Harare Sports Club

Harare Sports Club
Ground information
Location Harare, Zimbabwe
Coordinates 17°48′50.67″S 31°3′2.08″E / 17.8140750°S 31.0505778°E / -17.8140750; 31.0505778Coordinates: 17°48′50.67″S 31°3′2.08″E / 17.8140750°S 31.0505778°E / -17.8140750; 31.0505778
Establishment 1900
Capacity 10,000
Owner Zimbabwe Cricket
Operator Zimbabwe Cricket
Tenants Zimbabwe national cricket team
Rhodesia cricket team
Mashonaland cricket team
Mashonaland Eagles
End names
Prayag End
Cycle Pure End
International information
First Test 18–22 October 1992:
 Zimbabwe v  India
Last Test 6–10 November 2016:
 Zimbabwe v  Sri Lanka
First ODI 25 October 1992:
 Zimbabwe v  India
Last ODI 23 March 2018:
 Afghanistan v  Ireland
First T20I 12 June 2010:
 Zimbabwe v  India
Last T20I 8 July 2018:
 Australia v  Pakistan
Team information
Rhodesia (1910–1979)
Mashonaland (1923–2008)
Mashonaland Eagles (2009–present)
As of 8 July 2018
Source: Cricinfo

Harare Sports Club is a sports club and multi-purpose stadium in Harare, Zimbabwe. Founded in 1900[1] and known as Salisbury Sports Club until 1982, it is mostly used for cricket matches, and has served as the primary cricket venue in Rhodesia and Zimbabwe since its foundation. Other sports played at the club are rugby, tennis, golf and squash.

History

The earliest recorded first-class cricket match at Salisbury Sports Club was played in 1910. In the years between World War II and independence from the United Kingdom, the ground hosted several of Rhodesia's home matches in the Currie Cup, South Africa's main domestic first-class competition.[2]

The first List A match at the ground was played in September 1980, shortly after independence.[3] During the 1980s and early 1990s, the ground frequently hosted first-class and List A matches between the Zimbabwe national team and touring national 'A', 'B' and youth teams.

In July 1992, Zimbabwe became a full member of the International Cricket Council (ICC), thus obtaining Test status. Three months later, Harare Sports Club hosted the country's inaugural Test match, against India. Soon after, the ground played host to its first One Day International, also against India. In February 1995, HSC was the site of Zimbabwe's first-ever Test win, against Pakistan.[4]

The venue

The ground is surrounded by Jacaranda trees and with a beautiful gabled pavilion, Harare Sports Club is in the heart of the city. It is bordered by the heavily guarded presidential palace on one side and the prestigious Royal Harare Golf Club on another.

HSC hosted Zimbabwe's first Test in October 1992 and has been the country's major Test and one-day venue since. Although the club itself does not possess any of the major stands associated with major sports grounds, the capacity of around 10,000 can be increased by the use of temporary stands a record crowd of 26,000 saw Rhodesia play the MCC in 1956.[4]

However, that capacity is rarely tested and even games against major touring sides fail to draw any other than moderate crowds. The main social centre is the pavilion with its popular bar and the other end of the ground is home to Castle Corner, the alternative and usually lively bar.

This ground is home to the domestic team Mashonaland Eagles. HSC is also home to the Zimbabwe Cricket Union, the country's cricket board.

The ground has a capacity of 10,000.[4] In October 2010 Zimbabwe Cricket announced that the planned renovations to the Harare Sports Club and the Mutare Sports Club to be prepared in time for the fledgling Domestic Twenty-20 tournament in November.

The work will include an increase in the availability of seats, spectator facilities, training facilities and also Ground facilities floodlights also might be installed for day/night matches. The revamps are being done also to help Zimbabwe to return to Test cricket.[5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Menon, Mohandas (15 June 2001). "Harare Sports Club ground at a glance". The Hindu. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  2. ↑ "First-Class Matches played on Harare Sports Club, Harare". CricketArchive. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  3. ↑ "List A Matches played on Harare Sports Club, Harare". CricketArchive. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 Heatley, pp. 191.
  5. ↑ http://www.cricinfo.com/zimbabwe/content/story/481066.html
  • Heatley, Michael (2009). World Cricket Grounds: A Panoramic Vision. Compendium. ISBN 978-1-905573-01-1.
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