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 Interactive map of Racecourse Ground | |||||||
| Ground information | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Location | Durham,County Durham | ||||||
| Country | England | ||||||
| Coordinates | 54°46′30″N1°33′57″W / 54.77500°N 1.56583°W /54.77500; -1.56583 | ||||||
| Home club | Durham University | ||||||
| County club | Durham | ||||||
| Establishment | 1843 or earlier | ||||||
| Capacity | 8500 | ||||||
| End names | |||||||
| City End Pavilion End | |||||||
| International information | |||||||
| First WODI | 16 July 2002: England v New Zealand | ||||||
| Last WODI | 17 July 2002: India v New Zealand | ||||||
| Team information | |||||||
| |||||||
| As of 6 September 2020 Source:CricketArchive | |||||||
The Racecourse is an open area on theRiver Wear inDurham, England of 11.6 hectares (29 acres) total that has been used as a sports ground since at least 1733. It forms part ofDurham University's sports facilities as well as hosting local sports clubs.[1] The Racecourse cricket ground, which has hosted first class matches, has been used since at least 1843, and is the home ground ofDurham University's cricket team. The Racecourse also containssquash,tennis andfives courts,rugby,hockey andfootball pitches, andboathouses.
As well as use by Durham University, the Racecourse is known for hosting two annual events, theDurham Regatta andDurham Miners' Gala.[2] With the exception of the riverside path, which is owned byDurham County Council, the Racecourse is owned by Durham University.[1]
Before it was a racecourse, the Racecourse was known as Smelt Haugh or Smiddy Haughs and is thought to have been asmithy for the Prior of Durham.[2] It was first recorded as being used forhorse racing in 1733. At its peak, the course had a stone grandstand and attracted 80,000 spectators for a two-day event in 1873. Racing continued at the site until around 1887.[2] From 1815 there was an annual boat procession along the River Wear at the Racecourse, celebrating Wellington's victory at theBattle of Waterloo. In 1834 this became theDurham Regatta, the second oldest regatta in England.[2][3] TheDurham Miners' Gala (established 1871) has been held annually at the Racecourse since 1872.[4]
Cricket has been played on the Racecourse since at least 1843, when Durham University played the first recorded game there. This predatesCambridge's first game atFenner's (1848) andOxford's first game atThe Parks (1881), making the Racecourse the oldest university cricket ground in England still in use. In the 1840s the land was owned by theBishop of Chester, who leased it to Durham City Cricket Club (established in 1829) in 1844. By the late 1840s, however, the lease had passed to the university. There is a 19th century drawing of a "Grand cricket match at Durham" atUniversity College, Durham, attributed toCuthbert Bede and dated 1848; it was probably published in 1849 in theIllustrated London News.[5] Durham City Cricket Club continued to play at The Racecourse cricket ground until 1887, when they moved "amid mutterings of discontent" toGreen Lane Cricket Ground at the east end of the Racecourse. Horse racing was also stopped by the university at the same time, so from 1888 the ground was solely used by the university.[6]
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On 16–17 June 2012 the Racecourse hosted theOlympic torch as part of theLondon 2012Olympic torch relay.[7]
The Racecourse was added to the County Durhamlocal list in 2023.[8]
The Racecourse's most significant facility is itscricket ground, which has been used by Durham University since 1843.[9] It has a capacity of 8,500 (2015).[10]
