The Kia Oval, still commonly referred to by its original name of
The Oval, is an international cricket ground in
KenningtonKennington is a district of South London, England, mainly within the London Borough of Lambeth, although part of the area is within the London Borough of Southwark....
, in the
London Borough of LambethThe London Borough of Lambeth is a London borough in south London, England and forms part of Inner London. The local authority is Lambeth London Borough Council.-Origins:...
. In the past it was also sometimes called the
Kennington Oval. In past years it was officially named as the 'Fosters Oval', 'AMP Oval', 'Brit Insurance Oval', and, presently, as the 'Kia Oval' due to commercial sponsorship deals.
The Oval is the home ground of
Surrey County Cricket ClubSurrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Surrey. Its limited overs team is called the Surrey Lions...
, and also traditionally hosts the final
Test matchTest cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
of each English summer season in late August or early September. The Oval was the first ground in the United Kingdom and second in the world (after the
Melbourne Cricket GroundThe Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
) to host Test cricket.
The nearest
TubeThe London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
station is
OvalOval tube station in Kennington is a station on the Northern line of the London Underground between Stockwell and Kennington stations. It is the only station on the Morden branch of the Northern line whose name begins with a vowel and is one of only two stations on the London Underground with only...
, but
VauxhallVauxhall station is a National Rail, London Underground and London Buses interchange station in central London. It is at the Vauxhall Cross road junction opposite the southern approach to Vauxhall Bridge over the River Thames in the London district of Vauxhall...
is only half a mile away.
History
In 1844, Kennington Oval was a
market gardenA market garden is the relatively small-scale production of fruits, vegetables and flowers as cash crops, frequently sold directly to consumers and restaurants. It is distinguishable from other types of farming by the diversity of crops grown on a small area of land, typically, from under one acre ...
. The Oval was then (and still is) owned by the
Duchy of CornwallThe Duchy of Cornwall is one of two royal duchies in England, the other being the Duchy of Lancaster. The eldest son of the reigning British monarch inherits the duchy and title of Duke of Cornwall at the time of his birth, or of his parent's succession to the throne. If the monarch has no son, the...
.
Surrey County Cricket ClubSurrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Surrey. Its limited overs team is called the Surrey Lions...
was set up in 1845. The Duchy was willing to grant a lease of the land for the purpose of a cricket ground, and, on 10 March 1845, the club signed a lease with the Otter Trustees, who held the land from the Duchy of Cornwall, 'to convert it into a subscription cricket ground', for 31 years at a rent of £120 per annum plus taxes (£20 more). The original contract for turfing the Oval cost £300; 10,000 grass turfs came from
Tooting CommonThe Tooting Commons consist of two adjacent areas of common land lying between Balham, Streatham and Tooting, in south west London: Tooting Bec Common and Tooting Graveney Common....
.
In 1868, 20,000 spectators gathered at the Oval for the first game of the
1868 Aboriginal cricket tour of EnglandThe Australian Aboriginal cricket team in England in 1868 was a side composed of Australian Aborigines which toured England between May and October of that year, thus becoming the first organised group of Australian cricketers to travel overseas...
, the first tour of England by any foreign side.
Thanks to
C. W. AlcockCharles William Alcock was an influential English sportsman and administrator. He was a major instigator in the development of both international football and cricket, as well as being the creator of the FA Cup....
, the Secretary of Surrey from 1872 to 1907, the first ever
TestTest cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
match in England was played at the Oval in 1880 between
EnglandThe England and Wales cricket team is a cricket team which represents England and Wales. Until 1992 it also represented Scotland. Since 1 January 1997 it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board , having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club from 1903 until the end...
and
AustraliaThe Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
. The Oval thereby became the second ground to stage a Test, after
the MCGThe Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
. In 1882, Australia won
the AshesThe Ashes is a Test cricket series played between England and Australia. It is one of the most celebrated rivalries in international cricket and dates back to 1882. It is currently played biennially, alternately in the United Kingdom and Australia. Cricket being a summer sport, and the venues...
Test by seven runs within two days.
