Sydney Cricket Ground

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History

In 1810, then-Governor Lachlan Macquarie designated the area that is now the SCG to be Hyde Park, a place which would include a racecourse, a park and a cricket ground, just outside of the city. As the amount of cricket activity began to grow, the New South Wales Cricket Association offered to the Government of New South Wales in 1875 to upgrade the cricket ground in Moore Park, and in 1876, the first SCG was dedicated by Governor Sir Hercules Robinson. The first game of cricket was not played there until 1877, in a game between the New South Wales Government Printing Office and the Audit Office.

Related Topics:
Lachlan Macquarie - New South Wales Cricket Association - Government of New South Wales - 1875 - 1876 - Sir Hercules Robinson - 1877

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The first official cricket game was played in 1879, in a first-class inter-colonial match between NSW and Victoria, which led to the first instance of an Australian Rules Football match to be played on the ground on 6 August, 1881 (over 100 years before the arrival of the Sydney Swans from Melbourne!) The SCG hosted its first Test cricket match beginning on 17 February, 1882, when Australia played England in the sixth ever Test match. Australia won the game by 5 wickets.

Related Topics:
1879 - NSW - Victoria - Australian Rules Football - 6 August - 1881 - Sydney Swans - 17 February - 1882 - Australia - England - Wicket

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In 1886, the Members' Pavilion was rebuilt, and in 1894 the ground finally received its modern name, the Sydney Cricket Ground, which was followed by the opening of the Hill Stand (also known as the "Bob Stand") in 1895, followed by the Ladies' Stand in 1896. By 1903, the ground had gotten a lot larger: the Northern Stand was built, the Members' Pavilion extended, lighting was installed and a scoreboard installed.

Related Topics:
1886 - Members' Pavilion - 1894 - Hill Stand - Bob Stand - 1895 - Ladies' Stand - 1896 - 1903 - Northern Stand

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The first instance of rugby league was played at the SCG in 22 June, 1910, when a first-grade match between Australia and New Zealand was played there. Further cricket and rugby league matches would be played at the ground, while more stands (the Sheridian and Noble, the latter replacing the Northern stand) were erected. In 1938, the British Empire Games (now known as the Commonwealth Games) were played at the SCG.

Related Topics:
Rugby league - 22 June - 1910 - Australia - New Zealand - Cricket - Sheridian - Noble - Northern - 1938 - British Empire Games - Commonwealth Games

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In 1951, the ground was brought under the trust of one umbrella organization along with the Sydney Sports Ground. Previously, the ground had been under its own board of trustees. The ground would continue to grow, as the Bradman Stand was completed in 1973. The new Trust also agreed to allow women to become members of the ground in 1974, a contemporary step. More improvements, including the installment of modern floodlights in 1978, the Brewongle Stand in 1980, and the installation of the first electronic video scoreboard 1983, the Pat Hill Stand (later renamed the O'Reilly Stand) in 1984, and the replacement of the Sheridan Stand with the new Clive Churchill Stand in 1986 completed the SCG as many see today.

Related Topics:
1951 - Sydney Sports Ground - Bradman Stand - 1973 - 1974 - 1978 - Brewongle Stand - 1980 - 1983 - Pat Hill Stand - O'Reilly Stand - 1984 - Sheridan Stand - Clive Churchill Stand - 1986

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The opening of the Sydney Football Stadium (now known as Aussie Stadium) in 1988 removed rugby league matches from the ground, which kept the headquarters of NSW Cricket while gaining the new tenant the AFL Sydney Swans from Melbourne in 1982. So far, the Swans have had great success in their new adopted Sydney home, with their greatest match coming in 1996 where the Swans made their first AFL Grand Final in 50 years at home. Thanks to a new LED scoreboard and a refurbishment of the playing surface in 2000, the Swans and NSW Cricket enjoy a top-of-the-line home stadium.

Related Topics:
Sydney Football Stadium - Aussie Stadium - 1988 - Rugby league - NSW Cricket - AFL - Sydney Swans - Melbourne - 1982 - 1996 - LED - 2000

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