Sydney Cricket Ground

SCG
During the fifth ODI between Australia and India.
Ground information
Location	Moore Park,Sydney,New South Wales
Coordinates	33°53′30″S151°13′29″E / 33.89167°S 151.22472°E /-33.89167; 151.22472
Establishment	1851; 174 years ago (1851)
Capacity	48,000[1][2]
Owner	Government of New South Wales viaVenues NSW
Operator	Venues NSW
Tenants	Cricket Australia national cricket team New South Wales cricket team Sydney Sixers (BBL) Sydney Sixers (WBBL) Australian Rules Sydney Swans (AFL)
End names
Paddington End (Northern End) Randwick End (Southern End)
International information
First Test	17–21 February 1882:  Australia v England
Last Test	3–5 January 2025:  Australia v India
First ODI	13 January 1979:  Australia v England
Last ODI	4 February 2024:  Australia v West Indies
First T20I	9 January 2007:  Australia v England
Last T20I	9 November 2022:  New Zealand v Pakistan
First women's Test	4–8 January 1935:  Australia v England
Last women's Test	19–22 February 1949:  Australia v England
First WODI	29 January 2000:  Australia v England
Last WODI	12 December 2012:  Australia v New Zealand
First WT20I	15 February 2009:  Australia v New Zealand
Last WT20I	5 March 2020:  Australia v South Africa
Team information
New South Wales Blues (1878–present) Sydney Swans (AFL) (1982–present) Sydney Sixers (BBL) (2011–present) Sydney Sixers (WBBL) (2015–present) NSW Waratahs (Super Rugby) (2018–2022) Sydney Roosters (NRL) (2019–2022) North Melbourne (AFL) (1999–2002)
As of 5 January 2025 Source:Cricinfo

TheSydney Cricket Ground (SCG) is a sportsstadium in theMoore Park suburb ofSydney,New South Wales,Australia. It is used forTest,One Day International andTwenty20 cricket, as well as,Australian rules football and occasionally forrugby league,rugby union andassociation football. It is the home ground for theNew South Wales Bluescricket team, theSydney Sixers of theBig Bash League and theSydney Swans of theAustralian Football League. It is owned and operated byVenues NSW, an agency of theGovernment of New South Wales who also hold responsibility forStadium Australia and theSydney Football Stadium.

In 1811, the Governor of New South Wales,Lachlan Macquarie, established the second Sydney Common, about one-and-a-half miles (about 2,400m) wide and extending south from South Head Road (nowOxford St) to whereRandwick Racecourse is today. Part sandhills, part swamp and situated on the south-eastern fringe of the city, it was used as a rubbish dump in the 1850s, and not regarded as an ideal place for sport. In 1851, part of the Sydney Common south ofVictoria Barracks was granted to theBritish Army for use as a garden andcricket ground for the soldiers. Its first user was the11th North Devonshire Regiment which flattened and graded the southern part of the rifle range adjacent to the Barracks.

In the next couple of years, the teams from Victoria Barracks combined themselves into a more permanent organisation and called themselves the Garrison Club. The ground therefore became known as the Garrison Ground when it was first opened in February 1854.

Up until that timeHyde Park had been the main sporting and racing ground in the colony but when it was dedicated as public gardens in 1856 city cricketers and footballers had to find somewhere else to play.

In the late 1860s another part of the Sydney Common, the area west of the Garrison Ground to the then Dowling Street, was opened for public recreation. It was namedMoore Park after theMayor of Sydney, Charles Moore, who planted a number ofMoreton Bay Fig trees which exist to this day. As well as the location of Sydney's firstzoo, Moore Park was a regular venue for games between Sydney rugby clubsSydney University and the Wallaroos. Sydney at the time was a small, dense city and best navigated on foot and Moore Park was on the outskirts. It was not liked so much by cricketers because it was too far from the city.

When the commander of the Sydney garrison, Lieutenant-Colonel John Richardson, aligned his soldiers to the East Sydney Cricket Club, the Garrison Ground became known as the Civil and Military Ground. In 1870 British troops left Victoria Barracks and the future of the Civil and Military Ground became uncertain. However, with the closure of theAlbert Ground in the 1870s, theNSW Cricket Association (NSWCA) began regular use of the Civil and Military Ground.