The Sporting TimesThe Sporting Times was a weekly British newspaper devoted chiefly to sport, and in particular to horse racing...
printed a mocking obituary notice for English cricket, which led to the creation of the Ashes trophy, which is still contested whenever England plays Australia. The first Test double century was scored at the Oval in 1884 by Australia's
Billy MurdochWilliam Lloyd Murdoch was an Australian cricketer, who captained the Australian team on tours to England in 1880, 1882 , 1884 and 1890...
.
The current pavilion was completed in time for the 1898 season.
In 1907,
South AfricaThe South African national cricket team represent South Africa in international cricket. They are administrated by Cricket South Africa.South Africa is a full member of the International Cricket Council, also known as ICC, with Test and One Day International, or ODI, status...
became the 2nd visiting Test team to play a Test match at this venue. In 1928,
West IndiesThe West Indian cricket team, also known colloquially as the West Indies or the Windies, is a multi-national cricket team representing a sporting confederation of 15 mainly English-speaking Caribbean countries, British dependencies and non-British dependencies.From the mid 1970s to the early 1990s,...
played its first Test match at this venue followed by
New ZealandThe New Zealand cricket team, nicknamed the Black Caps, are the national cricket team representing New Zealand. They played their first in 1930 against England in Christchurch, New Zealand, becoming the fifth country to play Test cricket. It took the team until 1955–56 to win a Test, against the...
in 1931. In 1936,
IndiaThe Indian cricket team is the national cricket team of India. Governed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India , it is a full member of the International Cricket Council with Test and One Day International status....
became the 5th foreign visiting Test side to play at the Oval, followed by
PakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
in 1954 and
Sri LankaThe Sri Lankan cricket team is the national cricket team of Sri Lanka. The team first played international cricket in 1926–27, and were later awarded Test status in 1981, which made Sri Lanka the eighth Test cricket playing nation...
in 1998.
ZimbabweThe Zimbabwean cricket team is a national cricket team representing Zimbabwe. It is administrated by Zimbabwe Cricket...
and
BangladeshThe Bangladesh national cricket team is a national cricket team representing Bangladesh. The team is administered by the Bangladesh Cricket Board . Bangladesh is a full member of the International Cricket Council with Test and One Day International status...
are yet to play a Test match at the venue.
During the Second World War, the Oval was intended for use as a
prisoner of warA prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
camp, although it was never employed as such. The Oval is referenced by the poet
Philip LarkinPhilip Arthur Larkin, CH, CBE, FRSL is widely regarded as one of the great English poets of the latter half of the twentieth century...
in his poem about the First World War, "
MCMXIV"MCMXIV" is a poem written by English poet Philip Larkin. It was first published in the book The Whitsun Weddings in 1964. The poem is set in 1914 England as men prepare to leave their homes and fight in the First World War. It is regarded as one of Larkin's best-known poems. The poem has had...
".
The first One Day International match at this venue was played on 7 September 1973 between England and West Indies. It had the privilege of hosting matches of the
1975-Group B:-Knockout stage:-Semifinals:In the best World Cup performance to date by a bowler, Gary Gilmour took six wickets as England were bowled all out for 93 , after falling to 37/7...
,
1979The 1979 Cricket World Cup was the second edition of the tournament and was won by the West Indies. It was held from June 9 to June 23, 1979 in England. The format had remained unchanged from 1975. Eight countries participated in the event. The preliminary matches were played in 2 groups of 4...
,
1983The 1983 ICC Cricket World Cup was the third edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup tournament. It was held from 9 June to 25 June 1983 in England and was won by India. Eight countries participated in the event. The preliminary matches were played in two groups of four teams each, and each...
and
1999 World Cups-England:-Outside England:-Group A:-Results:-------------------------------------------------------------Group B:-Results:------------------------------------------------------------...
. It also hosted five of the fifteen matches in the 2004
ICC Champions TrophyThe ICC Champions Trophy is a One Day International cricket tournament, second in importance only to the Cricket World Cup. It was inaugurated as the ICC Knock Out tournament in 1998 and has been played every two years since, changing its name to the Champions Trophy in 2002...
