(by Andrew Hignell)
Spytty Park in Newport will become this morning the 13th home venue used by Glamorgan to host County Championship cricket. The well-appointed ground in Newport will also become Glamorgan’s first new location for a County Championship for 36 years, with the most recent being Avenue Road in Abergavenny which hosted its inaugural County Championship encounter in June 1983. This particular match took place during an era when the premier county competition encompassed three-day matches so today’s contest against Gloucestershire will be the first time a new venue has begun with a four-day game.
Below is the full list of home venues used previously by the Welsh county for County Championship cricket, together with the date of their first-ever Championship match:
Cardiff Arms Park – 18 May 1921 v Sussex
St. Helen’s, Swansea – 28 May 1921 v Leicestershire
Ynysangharad Park, Pontypridd – 3 July 1926 v Derbyshire
The Broad Shoard, Cowbridge – 25 July 1931 v Northamptonshire
Stradey Park, Llanelli – 24 June 1933 v Worcestershire
The Gnoll, Neath – 14 July 1934 v Essex
Rodney Parade, Newport – 6 July 1935 v Leicestershire
Welfare Ground, Ebbw Vale – 22 June 1946 v Worcestershire
Steel Company of Wales, Margam – 3 September 1960 v Sussex
Colwyn Bay CC (Rhos-on-Sea) – 27 August 1966 v Derbyshire
Sophia Gardens, Cardiff – 7 June 1967 v Northamptonshire
Avenue Road, Abergavenny – 22 June 1983 v Worcestershire