In 1875, the NSW Government began to upgrade the ground. Despite efforts by Victoria Barracks and then the Carlingford, Redfern, Fitzroy and Albert cricket clubs to take control, the then president of the NSWCA,Richard Driver (after whom Driver Avenue outside the ground is named), persuaded the government to let the NSWCA look after the ground's administration. In 1876, the ground was dedicated by Governor SirHercules Robinson.

The NSWCA had influential supporters. Driver himself was a prominent MP and solicitor for theCity of Sydney Council. The Minister for Lands, Thomas Garrett, was also supportive; his son was about to break into the colonial side. It is hardly surprising therefore that within a couple of years of the NSWCA taking control of the ground, the governor, Sir Hercules Robinson, appointed Driver himself, William W. Stephen and Phillip Sheridan (after whom a grandstand was named), the first trustees. Two trustees were appointed by the government and one by the NSWCA. The close relationship between theTrust and the NSWCA is evidenced by the fact that they pooled funds for the next six years. The military's link with the ground was finally severed when John Richardson and the Sydney garrison went to fight in theSudan. The trustees then took the opportunity to rename the ground theAssociation Ground.

In 1883 the most prominent trustee, Sheridan, regarding the ground as the responsibility of the trustees, began to act independently of the NSWCA, resulting in the NSWCA losing control of the ground. Over the next century there was constant conflict between the Trust and the NSWCA over whether other sports such asrugby,tennis andcycling, the organisers of which were all keen to use the venue, had access to it. One conflict in 1904, over the Trust's plan to hold a cycling event which clashed with a cricket match, ended up in court. The NSWCA's influence was eventually reduced even further over the years due to changes in the way the State Government appointed trustees.

By the time of thefirst Sydney cricket test in February 1882, the ground could boast two grandstands; the Brewongle Stand at the southern end and the original Members' Stand, which had been built in 1878 in the north west corner where the current Members' Stand now sits. On opposite sides of the ground to the stands two spectator mounds were built. They became known as The Hill and the Paddington Hill.

In 1886, theMembers' Pavilion was rebuilt at a cost of £6,625. Membership was levied at two guineas.

In 1881 a loop in the tram line, which ran down Randwick Road (nowAnzac Parade), was built to service the Ground and the Pastoral and Agricultural Society Ground (later the RAS Showgrounds and now Fox Studios) next door.

In 1894 the ground finally received its modern name, the Sydney Cricket Ground, which was followed by the opening of the Hill Stand, situated between The Hill and the Paddington Hill. It became known as the Bob Stand during the Depression years because it cost one shilling (a bob) to enter.

The first SCGscoreboard was built in the two weeks leading up to the 1895–1896 inter-colonial match between New South Wales andVictoria. Although it was Sheridan's idea, the design was Ned Gregory's who believed that English scoreboards were inadequate. Requiring two men to operate it, the new scoreboard was hailed as one of the wonders of the cricket world. Boards with players' names on them were placed in different slits alongside scrolls of canvas with numbers painted on them which were rolled up and down to show the changing score. Under the scoreboard was a refreshment stall which sold, among other things,oysters.

In 1896 theLadies' Stand was opened, along with a concrete cycling track which circled the inside of the ground.^[3] One of the carpenters who built the formwork for the track was George Bradman, father ofDon Bradman. In 1898 floodlights were built over the cycling track so that night events could be held. In 1904 the scoreboard was rebuilt at the top of The Hill and in 1909 the Sheridan Stand, named after Phil Sheridan, was opened at the southern end, replacing the earlier Smokers' Stand.

In the period up to World War I the SCG was used for a wide variety of sports includingathletics,tennis,baseball, football and cycling. The cycling track however was removed in 1920. In 1924 Ned Gregory's scoreboard was closed and the concrete scoreboard at the back of the Hill opened.