, including the final. No floodlit day/night international match has been played here to date, although Surrey have played several floodlit one-day matches. In fact, Surrey's ground is noted as having the first floodlights at a sport arena in the form of gas-lamps dating back to 1889.
The ground also had a
ZeppelinA Zeppelin is a type of rigid airship pioneered by the German Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin in the early 20th century. It was based on designs he had outlined in 1874 and detailed in 1893. His plans were reviewed by committee in 1894 and patented in the United States on 14 March 1899...
and later a
hot air balloonThe hot air balloon is the oldest successful human-carrying flight technology. It is in a class of aircraft known as balloon aircraft. On November 21, 1783, in Paris, France, the first untethered manned flight was made by Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and François Laurent d'Arlandes in a hot air...
employed for aerial views during tests but this was never commercially viable and was gone by the turn of the
millenniumA millennium is a period of time equal to one thousand years —from the Latin phrase , thousand, and , year—often but not necessarily related numerically to a particular dating system....
. Several other British grounds had this feature also such as
EdgbastonEdgbaston Cricket Ground, also known as the County Ground or Edgbaston Stadium, is a cricket ground in the Edgbaston area of Birmingham, England...
. The Oval once held the record for the largest playing area of any Test venue in the world, but that record has since been surpassed by
Gaddafi StadiumGaddafi Stadium is a cricket ground in Lahore, Pakistan. It was designed by Daghestani-born architect and engineer Nasreddin Murat-Khan who also designed Lahore's Minar-e-Pakistan and constructed by Mian Abdul Khaliq and Company in 1959. Following the ground's renovation for the 1996 Cricket World...
in
PakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
(though it is still the largest in Britain).
The billionaire
Paul GettySir John Paul Getty KBE , born Eugene Paul Getty, was a wealthy American-born British philanthropist and book collector. He was the elder son of Jean Paul Getty, Sr...
, who had a great affinity for cricket and was at one time Surrey CCC President built a replica of the Oval on his
Wormsley ParkWormsley Park is a 2,500 acre estate and 18th century country house between Stokenchurch and Watlington in the Chiltern Hills of Buckinghamshire, England. It is the former home of the philanthropist Sir Paul Getty who moved to Wormsley in 1986. He undertook a restoration which lasted until 1991,...
estate. The famous gasholders at the Oval are actually newer than the ground by several years, having been built circa 1853. There has been much speculation of late as to whether they should be demolished; however, many believe they are part of the Oval's landscape and therefore their future looks secure.
21st century redevelopment
At the end of the 2002 cricket season, Surrey started redeveloping the Vauxhall End. The development included knocking down the outdated
SurridgeWalter Stuart Surridge was a cricketer who played for Surrey. He was born at Herne Hill in south London, educated at Emanuel School, and died at Glossop in Derbyshire....
,
FenderPercy George Herbert Fender was an English all-round cricketer who played 13 Tests for England. He was a middle order batsman and bowled mainly leg spin.-Biography:...
,
JardineDouglas Robert Jardine was an English cricketer and captain of the England cricket team from 1931 to 1933–34.When describing cricket seasons, the convention used is that a single year represents an English cricket season, while two years represent a southern hemisphere cricket season because it...
and
Peter May-External links:* * at Cricket Archive*...
north stands and creating in their place a single four tier grandstand known as the OCS Stand. This work was completed in May 2005, increasing ground capacity to around 23,000.
In January 2007, Surrey announced plans to increase capacity by a further 2,000 seats, this time by redeveloping the Pavilion End. The Lock, Laker and
Peter May-External links:* * at Cricket Archive*...
south stands will be replaced with a new stand, which will have a hotel backing on to it. The Surrey Tavern at the entrance to the ground will be demolished and a new pedestrian plaza will be created in its place, improving access to the ground and opening up views of the historic pavilion. These plans were delayed by objections raised by the Health & Safety Executive as the ground is close to a
gasometerA gas holder is a large container where natural gas or town gas is stored near atmospheric pressure at ambient temperatures. The volume of the container follows the quantity of stored gas, with pressure coming from the weight of a movable cap...
. Planning permission was eventually granted, but not before the credit crunch struck. As of November 2010, Surrey still plans to proceed with the development when its hotel partner can obtain funding.
