Venues
Sophia Gardens became England’s newest Test venue when it hosted the first Ashes Test of the 2009 series. The ground is also remembered for Bangladesh’s historic ODI win over Australia in 2005, which was scripted courtesy a fine century by Mohammad Ashraful.
Glamorgan first played at Sophia Gardens against the touring Indian team in May 1967, but it was not until nearly three decades later that it officially became the county's home. The signing of a 125-year lease in November 1995 ended the club's 74-year search for a ground.
The area where the cricket pitch now stands has a colourful history, having once played host to a 'Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show' and 'Barnum and Bailey's travelling circus and menagerie'. One wonders whether Glamorgan's fans would secretly welcome a return to those long gone days, having suffered from their team's mediocrity in recent years.
Since Glamorgan officially took over the ground in 1995, several improvements have taken place as part of a nine-million pound strategic plan. The National Cricket Centre was finished in 1999, the same year that the ground played host to Australia's contest with New Zealand in the group stages of the World Cup.
The seating capacity at the ground is 12,000.
About Cardiff:
Cardiff is the capital and the largest city of Wales. It is a modern city which houses one of the UK’s best international arenas – The Millennium Stadium - which will host the football leg of the 2012 London Olympics. It is cosmopolitan and has been transformed more recently into an education hub.
