Black Caps to play England, Australia and India at Hagley Oval
Christchurch City Council has finalised its loan agreement details of a rates-neutral $1 million to the Canterbury Cricket Trust to help pay for six new sports floodlights at Hagley Oval.
It will also give Christchurch enormous international exposure, which is very important for our tourism industry, particularly following on from Covid-19 and its impacts.
Welcome to Hagley Oval Christchurch New Zealand
Hagley Oval is a cricket ground located on South Hagley Park in the central city of Christchurch a short walk from Antigua Boatsheds.
The first recorded match on the ground was in 1867 when Canterbury cricket team hosted Otago cricket team, although a game is said to have been played there in 1851.
A central Christchurch location is superb for both game and city.
The accessibility and convenience of a central location encourages ongoing support and enthusiasm for the game, while becoming a feature and attraction within a city.
Now as a international cricket ground, it contributes to the city’s overall personality, culture and appeal.
Function Room Hire
The Hagley Oval and its Pavilion, located in the heart of Christchurch, offer excellent meeting and event facilities for a wide range of groups, businesses and community uses.
The Lexus of Christchurch Pavilion lounge is flooded with natural daylight and boasts outstanding views of the Oval wicket.
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History of our Hagley Oval
History of the Hagley Oval
To some Hagley Oval’s history aligns itself with the first days of Christchurch.
“Cricket in Canterbury had a natural birth. The settlement in 1850 was a planned reproductions of a piece of England in a strange land 12,000 miles away. It was a church-based design, but the bat went with the bible, for if there was to be another England, there most certainly had to be cricket.”
R.T. Brittenden, Great Days in New Zealand Cricket,
Just six months after the arrival of the first four ships, the settlers to this land of Christchurch had formed their very own cricket club. A short time later, as part of Founders’ Day celebrations on 16 December 1851, an enthusiastic game ensured the verdant roots of cricket, and those of the city’s settlers, were well and truly laid.
Since then Hagley Oval has since been identified and documented as the cornerstone of Canterbury and New Zealand cricketing activity. During the early decades the Oval hosted a series of inter-provincial matches, as well as the occasional international fixture. However Cricket and rugby shared Lancaster Park from after World War I until well into the 1990’s.
A return to Hagley Oval was deemed best for Christchurch cricket and in 2006/7 the Canterbury Cricket Association determined to prioritise it as its preferred venue. The Canterbury Cricket Trust was established and the Hagley Pavilion designs were developed by early 2011.
Although there was some strong opposition from people who believed that Hagley park should be left as a park only and cricket or other sports have no place there.
An earthquake occurred in Christchurch on 22 February 2011 at 12:51 p.m. and registered 6.3 on the Richter scale. The earthquake caused widespread damage across Christchurch, killing 185 people and injuring several thousand in the nation’s second deadliest natural disaster.
AMI Stadium at Lancaster Park closed indefinitely because of the severe damage sustained during the earthquake.
Now Cricket really needed a home!!.
Hagley Oval Pavilion was officially opened on Monday 15 September 2013
The building was officially named the Hadlee Pavilion on 23 December 2014.
This ground is now an asset to the city of Christchurch being perhaps recognised as one of two purpose built true international cricket grounds with decent boundaries.
Even some of those that don’t follow the game have enjoyed a sunny day/evening sitting on the grass watching their national team play the game of cricket.