During the 1920s, and 1930s crowds packed into the SCG to see Don Bradman play for New South Wales and Australia. Many of the huge gate takings that Bradman brought in for the NSWCA were spent on developing the ground. A large new stand was built at the northern end in two stages. It replaced the Northern Stand and was intended to also replace the Members' and Ladies' Stands. The first stage, begun while Bradman was still playing for New South Wales, was opened in 1936 at a cost of £90,000 and named the 'M.A. Noble Stand' after the great Australian captainMonty Noble. The second stage, completed in 1973 at a cost of $2 million, was named the Bradman Stand after the great man himself.

Further redevelopment of the ground began in 1978 with the advent ofWorld Series Cricket (WSC) and games played at night. When media giantKerry Packer failed to obtain the television broadcast rights for cricket, he bought the top 30–40 players in the world and staged his own competition, World Series Cricket.

Packer applied to use the SCG for WSC in 1977 but the SCG Trust, which administered the ground, refused. However the NSW Labor Government, under PremierNeville Wran, amended theSydney Sports Ground and Cricket Ground Act to remove the Trust's power to decide who played at the SCG and the NSWCA's traditional right over the ground. A new Trust was established with 12 members appointed by the Government and two elected by SCG members. The new Trust had no WSC opponents, and although legal action by the NSWCA stopped WSC games being played at the SCG in 1977, they were played there in 1978.

In the years since WSC the character of the SCG has somewhat changed. Six light towers were built in 1978 at a cost of $1.2 million so that cricket could be played at night, and two huge new stands were constructed at the southern end of the ground. The new Brewongle Stand was built on the site of the old Brewongle Stand at a cost $8.9 million and opened in 1980. The Churchill Stand, named after rugby league legendClive Churchill, replaced the Sheridan Stand at a cost of $8.2 million and was opened in 1986.

The old concrete scoreboard was closed in 1983 and a new electronic board erected above The Hill. This board allowed the crowd to see video replays and provided more scope for advertising. The old concrete scoreboard from 1986 sat behind the Doug Walters Stand unused until 2006 when it was dismantled and stored offsite to make way for the Victor Trumper Stand.^[4]

The Bob Stand has been moved toNorth Sydney Oval, replaced by theBill O'Reilly Stand. This stand was originally named the Pat Hills Stand, after theNSW Labor Government Minister and SCG Trust member, when it was opened in 1984 alongside the Paddington Stand, later known as the Dally Messenger Stand. However, the incomingGreiner Government changed the name of the former to the O'Reilly Stand after the legendary spin bowler.

The Hill also has gone but the reason for that is a little harder to pin. Up until 1991 the Hill was a grassy slope without seating. It was the 'outer ground' costing the least to get in and attractingworking class patronage. The invention of thebeer can and the portablecooler in the 1960s increased alcohol consumption at cricket matches which in turn fuelled bad crowd behaviour. In the 1970s the advent oflimited overs games held partially at night attracted a different kind of crowd to cricket at the SCG. They were less interested in the subtleties of the game and more in the excitement and spectacle. Brawling and excessive drinking were features of the crowd on the Hill at this time. Even the introduction of individual seating on the Hill in 1991^[5] failed to completely eradicate crowd misbehaviour. Stricter measures such as banning alcohol were later implemented with greater success.

Further developments have taken place in more recent years with the internal reconstruction of the M.A. Noble stand completed in 1994 and the opening of the NSW Cricket Centre in 1997. This facility includes indoor training wickets and administrative offices for Cricket NSW (formerly NSW Cricket Association). In 1999 the original electronic scoreboard was replaced by a new higher-definition video screen. In the 21st century the Hill and Doug Walters Stand has been completely redeveloped with a new 12,000 seatVictor Trumper Stand, completed in 2008. This stand brings the SCG's capacity to 46,000 spectators. During the re-development, the 2 original light towers on the hill were replaced and the 4 other light towers were upgraded,^[6] a new video screen was also installed in the Clive Churchill stand, replacing the screen that was on the hill.