In 2009, permanent
floodlightsFloodlights are broad-beamed, high-intensity artificial lights often used to illuminate outdoor playing fields while an outdoor sports event is being held during low-light conditions....
were installed for use in day/night matches. The floodlights are telescopic and can be retracted when not in use.
Football
The Oval was also an important site in the historical development of
footballAssociation football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, before the game had its own separate national stadium. Football had been played in this part of London for many years prior to the inauguration of the Oval: "
The Gymnastic SocietyThe Gymnastic Society was an eighteenth-century London sports club for the pursuit of football and wrestling. It is arguably the first football club.-Background:...
" – arguably the world's first Football club – met regularly at Kennington Common during the second half of the eighteenth century to play
footballFootball may refer to one of a number of team sports which all involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball with the foot to score a goal. The most popular of these sports worldwide is association football, more commonly known as just "football" or "soccer"...
First international football match
The Oval was home to the first ever international football match on the March 5, 1870,
EnglandThe England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
against
ScotlandThe Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
, organised by the Football Association The game resulted in a 1–1 draw. Similar international matches between England and Scotland took place at the Oval in 1871, in February 1872 and 1873. On 8 March 1873, the
England national teamThe England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
beat Scotland 4–2. England would continue to play occasionally at the Oval until 1889.
- Scores and results list England's goal tally first.
First FA Cup final
On 16 March 1872,
The WanderersWanderers Football Club is an English amateur football club, based in London, that plays in the Surrey South Eastern Combination. Founded as Forest Football Club in 1859, the club changed its name to Wanderers in 1864....
beat the Royal Engineers 1–0 to win the first ever
FA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
. This final was notable for the Engineers' modern footballing style of teamwork rather than individual play.
C. W. AlcockCharles William Alcock was an influential English sportsman and administrator. He was a major instigator in the development of both international football and cricket, as well as being the creator of the FA Cup....
, Secretary of the Football Association, was the prime mover of the competition. He had just become Secretary of Surrey, so that The Oval was the natural choice of venue for the final. Alcock also captained the successful Wanderers side. The Oval hosted all subsequent FA Cup finals (1873 excluded) up until
1892The 1892 FA Cup Final was contested by West Bromwich Albion and Aston Villa at the Kennington Oval. West Bromwich Albion won 3–0, with goals by Jasper Geddes, Sammy Nicholls and Jack Reynolds...
.
The Oval is one of two grounds (
Bramall Lane-Cricket at the Lane:Bramall Lane opened as a cricket ground in 1855, having been leased by Michael Ellison from the Duke of Norfolk at an annual rent of £70. The site was then away from the town's industrial area, and relatively free from smoke. It was built to host the matches of local cricket...
in
SheffieldSheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
being the other) to have staged both England Football and Cricket internationals, and also FA Cup Finals. The Oval also hosted the second ever
Rugby UnionRugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
international between England and Scotland in 1872 (the first was hosted at
Raeburn PlaceRaeburn Place is the main street of Stockbridge, Edinburgh, and the name of the playing fields there.-Rugby:The first international rugby football game was played on the playing fields at Raeburn Place on 27 March 1871 between England and Scotland. It was won by Scotland, though England got revenge...
a year earlier).
In recent years, the Oval has held an
exhibition matchAustralian rules football has been introduced to a wide range of places around Australia and the world since the code originated in Victoria in 1859....
for
Australian rules footballAustralian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
in October each year, between better performing Australian teams or to show the rivalry between certain clubs. In 2005, a record crowd for Australian rules football in England (18,884) saw the Fremantle Dockers Football Club defeat the
West Coast EaglesThe West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval...
.
