Cricket has always been a significant part of South African culture and the recording about their participation in international cricket goes back to 1888. This is when South Africa was already accepted as a legitimate cricket nation by the ICC, hosting England for the first time in 1888-89 and accumulating lots of experiences from the powerhouses’ cricket, like Australia and England.
The international ban imposed by the ICC on the grounds of the country’s apartheid policies marked their decline, and then the year 1992 saw their revival. Nevertheless, during the above-and-beyond period, South Africa has positioned herself as one of the strongest cricketing nations of the earth.
And that very powerful South African team is playing it in the finest cricket venues across their land.
Following are the 5 best cricket stadiums in South Africa.
1. Kingsmead Cricket Stadium | Durban
Kingsmead Cricket Stadium in South Africa witnessed its first ODI match in Dec 1992 while the first Test match was held in 1923 between South Africa and England. The ground is most often associated with the first test of the South African team after ICC’s ban was lifted.
The stadium supports all three formats and has a capacity of 25,000 spectators. The ground is also known for Yuvraj Singh’s extraordinary record of 6 sixes in 6 balls to Stuart Broad in the 2007 T20 World Cup.
Read Also :- Five Best Cricket Stadiums In The West Indies
2. St. George’s Park | Port Elizabeth
St. George’s Park Cricket Stadium is located in Port Elizabeth and is one of the oldest cricket fields in South Africa with the capacity of 19,000 spectators.
St. George’s Park in Port Elizabeth is the venue for South Africa’s first test match. In 1889, the St. George’s Cricket Stadium in South Africa played host to the first-ever test match between South Africa and England.
3. Buffalo Park | East London
Even though it is a smaller stadium compared to other cricket grounds, Buffalo Park is still one of the most amazing cricket grounds in the world. It was here that Waqar Younis accomplished a historic hat-trick and the West Indies’ Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Carl Hooper established a new record of 226 runs for the fourth-wicket partnership.
In October 2002, South Africa’s first test at Buffalo Park was against Bangladesh. The first ODI in South Africa was in 1992, and it was played between the countries of South Africa and India, in which India emerged victorious.
4. Newlands Cricket Ground | Cape Town
The surrounding clouds, mountains, and forests not only enhance the beauty of Newlands Cricket Ground, but also contribute to the creation of an extraordinary atmosphere. On the other hand, Newlands Cricket Ground in South Africa has the capacity of more than 25,000 persons.
Newlands became an international cricket stadium more than a hundred years ago when it welcomed the first Test match in March 1889 between England and South Africa. Newlands hosted its first ODI in 1992, and Hansie Cronje bowled for 5 runs and 32 wickets to help South Africa win against India by 6 wickets.
The South African cricket lovers are very happy that the place has always been nice to the national team in limited-overs international cricket.
5. SuperSport Park | Centurion
SuperSport Park, very likely the best cricket stadium in South Africa, has been the venue for some of the most dazzling international cricket contests.
December 1992 marked the month of the very first ODI at the stadium. In this match, India beat South Africa by 4 wickets. Eventually, the first test match between South Africa and England took place at this venue in 1995, but the match ended in a stalemate.
