Grace Road

Leicester, England

Records and statistics

Profile

Leicestershire Cricket Ground Co bought 16 acres of land from the Duke of Rutland in 1877 and spent the massive sum of £40,000 on developing a cricket club, athletic track and hotel. The first match was played on April 22, 1878 and three months later the venue staged a game against the touring Australians. In 1898, Leicestershire actually beat the Australians. In 1901, the county decided that the ground was too far from the town centre to be economically viable, and they switched to the more central Aylestone Road. They moved out in the war and never returned, instead reverting to Grace Road in 1946, but as tennants of the City Boys Grammar School who by then owned the land. Leicestershire finally reacquired the ground in 1966 and throughout the 1970s and 1980s the venue was improved. so much so that it was awarded two ODIs during the 1999 World Cup. The record attendance was not then, however, but the 16,000 who watched the match against the touring 1948 Australians.
Martin Williamson

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Notes

Travel
Train - Leicester is the nearest train station, 2 miles from the ground
Car - Leave the M1 at Junction 21. There is a large car park at the Bennett End of the ground, entrance at Curzon Road, which can accommodate 300 cars and is signposted from both Saffron Lane and Aylestone Road.
Map Click here
Hotels Click here

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Latest Photos

Jul 14, 2007

Friends of Grace Road protest against the pending closure of their shop
© Jon Hall/Cricinfo

1964

A general view of Leicester in 1964
© Playfair Cricket Monthly

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