Results of FA Cup finals at the Oval
| Year |
Attendance |
Winner |
|
Runner-up |
|
Notes |
| 1872 |
2,000 |
Wanderers Wanderers Football Club is an English amateur football club, based in London, that plays in the Surrey South Eastern Combination. Founded as Forest Football Club in 1859, the club changed its name to Wanderers in 1864....
|
1 |
Royal Engineers The Royal Engineers Association Football Club is an association football team representing the Corps of Royal Engineers, the "Sappers", of the British Army. In the 1870s it was one of the strongest sides in English football, winning the FA Cup in 1875 and being Cup Finalists in four of the first...
|
0 |
| 1874 |
2,000 |
Oxford UniversityOxford University Association Football Club is an English football club representing the University of Oxford.-History:Formed in 1872, the club was a giant of the 1870s, winning the FA Cup 2-0 against Royal Engineers in 1874 and finishing the competition as runners up in 1873, 1877 and 1880, the...
|
2 |
Royal Engineers The Royal Engineers Association Football Club is an association football team representing the Corps of Royal Engineers, the "Sappers", of the British Army. In the 1870s it was one of the strongest sides in English football, winning the FA Cup in 1875 and being Cup Finalists in four of the first...
|
0 |
| 1875 |
3,000 |
Royal Engineers The Royal Engineers Association Football Club is an association football team representing the Corps of Royal Engineers, the "Sappers", of the British Army. In the 1870s it was one of the strongest sides in English football, winning the FA Cup in 1875 and being Cup Finalists in four of the first...
|
1 |
Old EtoniansThe Old Etonians Football Club is an English football club whose players are taken from previous attendees of Eton College, in Eton, Berkshire.-History:...
|
1 |
| Replay |
3,000 |
Royal Engineers The Royal Engineers Association Football Club is an association football team representing the Corps of Royal Engineers, the "Sappers", of the British Army. In the 1870s it was one of the strongest sides in English football, winning the FA Cup in 1875 and being Cup Finalists in four of the first...
|
2 |
Old EtoniansThe Old Etonians Football Club is an English football club whose players are taken from previous attendees of Eton College, in Eton, Berkshire.-History:...
|
0 |
1876Match rules:90 minutes normal time.30 minutes extra-time if scores are level, at captains' discretion.Replay if scores still level.No substitutes.-Summary:The replay took place one week later at the same venue...
|
3,500 |
Wanderers Wanderers Football Club is an English amateur football club, based in London, that plays in the Surrey South Eastern Combination. Founded as Forest Football Club in 1859, the club changed its name to Wanderers in 1864....
|
1 |
Old EtoniansThe Old Etonians Football Club is an English football club whose players are taken from previous attendees of Eton College, in Eton, Berkshire.-History:...
|
1 |
| Replay |
1,500 |
Wanderers Wanderers Football Club is an English amateur football club, based in London, that plays in the Surrey South Eastern Combination. Founded as Forest Football Club in 1859, the club changed its name to Wanderers in 1864....
|
3 |
Old EtoniansThe Old Etonians Football Club is an English football club whose players are taken from previous attendees of Eton College, in Eton, Berkshire.-History:...
|
0 |
| 1877 The 1877 FA Cup Final was a football match between Wanderers and Oxford University on 24 March 1877 at Kennington Oval in London. It was the sixth final of the world's oldest football competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup . Wanderers were the reigning cup-holders and had won the...
|
3,000 |
Wanderers Wanderers Football Club is an English amateur football club, based in London, that plays in the Surrey South Eastern Combination. Founded as Forest Football Club in 1859, the club changed its name to Wanderers in 1864....
|
2 |
Oxford UniversityOxford University Association Football Club is an English football club representing the University of Oxford.-History:Formed in 1872, the club was a giant of the 1870s, winning the FA Cup 2-0 against Royal Engineers in 1874 and finishing the competition as runners up in 1873, 1877 and 1880, the...
|
1 |
1878Match rules:90 minutes normal time.30 minutes extra-time if scores are level, at captains' discretion.Replay if scores still level.No substitutes.-Post-match:...
|
4,500 |
Wanderers Wanderers Football Club is an English amateur football club, based in London, that plays in the Surrey South Eastern Combination. Founded as Forest Football Club in 1859, the club changed its name to Wanderers in 1864....
|
3 |
Royal Engineers The Royal Engineers Association Football Club is an association football team representing the Corps of Royal Engineers, the "Sappers", of the British Army. In the 1870s it was one of the strongest sides in English football, winning the FA Cup in 1875 and being Cup Finalists in four of the first...
