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About Lord's Cricket Ground

Official site
http://www.lords.org/

Capacity: 6,500

Location: NW8

Status
Lord's Cricket Ground is a permanent venue and will continue to serve as the traditional home of cricket after the 2012 Olympics.

About Lord's Cricket Ground

During the earlier times, cricket like other contemporary sports such as shooting and fox-hunting was mainly an indulgence of the nobility class. In order to maintain the exclusivity, a private ground was created by Thomas Lord after being approached by Lord Winchilsea (the 9th Earl of Winchilsea). The Lord's Cricket Ground was initially located at Dorset Fields in Marylebone - now the Dorset Square. After a dispute, Lord's Cricket Ground was moved to Lord's Cricket Ground Middle Ground at Lisson Grove. This remained the home of Lord's Cricket Ground from 1811 till 1813. The Lord's Cricket Ground was finally established at its current location in 1813. The site was then a rustic ground which was created out of a duck pond. The first match between Marylebone Cricket Club versus Hertfordshire was played here on 22 June, 1814. The upgrading of facilities on the ground began when Lord decided to build a Pavilion and refreshment stalls after seeing the growing popularity of the ground amongst cricket enthusiasts and players.

The popularity grew further, when in 1805 dukes and earls hired the ground to watch their sons play for an Eton versus Harrow schools cricket match. The Lord's Cricket Ground changed hands in 1825 when Thomas Lord sold the ground to William Ward for a princely sum of £5,000. A fire broke out at the Pavilion in the eventful year of 1825, partly destroying the archived scorecards, records and trophies. The salvaging and replacement work commenced immediately, and a new look Pavilion opened in the following year. Lord's Cricket Ground embarked on a transformation path as a versatile venue when a tennis court was built in 1838 on the site where the Mound Stand resides today. The first scoreboard was installed in 1846. Amusingly, the wicket in those times was prepared by allowing sheep to graze the grass. The mowing machine was used for the first time in 1864.

Based on the design by the architect Arthur Allom, construction of the first Grand Stand was completed in 1867.

Lord's Cricket Ground has been the headquarters for Marylebone Cricket Club since 1866 when the club bought the cricket ground. More popularly referred to as MCC, the Marylebone Cricket Club was founded in 1787 and till date remains a guarding body to cricketing laws. The Lord's Cricket Ground campus houses the MCC Museum which displays the most celebrated collection of cricket memorabilia. In 1888, Lord's Cricket Ground overcame a challenge for its existence when a bill to take over the ground for extensive railway development was rejected.

In 1889, the MCC approached a prominent gin distiller by the name of William Nicholson for a loan of £ 21,000, and a foundation stone for the terracotta-coloured pavilion was laid. It was opened to public in the following year. The Pavilion can lay claim as one of the sporting world's most recognisable structures.

It was during 1898 and 1899 that the tennis court was shifted behind the Pavilion and the first Mound Stand erected on the site. It also housed a bakery and had a small underground railway to ingeniously transport the bakery products to various outlets.

In order to attract financial help from the British government, the MCC, essentially a private club, in 1900 formed a Cricket Council as the governing body and designated Test and County Cricket Board (TCCB) to administer the professional game.

The first press box was built in 1906. In 1926 the second grand stand was built replacing the old one, and one of the Lord's Cricket Ground most distinctive features, the Father Time weather-vane, presented by the architect Sir Herbert Baker was installed. Harris Garden was made in 1934 as a remembrance to Lord Harris, who apart from being a prolific cricketer had also served as a minister in the House of Lords and was appointed as Governor of Bombay. It was also during this time that the 'Q' stand was built which was distinguishable by an ivy vine cover over it. The Q stand was renamed as Allen Stand in 1989 known as one year after the 150th anniversary of MCC in 1938. TV cameras were used to broadcast live pictures during a test match for the first time. A very popular picnic spot frequented by the Lord's Cricket Ground regulars and graced by the statue of the cricketing legend Dr. W. G. Grace, is the Coronation Garden which was made in 1953. Warner Stand erected in 1958 and designed by Kenneth Peacock stands impressively in front of the Coronation Garden. The newer Lord's Cricket Ground Tavern located near the Grace Gate was opened in 1967. It is now known as the Lord's Cricket Ground Tavern Bar & Brasserie after its refurbishment in 2004. It now has a chic interior adorned by photos of famous cricketers and an ever changing European menu. Some of the recommended delicacies are pan-fried crab cakes with saffron mayonnaise and spicy leaves or a braised lamb, leek and wild mushroom pie with Savoy cabbage and parsley mash. The old tavern was replaced by a new stand which was opened in 1968. The third grand stand designed by Nicholas Grimshaw was constructed in 1998.

A highly noticeable feature is a significant slope which traverses across the ground from north-west side to the south-east side. The most captivating feature on the ground is the symbolically eye shaped architectural marvel - the futuristic Media Centre, opened in 1999 to welcome the new millennium at Lord's Cricket Ground.

The MCC Museum and the Long Room are full of curiosities, photos and objects of art associated with cricket. The Long Room creates an ambience of continuity through the art works on display from the early days of cricket to the wonderful portraits of 20th century players. Not to be missed at the museum is the famous Ashes Urn, fiercely guarded by the English cricket team against the Australians. These are but a few prominent examples amongst the seemingly endless rare cricket memorabilia which embellish the interiors of the two buildings.

An expecting father concerned about his pregnant wife's well-being keeps calling the hospital. Accidentally he connects to the Lord's Cricket Ground and the operator who answers with indifference: "We've got three out and hope to have the rest out before lunch. The last one was a duck."