The SCG Trust rebuilt the MA Noble, Don Bradman and Dally Messenger stands for the2013–14 Ashes series, it increased ground capacity to 48,000 spectators. This redevelopment was mostly completed in March 2014 at a cost of $197.5 million and also included a large new video screen in the Messenger Stand.

In September 2018, construction began on a new video screen to replace the video screen at the Messenger Stand with the LED panels for the screen transferred across from theSydney Football Stadium with an upgrade to the video screen in the Clive Churchill Stand and new LED advertising banners being installed in all of the stands except for the Members' and Ladies' pavilions. The work was completed in time forSydney FC's first ever A-League game at the SCG.^[7]

Since 2015, the Trust, now Venues NSW, are keen on redeveloping the Bill O'Reilly stand, and later the Churchill and Brewongle stands, further increasing the grounds capacity. The ground will be a near complete modern "bowl" stadium with the exception of the two heritage listed Members' and Ladies' pavilions.

In its present configuration, the SCG is a playing field surrounded by a collection of separate grandstand structures. From the northern end, clockwise, they are:

• M.A Noble,Bradman andDally Messenger stands: The largest structure at the ground, was constructed in 2013–2014, although hosting three named 'stands' is one integrated grandstand. The stand contains corporate boxes, media facilities, a changeroom used by visiting AFL and NRL teams and members seating for SCG (formerly SCG Trust) members and in the winter is shared with eligible Swans members as well as public reserved seating in the Bradman and Messenger stands. The Dally Messenger Stand is also home to the main video screen for the ground. The new stand replaced the older Noble and Bradman stands in the same location with the clock tower of the original Noble stand preserved.
• Bill O'Reilly Stand (previously namedPat Hills Stand): Constructed 1984, replaced the 'Bob' stand, with corporate boxes and public reserved seating.
• Victor Trumper Stand: Constructed in 2007–2008, replaced Yabba's Hill andDoug Walters Stand, with corporate boxes and public reserved and unreserved seating.
• Clive Churchill Stand: Constructed 1986, with corporate boxes and public reserved seating. It also housed the Sydney Swans training and administration facilities before those were moved to the Royal Hall of Industries Building in the former Sydney Showground precinct in 2023.^[8]
• Brewongle Stand: Constructed 1980 with corporate boxes, media facilities and public reserved seating. It was previously thought that the stand was named after the aboriginal word for "camping place". However the stand was named after a tea room at the Sydney Cricket Ground.^[9] The Sydney Swans changerooms are located beneath the Brewongle stand.

• Ladies' Pavilion: Constructed 1896, originally for female-only members' seating; also used for general public admission during events with low attendance. Now general members seating. Referred to as the Jane Mcgrath Stand on day three of the annual Sydney Test, also known as Mcgrath Day or Pink day.
• Members' Pavilion: A cast iron, brick and corrugated iron structure with clock tower constructed in 1878 for SCG Members' seating, housing dressing rooms used by Australian and New South Wales cricket teams and visiting cricket teams. Extensions were made to the pavilion in 1903.^[10]

The Sydney Cricket and Sports Ground Trust (popularly known as theSydney Cricket Ground Trust) was the agency that operated the Sydney Cricket Ground and theold Sydney Football Stadium atMoore Park. In mid-2008, its head office The Sheridan Building is opened, making it the third building to erect in the Gold Members Car Park, alongside the Headquarters of Sydney Roosters and New South Wales Rugby Union. The trust was merged intoVenues NSW, which now operates the SCG as well as thenew Sydney Football Stadium.

Soon after it opened Sydney FC relocated their Headquarters inside the Sheridan Building. The Sydney Swans headquarters are located in the SCG accessible from Driver Avenue. In total, there are 4 different clubs from 4 different codes of sport with their headquarters reside at the ground.^[11]

The Trust has commissioned ten bronze sculpture statues to be placed around the grounds of the SCG and SFS.