The Racecourse cricket ground stands at the west end of the Racecourse. It hostedDurham County Cricket Club's first competitive match as afirst-class county in 1992, againstLeicestershire in theSunday League, watched by a crowd of "somewhere close to 10,000".[11][12][13] Between 1992 and 1994, Durham CCC played seven games there in theCounty Championship, sevenList A games and a three-day game againstAustralia, which was notable for beingIan Botham's last match as a professional cricketer.[14][15] Since Durham CCC moved intoThe Riverside Ground, which was completed in 1995, the ground has continued to host Durham University, Durham University Centre of Cricketing Excellence and Durham MCC University matches, which included 19 first-class matches against County sides as well as games in theMCC Universities Championship andBUCS Premier League.[14] It was also used from 2000 - 2008 as the home for Durham CCC's Academy team, which played 50 North East Premier League matches on the ground.[14] In 2007, it also hosted a three-day match between the touringWest Indies team and theMCC.[16] and a one-day match between the MCC and the touringBangladesh A team in 2008.[17]
It hosted two women's one-day internationals in 2002 (England vsNew Zealand andIndia vs New Zealand) as part of the2002 Women's Tri-Series,[18] as well as England women's development squad vs India as part ofIndia women's cricket team's 2002 tour, and aDurham Women one-day match againstLancashire Women in 2014,[19] all retrospectively considered to have been List A matches.[20]
The ground has hosted 28first-class matches (excluding one abandoned without play) and 12List A matches as of August 2022.[14] It has also hosted fourSecond XI Championship matches as of August 2024: three forDurham County Second XI in 2006, 2007 and 2023 and one in 2011 with Marylebone Cricket Club Universities as the home team.[21]
Game Information:
| Game Type | No. of Games |
|---|---|
| County Championship matches | 7 |
| University matches (with first class status) | 19 |
| Tour matches | 2 |
| Totalfirst class matches | 28 |
| Limited-over county matches | 7 |
| Limited-over tour matches | 1 |
| Women's one-day internationals | 2 |
| Women's limited-over county matches | 1 |
| Women's limited-over tour matches | 1 |
| TotalList A matches | 12 |
Game Statistics: first-class:
| Category | Information |
|---|---|
| Highest Team Score | West Indies (534/8dec againstMCC) in 2007 |
| Lowest Team Score | Durham UCCE (46 againstNottinghamshire) in 2006 |
| Best Batting Performance | Runako Morton (201 Runs forWest Indies againstMCC in 2007 |
| Best Bowling Performance | Simon Brown (7/70 forDurham againstAustralia) in 1992 |
Game Statistics: one-day matches:
| Category | Information |
|---|---|
| Highest Team Score | Surrey (330/6 in 39 overs againstDurham) in 1992 |
| Lowest Team Score | Derbyshire (169 in 44 overs againstDurham) in 1993 |
| Best Batting Performance | Darren Bicknell (125 Runs forSurrey againstDurham) in 1992 |
| Best Bowling Performance | Neil Lenham (5/28 forSussex againstDurham) in 1993 |
The Racecourse has around 20 acres (8 ha) of university sports fields. In addition to the cricket ground, these include grass pitches for rugby, football and hockey. The cricket pavilion also houses two fives courts and two squash courts.[22] TheDurham Amateur Rowing Club boathouse is located at the east (up stream) end of the Racecourse, whileSt Cuthbert's Society Boat Club is at the west (down stream) end.
In the eastern part of the Racecourse is Durham City'sGreen Lane Cricket Ground, which has been used for cricket since at least 1866[23] and was used byDurham County Cricket Club (then aminor county) in theMinor Counties Cricket Championship in 1899, 1904 and 1975 to 1984,[24] and in theMinor Counties Trophy in 1988 and 1989.[25] It hosted a single List A match for the county in 1979[26] and has hosted 16 List A matches forDurham Women.[27] There is abowling green adjacent to Green Lane cricket ground which is used by Durham City Bowling Club.[1]
Durham Miners' Gala was first held at the Racecourse in 1872, which was the gala's second edition. All editions of the gala have since been held at the Racecourse. The event is typically held in mid-July, though has on occasions been held in August.[4] The Racecourse is the location of the speeches held at the culmination of the Gala march. At its peak, 250,000 people attended the Gala.
Durham Regatta has been held annually at the Racecourse since 1834 and is the second oldestregatta in England. The 700 m (2,300 ft) short (regatta) course starts at the east end of the Racecourse and ends at the west end, while the 1,800 m (5,900 ft) long (championship) course continues around the city and throughElvet Bridge to finish just beforePrebends Bridge.[28]
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