|
1 |
1879The 1879 FA Cup Final was contested by Old Etonians and Clapham Rovers at the Kennington Oval. Old Etonians won 1-0, the only goal scored by Charles Clerke.-The Final:...
|
5,000 |
Old EtoniansThe Old Etonians Football Club is an English football club whose players are taken from previous attendees of Eton College, in Eton, Berkshire.-History:...
|
1 |
Clapham RoversClapham Rovers was from its foundation in 1869 a leading English sports organisation in the two dominant codes of football, association football and rugby union. It was a prominent club in the late 19th century but is now defunct...
|
0 |
1880The 1880 FA Cup Final was contested by Clapham Rovers and Oxford University at the Kennington Oval. Clapham Rovers won 1–0, the only goal scored by Clopton Lloyd-Jones.-Teams:-References:**...
|
6,000 |
Clapham RoversClapham Rovers was from its foundation in 1869 a leading English sports organisation in the two dominant codes of football, association football and rugby union. It was a prominent club in the late 19th century but is now defunct...
|
1 |
Oxford UniversityOxford University Association Football Club is an English football club representing the University of Oxford.-History:Formed in 1872, the club was a giant of the 1870s, winning the FA Cup 2-0 against Royal Engineers in 1874 and finishing the competition as runners up in 1873, 1877 and 1880, the...
|
0 |
1881The 1881 FA Cup Final was contested by Old Carthusians and Old Etonians at the Kennington Oval. Old Carthusians won 3-0, the goals scored by Edward Wynyard, Edward Hagarty Parry, and Alexander Todd.-The Final:...
|
4,500 |
Old Carthusians Old Carthusians Football Club is an association football club whose players are former pupils of Charterhouse School in Godalming, Surrey, England...
|
3 |
Old EtoniansThe Old Etonians Football Club is an English football club whose players are taken from previous attendees of Eton College, in Eton, Berkshire.-History:...
|
0 |
1882The 1882 FA Cup Final was contested by Old Etonians and Blackburn Rovers at the Kennington Oval. Old Etonians won 1–0, the only goal scored by Reginald Macaulay...
|
6,500 |
Old EtoniansThe Old Etonians Football Club is an English football club whose players are taken from previous attendees of Eton College, in Eton, Berkshire.-History:...
|
1 |
Blackburn RoversBlackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
|
0 |
1883The 1883 FA Cup Final was contested by Blackburn Olympic and Old Etonians at the Kennington Oval. Blackburn Olympic won 2–1 after extra time. Jimmy Costley and Arthur Matthews scored for Blackburn; Harry Goodhart for Old Etonians.-Teams:-References:...
|
8,000 |
Blackburn OlympicBlackburn Olympic F.C. was an English association football club based in Blackburn, Lancashire in the late 19th century. Although the club was only in existence for just over a decade, it is significant in the history of football in England as the first club from the north of the country and the...
|
2 |
Old EtoniansThe Old Etonians Football Club is an English football club whose players are taken from previous attendees of Eton College, in Eton, Berkshire.-History:...
|
1 |
1884The 1884 FA Cup Final was contested by Blackburn Rovers and Queen's Park at the Kennington Oval. Rovers won 2–1, with goals from Joe Sowerbutts and Jimmy Forrest; Robert M Christie scored for Queen's Park.-Teams:*Played March 29, 1884...
|
12,000 |
Blackburn RoversBlackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
|
2 |
Queen's Park Queen's Park Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland. The club are currently the only amateur club in the Scottish League; their amateur status is reflected by their motto, Ludere Causa Ludendi – to play for the sake of playing.Queen's Park are the oldest...
|
1 |
1885The 1885 FA Cup Final was contested by Blackburn Rovers and Queen's Park at the Kennington Oval, a repeat of the previous year's final. Rovers won 2–0 in their second successive FA Cup Final victory, with the goals coming from Jimmy Forrest and James Brown.-Teams:*Played April 4,...
