Benutzer:Maddin3000/Recreation Ground (Antigua)

{{Infobox cricket ground | ground_name = Antigua Recreation Ground | nickname = | image = Cricket ground.jpg | caption = | country = West Indies | location = [[Antigua]] | establishment = 1978 | seating_capacity = 12,000 | owner = | operator = | tenants = | end1 = Pavilion End | end2 = Factory Road End | international = true | firstodidate = 22 Feb | firstodiyear = 1978 | firstodihome = West Indies | firstodiaway = Australia | lastodidate = 28 Feb | lastodiyear = 2007 | lastodihome = Bangladesh | lastodiaway = Canada | firsttestdate = 28 Mar - 1 Apr | firsttestyear = 1981 | firsttesthome = West Indies | firsttestaway = England | lasttestdate = 15 Feb - 19 Feb | lasttestyear = 2009 | lasttesthome = West Indies | lasttestaway = England | date = 21 February | year = 2009 | source = http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/westindies/content/ground/59495.html Antigua Recreation Ground, Cricinfo }}

Antigua Recreation Ground is the national stadium of Antigua and Barbuda. It is located in St. John's, on the island of Antigua. The ground has been used by the West Indies cricket team and Antigua and Barbuda national football team. It has Test cricket status.

A number of great cricketers, including Andy Roberts and Richie Richardson, began their first-class careers there.

One of Antigua's most famous sons, Viv Richards, scored the fastest Test match century off 56 balls v England in the "Blackwash" series of 1986 at the Recreation Ground. It was also where Brian Lara twice set the record for highest individual Test innings, scoring 375 in 1994 and the current record of 400 not out in 2004, both times against England.

Antigua is considered to be a good wicket on which to bat — hard and dry whilst not offering much bounce or movement to bowlers. This is colloquially known as a "featherbed".

The Antigua Recreation Ground has also been the place noted for hosting Cricket carnival which was popularized by DJs such as Chickie of Chickie's HiFi.

After the building of the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium for the 2007 World Cup, no further Test cricket was expected at the Recreation Ground. However, due to the abandonment of the Second Test between West Indies v England on February 13, 2009 after just ten balls (due to an unfit outfield), an extra Test, called the Third Test, began at the Antigua Recreation Ground on February 15 2009, despite concerns about the dilapidated condition of the stadium.[1]

Like many other cricket grounds in the Caribbean, the Antigua Recreation Ground traditionally hosts a variety of off the field entertainment, particularly music, both live and recorded, during breaks in play. For many years, an entertainer called Gravy would operate in the stands, usually in fancy dress.

See also

• Cricket
• 2007 Cricket World Cup
• List of Test cricket grounds
• Stanford Cricket Ground
• Sir Vivian Richards Stadium
• List of international cricket centuries at the Antigua Recreation Ground

References

{{coord|17|07|20.2|N|61|50|20.5|W|type:landmark|display=title}} [[category:Cricket grounds in Antigua and Barbuda]] [[Category:Test cricket grounds in the West Indies]] [[Category:Football venues in Antigua and Barbuda]] [[Category:National stadiums|Antigua]] [[Category: St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda]] [[ar:ملعب أنتيغوا للترفيه]]