Riverside, Chester-le-Street
Friday, April 11 2003
New test match venues are a novelty in England nowadays. Originally, the big games were only staged in London and Manchester. Then, around the end of Queen Victoria's reign, the game was exported to the principalities. Trent Bridge and Headingley joined the fold in 1899, followed closely by Edgbaston and Bramall Lane (used just once) in 1902. Now, in 2003, we look forward to witnessing the big games at The Riverside, Chester-le-Street.
On 18 May 1995, Durham entertained Warwickshire at the newly-opened Riverside Ground. The construction of the ground itself was part of the deal relating to the acceptance of Durham into the County Championship three years before. Just eight short years later, the ground will become the first 'new' venue to stage a test match in England in over a century when the second nPower Test between England and Zimbabwe starts on June 5.
Chester-le-Street is situated in the northern part of County Durham, between Durham and Newcastle in Tyne and Wear. The town has a population of around 50,000 and has a long history, dating back to Roman times when a settlement in the area was known as Concangium.
The Riverside is a complex with facilities for numerous sports including football and rugby, hockey and even rowing on the nearby River Wear, but it is the cricket we are focusing on here. Work began on the site in 1991 and, in keeping with the unspoilt essentially rural environs, the decision was made to avoid as far as possible any intrusive or high-rise developments. One side of the ground offers an unrestricted view of nearby 14th century Lumley Castle.
Construction work is still continuing at the Riverside with a Health and Leisure Centre due for completion shortly, together with a new grandstand which will lift the capacity to 12,000 by the time the first ball is bowled in the historic test match in June.
The venue has witnessed five One-Day Internationals so far, the first in 1999 when Pakistan crushed Scotland in the World Cup and the most recent in last year's abandoned day/nighter between England and India, remembered for a wonderful century by Sachin Tendulkar.
James Bailey, the Marketing Manager at Durham County Cricket Club told Cricket Web that "... tickets are selling well for the first three days and we expect to sell out by the beginning of May". Anyone wishing to discover more about Durham County Cricket Club or to reserve tickets for the game between England and Zimbabwe is invited to visit www.durhamccc.co.uk for further details.
Posted by Eddie
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