|
12,500 |
Blackburn RoversBlackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
|
2 |
Queen's Park Queen's Park Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland. The club are currently the only amateur club in the Scottish League; their amateur status is reflected by their motto, Ludere Causa Ludendi – to play for the sake of playing.Queen's Park are the oldest...
|
0 |
1886The 1886 FA Cup Final was contested by Blackburn Rovers and West Bromwich Albion at the Kennington Oval. The match finished goalless, Albion wanted to play extra time but Blackburn Rovers declined, meaning a replay was necessary....
|
15,000 |
Blackburn RoversBlackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
|
0 |
West Bromwich AlbionWest Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
|
0 |
2–0 in replay at Racecourse Ground The County Cricket Ground, usually shortened to County Ground and also known as the Racecourse Ground, is a cricket ground in Derby and has been the home of Derbyshire County Cricket Club since at least 1871. As the name implies it originally hosted horse racing.It also held the games of Derby...
, Derby |
1887The 1887 FA Cup Final was contested by Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion at the Kennington Oval. Aston Villa won 2–0, with goals by Archie Hunter and Dennis Hodgetts.-Teams:*Played 2 April 1887*Attendance: 15,500*Referee: Major Francis Marindin...
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15,500 |
Aston VillaAston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
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2 |
West Bromwich AlbionWest Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
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0 |
| 1888 The 1888 FA Cup Final was contested by West Bromwich Albion and Preston North End at the Kennington Oval. Preston were strong favourites for the Cup, having set a record which still stands today by beating Hyde 26-0 in the first round, and were so confident of overcoming West Bromwich Albion in the...
|
19,000 |
West Bromwich AlbionWest Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
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2 |
Preston North EndPreston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
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1 |
| 1889 The 1889 FA Cup Final was contested by Preston North End and Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Kennington Oval. Preston won 3–0, with goals by Fred Dewhurst, Jimmy Ross and Sam Thomson...
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22,000 |
Preston North EndPreston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
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3 |
Wolverhampton WanderersWolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
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0 |
| 1890 The 1890 FA Cup Final was contested by Blackburn Rovers and The Wednesday at the Kennington Oval. Blackburn won 6–1, with goals from William Townley , Nat Walton, Jack Southworth and Joe Lofthouse. The Wednesday's goal was scored by Albert Mumford....
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20,000 |
Blackburn RoversBlackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
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6 |
Sheffield WednesdaySheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
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1 |
1891The 1891 FA Cup Final was contested by Blackburn Rovers and Notts County at the Kennington Oval. Blackburn won 3–1, their second consecutive FA Cup Final victory, with goals by Geordie Dewar, Jack Southworth and William Townley. James Oswald scored Notts County's goal.-Teams:*Played 21 March...
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23,000 |
Blackburn RoversBlackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
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3 |
Notts County Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
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1 |
| 1892 The 1892 FA Cup Final was contested by West Bromwich Albion and Aston Villa at the Kennington Oval. West Bromwich Albion won 3–0, with goals by Jasper Geddes, Sammy Nicholls and Jack Reynolds...
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32,810 |
West Bromwich AlbionWest Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
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3 |
Aston VillaAston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
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0 |
Rugby
Between 1872 and 1879, the Oval held 7 full cap international rugby union matches, as follows:
| Date |
Competition |
Home team |
Away team |
| 5 February 1872 |
|
|
1G |
|
2G |
| 23 February 1874 |
|
|
1G |
|
0G |
| 15 February 1875 |
|
|
2G |
|
0G |
| 6 March 1876 |
|
|
1G |
|
0G |
| 5 February 1877 |
1877 Home Nations Championship |
|
2G |
|
0G |
| 4 March 1878 |
1878 Home Nations Championship |
|
0G |
|
0G |
| 24 Mar 1879 |
1879 Home Nations Championship |
|
3G |
|
0G |
On Wednesday 3 March 1875, the Oval held the final of the United Hospitals Challenge Cup, the oldest rugby union cup competition in the world.
Other events
The ground has hosted many other events, including
hockeyField Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
fixtures, as well as concerts.
In October 2011 the grounds served as the practice facility for the NFL's
Chicago BearsThe Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. The Bears were in London to play a match against the
Tampa Bay BuccaneersThe Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
at
Wembley StadiumThe original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
.
