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Cricket is played all around the world in many
different locations, from the backyards and local suburban ovals, to
international stadiums filled with thousands of spectators. It’s easy to
see why its popularity is heartfelt and growing.
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Queenstown Event Centre, New Zealand.
Stunning backdrop of the Remarkables, although offset by the airport
immediately beyond the perimeter of the ground. Even that has its appeal
though. Mike Selvey |
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Pallekele Stadium, Kandy, Sri Lanka.
I was there in the 2011 World Cup, watching New Zealand beat Pakistan.
It’s up in the hills outside Kandy, which is a beautiful city itself.
It’s tea plantation country, and the stadium is surrounded by gentle
hills covered in lush green trees, which run away as far as the horizon.
The ground itself has grass banks on either side, for the spectators to
sprawl on. Andy Bull |
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Arnos Vale, St Vincent.
So close to the Caribbean sea that Chris Gayle could carry the ball into
it. Stunning view down the Grenadines. Mike Selvey |
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Beausejour Stadium, St Lucia.
I was there in 2009, watching the World Twenty20. Up in the north of the
island, the only way to get to it is down a long dirt track past a bunch
of factories and canneries. But the ground itself is in the dip in the
earth, overlooked by two mountains. There’s a rum shack perched half way
up one of them, and canny locals congregate there to watch the match for
free. The stands are bright and colourful, all painted columns and
wooden seats. Andy Bull |
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HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala, India.
A cricket ground where a bowler can accurately be described as running
in from the Himalayas end is clearly an unusual addition to the
international circuit. The Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association
advertise their new stadium as "the most attractive ground in India",
and that is not an idle boast. At an elevation of 4,110 feet, it will
this weekend become the highest international ground in the world, and
it is overlooked by the Dhauladhar range of the Himalayas that includes
snow-capped peaks three times higher. The air is crisp, Vultures and
Eagles soar nearby, and the Dalai Lama has established his Tibetan
Government in Exile just up the hill in Mcleodganj. Worcester it
isn't.Andy Wilson
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