Edgbaston Cricket Ground

Edgbaston Cricket Ground stands in Birmingham’s Edgbaston district beside the River Rea. The ground has grown from a 12-acre meadow leased in 1885 into England’s fourth-largest cricket venue, seating about 25,000 spectators. It has hosted Test matches since 1902 and became the first English ground to stage a day-night Test in 2017. Edgbaston also holds the record for the most T20 Finals Day events and is the home of the Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred competition. The site once belonged to the Calthorpe Estate, which saw cricket as a way to enhance the suburb’s genteel image. Edgbaston’s significance is clear from its role in major tournaments. It was the stage for England’s first Cricket World Cup victory in 2019 and Pakistan’s Champions Trophy win in 2017. In 2022 the ground hosted the first women’s T20 event at the Commonwealth Games, where Australia claimed gold. The first floodlit senior match in English cricket took place here in 1997, and the redeveloped South and West Stands now rival facilities at Lord’s. The £32 million rebuild, partly funded by Birmingham City Council, raised capacity to 25,000 and introduced five permanent floodlight pylons. Visitors find a modern ground with distinct stands and lively surroundings. The South Stand houses the Press Box, changing rooms and a learning centre, while the West Stand features a large electronic scoreboard and the bright blue Edgbaston Suite. The family-friendly Drayton Manor Family Stand sits between the West and Raglan Stands, and the Raglan Stand offers hospitality boxes overlooking the wicket. The R. E. S. Wyatt Stand at the City End includes two pitch-view restaurants. Beyond the stands, the ground retains its riverside setting and the historic Thwaite Memorial Scoreboard from 1950.