Bedser Stand
| 4th floor |
Executive Boxes 33–41
CEO and Finance Department
Boardroom |
| 3rd floor |
Executive Boxes 21–32
Communications Centre |
| 2nd floor |
The Montpelier Club
Surrey Cricket, England and Visiting Player Facilities |
| 1st floor |
Staff Administration Offices
Upper Bedser Stand Seating |
| Ground floor |
Ken Barrington Cricket Centre Reception
The Brit Oval Retail Store
Prince's Trust Team Room
TriNorth Offices
Staff and Player Entrance |
| Basement floor |
Ken Barrington Cricket Centre |
OCS Stand
| 4th floor |
Roof Terrace |
| 3rd floor |
Executive Boxes 43–57
Broadcast Centre
Legends Lounge
|
| 2nd floor |
England Suite
John Major Room
India Room
|
| 1st floor |
Australia Suite
Press Box
Debenture Lounge
Ashes Suite
Suite 3
Pakistan Room
|
| Ground floor |
Reception |
Pavilion
| 5th floor |
Library
CW Alcock Room
Guildford Room
Mickey Stewart Surrey Club's Room |
| 4th floor |
Pavilion Café Bar
Counties Room
Pavilion Top Seating |
| 3rd floor |
Pavilion Restaurant
Captain's Room
Pavilion Shelf Seating |
| 2nd floor |
Committee Room
Prince of Wales Room
Pavilion Balcony Seating |
| 1st floor |
Long Room and Ali Brown 268 Bar
Sandham
Laker and Presidents Rooms
Members Museum
Pavilion Terrace Seating |
| Ground floor |
Members Entrance |
Transport connections
| Service | Station/Stop | Lines/Routes served | Directions |
| London Buses |
Oval Station |
36London Buses route 36 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Go-Ahead London.-The Beginning:...
, 185London Buses route 185 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Go-Ahead London.-History:...
, 436London Buses route 436 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Go-Ahead London.-History:...
|
|
| Camberwell New Road |
155, 333 |
0.1 mile walk |
| Oval Station |
155, 333 |
0.1 mile walk |
| London Underground |
OvalOval tube station in Kennington is a station on the Northern line of the London Underground between Stockwell and Kennington stations. It is the only station on the Morden branch of the Northern line whose name begins with a vowel and is one of only two stations on the London Underground with only...
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|
|
| Vauxhall Vauxhall station is a National Rail, London Underground and London Buses interchange station in central London. It is at the Vauxhall Cross road junction opposite the southern approach to Vauxhall Bridge over the River Thames in the London district of Vauxhall...
|
|
0.5 mile walk |
| National Rail |
South West TrainsSouth West Trains is a British train operating company providing, under franchise, passenger rail services, mostly out of Waterloo station, to the southwest of London in the suburbs and in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Wight...
|
See also
- List of cricket grounds in England and Wales
- List of Test cricket grounds
- History of Test cricket (to 1883)
Test matches in the period 1877 to 1883 were organised somewhat differently from international cricket matches today. The teams were rarely representative, and the boat trip between Australia and England, which usually lasted about 48 days, was one that many cricketers were unable or unwilling to...
- History of Test cricket (1884 to 1889)
The history of Test cricket between 1884 and 1889 was one of English dominance over the Australians. England won every Test series that was played. The period also saw the first use of the word "Test" to describe a form of cricket when the Press used it in 1885...
- History of Test cricket (1890 to 1900)
Test matches in the 19th century were somewhat different affairs than what they are today. Many of them were not designated as Test matches for many years afterwards, and it is possible that some Test players never knew they had played in a Test. Before 1888 there had been 26 Test matches, all...
- List of international cricket centuries at the Oval
- Gasworks Gallery
Gasworks Gallery is based by the Oval Cricket Ground in South East London. It is part of Triangle Arts Trust, an international network or residencies and workshops offering artists the opportunity develop their practice stimulated by a climate of international exchange and dialogue...
, next to the ground
- Archbishop Tenison's School – an historic school located next to the ground, often used as a vantage point for TV cameras and crews
External links