Capacity 25,000 Tenant Dolphins | Phone +27 31 335 4200 | |
Address Kingsmead Way, Kingsmead, Durban, 4001, South Africa Similar SuperSport Park, Wanderers Stadium, St George's Park, Kings Park Stadium, Mangaung Oval | ||
Kingsmead cricket ground durban
Kingsmead is a cricket ground in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It operates under the sponsorship-based name of Sahara Stadium Kingsmead where Sahara is the trademark of a sponsor from the IT industry. Its stated capacity is 25,000, although grass terracing makes up part of the viewing area. The 'end names' are the Umgeni End (north) and the Old Fort Road End (south). It is the home ground of the KwaZulu-Natal Dolphins.
Contents
- Kingsmead cricket ground durban
- Around the ground kingsmead durban
- Cricket
- Others
- Important events
- References
When a Test series is played in South Africa, the ground usually hosts the Boxing Day Test.
Around the ground kingsmead durban
Cricket
The venue hosted the first home Test for the South African cricket team after re-admission into international cricket and also hosted the Test against the English cricket team in 1939, which lasted from the third to the thirteenth of March and was called off over fears that the English would miss their ship home.
The first Test match to be played here was between South Africa and England on 18 January 1923, which resulted in a draw.
It has been renowned as a seamers wicket, and there is also a famous myth regarding how the tide affects batting conditions, as the ground is quite close to the beach. Many batting collapses in matches in the past have jokingly been blamed on changes in the tide.
On 19th September, 2007 the ground witnessed Yuvraj Singh's iconic six consecutive sixes off Stuart Broad's over in the World Twenty20 match between India and England, to mark the fastest fifty ever in any form of cricket.
Kingsmead's easterly location – but within the same timezone as the rest of South Africa – means it is prone to bad light and the humid climate can result in powerful thunderstorms. The ground incorporates traditional grass banks, as well as towering modern stands. Being in the centre of Durban makes it accessible by public transport, or on foot, but parking is limited.
Others
The stadium is used every other year for the finish of the Comrades Marathon, an ultramarathon run annually between Durban and Pietermaritzburg. Because the marathon alternates directions each year, it only finishes in Durban in odd-numbered years.