In 2014 theSydney Cricket and Sports Ground Trust opened the Media Hall of Honour at the MA Noble Stand's media centre with fifteen inaugural inductees:^[23][24] Another twelve names were added to the list in December 2021.^[25][26]

On 24 April 2023, the Sydney Cricket Ground unveiled a set of gates named after Indian Test cricketerSachin Tendulkar and West Indian Test cricketerBrian Lara on the occasion of Tendulkar's 50th birthday and the 30th anniversary of Lara's innings of 277 at the ground. The Lara–Tendulkar Gates are used by visiting teams entering the playing field from the Members' Pavilion visitors dressing room.^[28][29]

The Australian and New South Wales cricket teams enter the playing field through theDon Bradman Gates between the Members' and Ladies' Pavilions. TheArthur Morris andAlan Davidson Gates are located on Driver Avenue in the brick wall north of the SCG Members Entrance. The two separate steel gates are designed with SCG, AKD and ARM monograms in the metalwork.

Sydney Cricket Ground is traditionally one of the most spin-friendly international cricket grounds in Australia, because the soil and foundation of the pitch and playing surface is primarily 'Bulli soil' fromBulli, New South Wales.^[30] The SCG along with the Gabba in Brisbane are the only major test venues in Australia not to have switched to a drop-in pitch.^[31]

In 1854 the Garrison Club defeated the Royal Victoria Club in the first recorded cricket match to be played at what was then the Garrison Ground. Although games were played at theDomain, the Garrison Ground was used for practice by the NSW cricket team in 1860 and by the Victorian team in 1861 the before inter-colonial matches in those years.

Cricket was first played in Australia in Sydney's Hyde Park in 1803. However, up until the appointment of trustees to look after the SCG in the late 1870s, several different grounds had been used. The Domain was first used for inter-colonial games and then the Albert Ground in Redfern but in time both became unavailable, the Domain because of its poor condition and because it could not be fenced in and the Albert Ground because it closed in the late 1870s.

After the closure of the Albert Ground the New South Wales Cricket Association began using the Association Ground. The first game played there was the final of the Civil Service Challenge Cup on 25 October 1877, between the New South Wales Government Printing Office and the Audit Office. The firstfirst-class match was the inter-colonial game between New South Wales and Victoria played on 22, 23 and 25 February 1878 where New South Wales won by 1 wicket.^[32]

During the 1878–79 seasonLord Harris' England team toured Australia. The feature of the tourists game against New South Wales at the SCG in 1879 was a riot sparked apparently when the crowd disagreed with an umpiring decision byGeorge Coulthard that went against the locals. Lord Harris believed the invasion of the ground by about 2000 spectators was actually started by bookmakers in the stand. One of the umpires for the match wasEdmund Barton, later to become Australia's first Prime Minister.

By the time its first Test match was played at the SCG between 17 February and 21 February 1882 the ground was in fine condition. The NSWCA had appointed Ned Gregory as curator and given him a cottage next to the ground for him and his family. Australia won that game by overhauling England's scores of 133 and 232 with scores of 197 and 5 for 169.

The ground high score in Test cricket was held for more than a century by EnglishmanReg "Tip" Foster, who scored 287 in an Australia-England match in 1903. In the 100th test to be played at the SCG in January 2012,Michael Clarke was joined first byRicky Ponting in a partnership of 288 and then byMichael Hussey in a partnership of 334 and built a score of 329 not out against India.^[33]

Don Bradman made his first visit to the ground in the 1920–21 season to watch the Fifth Test of the Australia and England series. In that gameCharlie Macartney scored 170 to help seal a win for Australia.

Bradman scored the highest ever first-class innings of 452 at the SCG for New South Wales against Queensland in 1928–29. This record was surpassed byHanif Mohammad who scored 499 run out at Karachi. It was further bettered by the West IndianBrian Lara who scored 501 in 1994 at Edgbaston.

The 1928–29 season was a big one for cricket. On 15 December, the largest ever crowd to attend a cricket match at the SCG, 58,446, saw Australia and England play. With changes to the ground seating the record is unlikely to be beaten.

In the last test of the 1970–71 English tour, England fast bowlerJohn Snow struck Australian spinner and tailenderTerry Jenner on the head with abouncer. The Sydney crowd let Snow and the English know they were not happy with his behaviour and when Snow took up his fielding position on the fence a spectator spoke to him and grabbed him by the shirt. Cans were thrown onto the field and England captainRay Illingworth took his team from the ground.

