Mangaung Oval Explained

Ground Name:Mangaung Oval
Nickname:Springbok Park, OUTsurance Oval,
Goodyear Park
Country:South Africa
Location:Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa
Coordinates:-29.1167°N 26.2053°W
Establishment:1989
Seating Capacity:20,000
Owner:Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality
Operator:Free State
Tenants:Free State
End1:Loch Logan End
End2:Willows End
International:true
Firsttestdate:29 Oct – 1 Nov
Firsttestyear:1999
Firsttesthome:South Africa
Firsttestaway:Zimbabwe
Lasttestdate:6–10 October
Lasttestyear:2017
Lasttesthome:South Africa
Lasttestaway:Bangladesh
Firstodidate:15 December
Firstodiyear:1992
Firstodihome:South Africa
Firstodihomevar:1928
Firstodiaway:India
Lastodidate:29 January
Lastodiyear:2023
Lastodihome:South Africa
Lastodiaway:England
Firstt20idate:8 October
Firstt20iyear:2010
Firstt20ihome:South Africa
Firstt20iaway:Zimbabwe
Lastt20idate:26 October
Lastt20iyear:2017
Lastt20ihome:South Africa
Lastt20iaway:Bangladesh
Onlywodidate:14 May
Onlywodiyear:2018
Onlywodihome:South Africa
Onlywodiaway:Bangladesh
Firstwt20idate:19 May
Firstwt20iyear:2018
Firstwt20ihome:South Africa
Firstwt20iaway:Bangladesh
Lastwt20idate:20 May
Lastwt20iyear:2018
Lastwt20ihome:South Africa
Lastwt20iaway:Bangladesh
Year1:1989-present
Club1:Free State
Year2:2004-present
Club2:Knights
Date:29 January 2023
Source:http://content-www.cricinfo.com/england/content/ground/59042.html Cricinfo

Mangaung Oval, previously known as Springbok Park, Chevrolet Park, Goodyear Park, and OUTsurance Oval, is a cricket oval in Bloemfontein, South Africa. It is currently used mostly for cricket matches. It is the home of the Knights cricket team. The stadium holds 20,000 people and opened in 1989.

History

The ground hosted its first one-day international in December 1992 when South Africa cruised to an eight-wicket victory over India. In October 1999 it was accorded full Test status with the visit of Zimbabwe.[1]

Early in 1994 at the ground Hansie Cronje smashed 251 with 28 fours and six sixes against the touring Australians. The ground played its part in South African Test history when, fittingly, Allan Donald, who as a Free State cricketer played many times at the ground, became the first South African to capture 300 Test wickets during the First Test against New Zealand in November 2000.[1]

In March 2003 Feiko Kloppenburg and Klaas-Jan van Noortwijk of The Netherlands scored a century in the same match as Netherlands posted their only win in 2003 Cricket World Cup against Namibia.[2]

On 7 March 2007, Irish vocal pop band Westlife held a concert for The Love Tour supporting their album The Love Album. This was the stadium where Colin Ingram scored his maiden ODI century in his first international match, the first South African to score a century on his ODI debut.[3]

Springbok Park boasts some of the best lights in the country and is regularly used for day/night matches, when the grassy banks become colourfully filled with spectators and a carnival atmosphere prevails. It is just 10 minutes walk from the city centre, with Bloemfontein coach station adjacent to the ground.[1]

A naming rights arrangement saw the ground renamed Goodyear Park due to sponsorship by the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company until the 2007/08 season when it was renamed the OUTsurance Oval. It has since been renamed again as Mangaung Oval.

Zimbabwe are scheduled to play South Africa in a one-off test in March 2024.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Mangaung Oval . Cricinfo . 4 November 2020.
  2. Web site: 39th Match, Bloemfontein, Mar 3 2003, ICC World Cup . Cricinfo . 4 November 2020.
  3. Web site: South Africa v Zimbabwe 2010-11 . CricketArchive . 4 November 2020.