Durban — The Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Cricket Stadium in Durban celebrates 100 not out on Wednesday.
Wednesday marks exactly 100 years since Kingsmead hosted its first Test match, between South Africa and England, in 1923.
Memorable cricket matches have been played at Kingsmead over the past century, including the famous Timeless Test Match that lasted 10 days in 1939, and the unforgettable showdown between Indian batter Yuvraj Singh and Stuart Broad, which resulted in six sixes in an over, at the inaugural ICC T20 World Cup in 2007.
The record-breaking partnership between local heroes David Miller and Andile Phehlukwayo that sealed the win for South African against Australia in a one-day international in 2017, along witha record-breaking, match-winning spell from Keshav Maharaj against Bangladesh in a Test played last year.
Kingsmead is one of South Africa’s premier cricketing venues and home to the KwaZulu-Natal Cricket Union and Hollywoodbets Dolphins, and has cemented itself as one of the country’s most iconic stadiums. With the recent investment from stadium sponsor Hollywoodbets and various other partners, it continues to evolve into a place that puts spectator satisfaction at the heart.
The president of the KZN Cricket Union, Yunus Bobat, is proud that the ground has stood the test of time.
“Over the past 100 years, Kingsmead has created exciting, historic and unforgettable moments that both defined and showcased the essence of our beautiful game,” Bobat said.
“We are thrilled to be able to celebrate this remarkable milestone as we reflect on what was, build on what is and inspire what is still to come.”
The stadium remains historically significant in the cricketing landscape of the country and for KZN Cricket chief executive Heinrich Strydom, they hope to continue to honour the legacy of the ground throughout the coming months.
“Kingsmead Stadium is a well-known icon within the cricketing world, and we are honoured to be celebrating a century of memories since that first Test match commenced on January 18, 1923,” Strydom said.
“One hundred years later, 2023 will be a year full of events and opportunities as we celebrate this remarkable milestone with our incredible fans and partners, and all those players and officials who have graced this hallowed turf, who have sparked the magic and brilliance that is Kingsmead Stadium.”
Daily News