Kingsmead Cricket Ground: Durban’s Coastal Test Venue Guide
A guide to Kingsmead in Durban: its history since the 1920s, seam-friendly pitch, coastal conditions and moments such as Yuvraj Singh’s six sixes in 2007.
Kingsmead is the main international cricket ground in Durban, the coastal city in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is the home of the Dolphins in domestic cricket and is also used by the Durban franchise in the SA20 league. The ground is known for its humid, seaside climate and for pitches that often reward good bowling.
History
Kingsmead has been a Test venue since 1923, which makes it one of the oldest in South Africa. Over the decades it has hosted many Tests, one-day internationals and T20 internationals, and has been redeveloped to include modern stands and floodlights. It has a capacity of about 25,000, and is located close to the Durban beachfront.
Pitch and conditions
Durban’s warm and humid weather often brings swing in the early overs, and the pitch has traditionally offered pace and carry for seam bowlers. Batters who survive the opening spells can score well, and the outfield is fast. In day-night games dew and floodlights can change the balance, while summer storms are a regular source of interruptions.
Memorable moments
The ground is perhaps best known for one over in September 2007, during the first T20 World Cup. Yuvraj Singh hit six sixes in an over from the England bowler Stuart Broad, a feat then unprecedented in men’s T20 internationals. The venue also staged matches at the 2003 men’s World Cup and the 2007 T20 World Cup, and it has been the setting for numerous competitive Tests, including those in which South Africa have defended narrow leads against touring teams.
The venue today
Kingsmead remains a regular stop for visiting international teams, often hosting a Test around the Christmas period, as well as T20 matches. Its coastal location, warm crowds and bowling-friendly conditions give it a different flavour from the high-altitude grounds of Johannesburg and Centurion.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Kingsmead cricket ground?
It is in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, close to the city’s beachfront.
What is Kingsmead famous for?
It is known for its coastal conditions and for Yuvraj Singh’s six sixes in an over against England in the 2007 T20 World Cup.
Does the pitch favour bowlers or batters?
It has traditionally helped seam and swing bowlers early on, though batters can score well once they are set.