Salem Oval
The Salem Oval is a cricket ground lying by the village of Salem on Montserrat. The ground was built in 2000 following the destruction of Sturge Park, formerly Montserrat's cricket ground which was in Plymouth: the town and the cricket ground were destroyed in the Soufriere Hills eruption of 1997.
History
The ground was completed by the year 2000, with the first match held at the ground seeing Montserrat play a minor match against Antigua and Barbuda.[1] The following year, the touring South Africans played at the ground against the University of West Indies Vice-Chancellor's XI: half the islands population reportedly attended the match.[2][3][1]
Even the South Africa match did not hold first-class status, and it was not until 2003 that first-class cricket returned to Montserrat when the Leeward Islands played West Indies B in the 2002/03 Carib Beer Cup. The ground has held two more first-class matches for the Leeward Islands, one in the 2004/05 Carib Beer Cup against Trinidad and Tobago and another in the 2007/08 Carib Beer Cup against Barbados.[4] Seven first-class centuries have been scored at Salem,[5] while five five-wicket hauls have been taken. Montserrat continue to play minor matches there, with the ground serving as their main home ground.[1]
Records
First-class
- Highest team total: 579 all out by Trinidad and Tobago v Leeward Islands, 2004/05[6]
- Lowest team total: 191 all out by West Indies B v Leeward Islands, 2002/03[7]
- Highest individual innings: 265 by Daren Ganga for Trinidad and Tobago v Leeward Islands, 2004/05[5]
- Best bowling in an innings: 6/153 by Omari Banks for Leeward Islands v Trinidad and Tobago, 2004/05[8]
Outside links
- Location map: 16°44’52"N, 62°13’21"W
- Salem Oval at CricketArchive
- Salem Oval at ESPNcricinfo
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Other matches played on Salem Oval, Salem". CricketArchive. http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/30/1921_misc.html. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
- ↑ Prior, Marcus (12 April 2001). "South Africa dismiss Vice-Chancellor' XI cheaply at Montserrat". ESPNcricinfo. http://www.espncricinfo.com/southafrica/content/story/95184.html. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
- ↑ Prior, Marcus (12 April 2001). "South Africans keep heads in Montserrat". ESPNcricinfo. http://www.espncricinfo.com/southafrica/content/story/95191.html. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
- ↑ "First-Class Matches played on Salem Oval, Salem". CricketArchive. http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/30/1921_f.html. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Salem Oval, Salem - Centuries in first-class cricket". CricketArchive. http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/30/1921/f_Centuries.html. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
- ↑ "Salem Oval, Salem - Highest Team Totals in first-class cricket". CricketArchive. http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/30/1921/f_Highest_Team_Totals.html. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
- ↑ "Leeward Islands v West Indies B, 2002/03". CricketArchive. http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/76/76670.html. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
- ↑ "Leeward Islands v Trinidad and Tobago, 2004/05". CricketArchive. http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/81/81754.html. Retrieved 7 October 2012.