make the ground even better. They wanted to create a stadium that could hold 20,000 people. This would help them keep hosting international matches.
The city council approved the plans in 2010. The club then updated their ideas in 2011. They decided on a permanent seating capacity of 7,500, which could be increased to 17,500 with temporary seats.
These upgrades included a new main building called the Bristol Pavilion, which opened in 2013. They also added new facilities for media and conferences. To help pay for all these changes, student apartments were built as part of the project. In 2015, permanent floodlights were added, allowing games to be played in the evening.
Getting to the Ground
It's easy to get to the Bristol County Ground. The Ashley Down railway station is very close, just a short walk away. Another station, Montpelier, is also less than a kilometer from the ground. For those coming from further away, major train stations like Bristol Temple Meads and Bristol Parkway are a few miles away.
Cricket Centuries Scored Here
Many amazing cricketers have scored centuries (100 runs or more) at the Bristol County Ground during international matches.
One-Day International Centuries
Famous players like Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting have scored centuries in One-Day International (ODI) games at this ground. England players such as Andrew Flintoff, Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, and Ben Duckett have also reached this milestone here.
T20 International Centuries
Only one player has scored a century in a Twenty20 International (T20I) match at this venue. That was Rohit Sharma for India in 2018.
Women's One-Day International Centuries
The Bristol County Ground has also seen many fantastic centuries in women's ODI matches. Players like Meg Lanning from Australia, Suzie Bates from New Zealand, and Chamari Atapattu from Sri Lanka have all scored over 100 runs here. England's own Sarah Taylor and Tammy Beaumont have also achieved centuries at this ground.
See also
- List of cricket grounds in England and Wales
