Melbourne Cricket Pitch Report | Ground Capacity | Records

Melbourne Cricket Ground, popularly known as The G, was established in 1853. The stadium is near Rod Laver Arena, Hisense Arena, and AAMI Park, forming an essential ground for the Melbourne sports precinct. Over the years, this ground played a necessary part in Cricket, Soccer, Football, and Rugby.

Built In:	1853
Capacity:	100,024
Home Teams:	Victoria Cricket Team Melbourne Stars
End Names:	Members End Great Southern Stand End
Ground Size:	171M Wide 146M Long

Table of Contents

History

From 1854 to 1876, two grandstands for visitors and a stand for members were developed on the ground. In 1897, a second-tier was added to the stands, while in the early 20th century, new stands were built, demolishing the old, broken material. In 2005, the Olympic, members’, and Ponsford stands were flattened to make new comfortable seating. Recently in 2020, new floodlights and rooftop lights were installed for a better view.

Capacity

In 1861, the first grandstand for visitors had a seating capacity of 6,000 people. Many developments have happened since then by demolishing and making new seating places. Right now, the seating capacity of this ground is 100,024 people, placing it second on the list of largest cricket grounds by capacity.

Seating Plan

The ground is surrounded by seven gates and four stands, which are divided into four different levels. One hundred nine executive suites are available, and a stand is reserved for members only. Every stand contains a corporate room, suite, cafe, or bar for dining.

Parking

There are various parking garages around the stadium and sports club; the cheapest option would be the eastern car park service at 7$; prices differ according to the event. For free parking, you can find a street in Wellington Parade with a walking distance of 12-15 minutes.

Pitch Report

The stadium’s pitch is favorable to both batters and bowlers; bouncers get a slight advantage at the start, but batters can score freely after some time. However, it’s not spin-friendly. In 1996, it was changed to a drop-in pitch to host various matches with ease.

Notable Events & Records

The history of Melbourne cricket ground is filled with records and memorable victories. In the southern hemisphere, it is the largest cricket ground and the 11th largest globally. Some highlights of its history are:

In 1926, the highest first-class cricket score of 1107 between Victoria and New South Wales was recorded in this stadium.
In 1984, the first ODI match that ended with a tie was hosted at MCG between West Indies and Australia.
It was an essential part of the 1956 summer Olympics, also known as the Melbourne Olympics.
In 2010, the stadium hosted a game between Australia and Pakistan, where Shaun Tait bowled the world’s third-fastest bowl (160.7kph).
Some matches of the ICC Cricket World Cup of 1992 and 2015 were also played on this ground.
In 2020, the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup final was hosted on this ground between India and Australia.
This ground holds the record for the world’s tallest floodlights to date.

First Test:	15 – 19 March 1877
First ODI:	5 January 1971
First T20I:	1 February 2008
Highest Test Score:	624/8 by AUS vs PAK (2016)
Lowest Test Score:	36/10 by RSA vs AUS (1932)
Highest ODI Score:	344/8 by ICCWXI vs ASIAXI (2005)
Lowest ODI Score:	94/10 by ENG vs AUS (1979)
Highest T20 Score:	184/4 by AUSW vs INDW (2020)
Lowest T20 Score:	74/10 by IND vs AUS (2008)