Racecourse Ground, Hereford facts for kids
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| Ground information | |||||
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| Location | Hereford, Herefordshire | ||||
| Coordinates | 52°04′06″N 2°43′43″W / 52.0683°N 2.7286°W | ||||
| Establishment | 1909 | ||||
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| Pavilion End Racecourse End |
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| Team information | |||||
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| As of 28 July 2013 Source: Ground profile |
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The Racecourse Ground is a special cricket ground located in Hereford, England. It's unique because it sits right inside the Hereford Racecourse. This makes it the only old "first-class cricket" venue in England that is still found within a horse racing track.
For many years, this ground was home to important cricket matches. From 1919 to 1988, it hosted "first-class" and "List A" games for Worcestershire County Cricket Club. Later, from 1992 to 1996, it was used for "minor counties" matches by Herefordshire County Cricket Club.
Contents
What is the History of the Racecourse Ground?
The cricket ground was built in 1909, right inside the Hereford Racecourse. It took ten years for the first big game to be played there.
Early Matches and Famous Players
In 1919, the Racecourse Ground hosted its first "first-class" match. This is the highest level of cricket played over several days. Worcestershire played against a team led by HK Foster. In that game, Worcestershire's Humphrey Gilbert took 12 wickets, which is a fantastic achievement for a bowler.
Later in 1919, the Australian Imperial Forces cricket team visited. An Australian player named Johnny Taylor scored an impressive 138 runs in their innings. After World War II, Worcestershire returned in 1947 to play the Combined Services. Two Worcestershire bowlers, Roly Jenkins and Dick Howorth, each took five wickets in an innings.
Later Years and Important Competitions
Worcestershire continued to use the ground for some of their county championship matches in the early 1980s. They also played four "List A" one-day matches there between 1983 and 1987. "List A" matches are like shorter, one-day games.
The Racecourse Ground was even chosen to host a game for the 1986 ICC Trophy. This was a big competition where teams from around the world competed to qualify for the Cricket World Cup. The ground hosted a match between the Argentina and Bangladesh teams.
After 1991, Herefordshire started using the ground. They played six "Minor Counties Championship" matches there from 1992 to 1996. These matches are for teams that are not part of the main first-class county system.
How Many People Attended Matches?
When county matches were played, about 4,000 people would usually come to watch. One exciting match between Worcestershire and Surrey drew a crowd of 7,500 fans! This game featured famous players like Ian Botham and Tim Curtis.
What Was the Ground Like?
The main building for players, called the pavilion, was built in 1889. It was a bit far from the actual playing field. Players would often watch the game from a special tent closer to the action. This tent was next to where the scorers and press sat. On big game days, there were also tents and even a double-decker bus for sponsors.
The ground had two scoreboards. One was a permanent board near the main pavilion, and a smaller, temporary one was closer to the field. Since 1939, the Racecourse Ground has been the only first-class cricket ground in England that is completely surrounded by a horse racing track.
What are the Cricket Records at the Racecourse Ground?
Many exciting things happened at the Racecourse Ground over the years. Here are some of the top records from the matches played there:
First-class Match Records
- Highest team score: 405 runs by Australian Imperial Forces against HK Foster's XI in 1919.
- Lowest team score: 84 runs by Worcestershire against Combined Services in 1947.
- Highest individual score: 138 runs not out by Johnny Taylor for Australian Imperial Forces in 1919.
- Best bowling in one innings: 6 wickets for 50 runs by Humphrey Gilbert for HK Foster's XI in 1919.
- Best bowling in a whole match: 12 wickets for 122 runs by Humphrey Gilbert in the same 1919 match.
List A Match Records
- Highest team score: 233 runs for 6 wickets by Worcestershire against Gloucestershire in 1986.
- Lowest team score: 154 runs by Surrey against Worcestershire in 1987.
- Highest individual score: 108 runs by Jack Russell for Gloucestershire in 1986.
- Best bowling in one innings: 3 wickets for 23 runs by Paul Pridgeon for Worcestershire in 1986.