The first women's club cricket match was held at the SCG in 1886 when the Fernleas played the Siroccos. Although cricket was not seen as an appropriate game for women, women's cricket associations were formed in Victoria in 1905 and other states in the 1920s, and 1930s.

Night cricket was first played at the SCG on 28 November 1978 with World Series Cricket. A crowd of 50,000 packed the ground.

The SCG was the scene ofShane Warne's first (1992) and final Tests (2007). In 2007,Justin Langer andGlenn McGrath also played their final Tests.

During the 100th Test match held at SCG, on 3 January 2012,Michael Clarke scored his maiden triple century against India and was the first player to do so at the ground. Exactly nine years before,Steve Waugh scored a century to retain The Ashes, and it was also the scene of his final test against India in 2004.

The SCG was venue of two 5-0Ashes Series clean sweeps (completed in early 2007 and 2014).

SCG is the traditional ground for hosting New Year Tests, as well as the traditional final match of the Australian Ashes Series. Since 2008, the New Year Test has also been named the Pink Test, organised byGlenn McGrath and the McGrath Foundation, named for his late wifeJane McGrath to raisebreast cancer awareness, and on the third day, even if the day's play is rained out, is named Pink Day or Jane McGrath Day in her honour.^[34]

The SCG was the scene of tragedy on 25 November 2014, when a bouncer fromSean Abbott struckPhillip Hughes's neck, knocking him unconscious. Hughes later died as a result of asubarachnoid haemorrhage on 27 November, having never regained consciousness.^[35]

Since 2015, it is the venue whereDavid Warner scored three consecutive centuries in Tests (2015–17).Steve Smith andDon Bradman scored four in a row at theMelbourne Cricket Ground. During the streak, he scored a century within the first session of the game in 2017 against Pakistan. He also scored a half century in the second innings. The half century streak continued to three when he scored a half century in the first innings of the final test in the2017-18 Ashes series, but the century streak ended as Australia won by an innings, and was not required to bat again.

On 12 January 2019, Australia won the first ODIagainst India at the Sydney Cricket Ground by 34 runs, to record their 1,000th win in international cricket.^[36]

The SCG has hosted 1,392 top-level premiership rugby league games – more than any other ground in Australia (as of 2015), in addition to 70Test matches andWorld Cup games. Between 1913 and 1987, theNSWRFL Premiership Final was always played at the SCG, unless circumstances dictated otherwise. Due to the ground's historical significance to rugby league, it is often used for special heritage matches forNational Rugby League club and representative matches.

Rugby league was first played at the SCG on 22 June 1911 betweenAustralia andNew Zealand.^[37] The ground was first used by theNew South Wales Rugby Football League in 1913. At this time the Trust only gave players access to dressing sheds in the Sheridan Stand and did not allow use of the rooms in the Members' Stand. This rule was relaxed in 1918. The1915 NSWRFL season's first round match between defending premiersSouth Sydney andGlebe was played in front of a record crowd of 13,000.^[38]

The1920 Great Britain Lions tour saw the British rugby league team tour Australia for the first time since World War I and huge crowds attended their games. The first match of the tour was at the SCG againstMetropolis in front of nearly 68,000 spectators. Australia won the first Test inBrisbane and in the second Test at the SCG on 3 July. The Australians sealed the series, scoring five tries to win 21–8 and secure theAshes series for the first time at home.

The attendance record for a rugby league match in Australia was broken in 1932 when 70,204 people saw Australia play England in the first test of the1932 Ashes series at the Cricket Ground.^[39] It was also in this game that the Australians first wore the green jersey with a double gold 'V', which they have been wearing ever since. The English side boasted one of the great rugby league back lines consisting of captainJim Sullivan (fullback),Alf Ellaby andStan Smith (wings), andArtie Atkinson andStan Brogden in the centres. The gates of the SCG had to be closed to prevent another 15,000 people from entering. Australia lost the game 8–6. The second game was the famous "Battle of Brisbane" Test, which Australia won. In the third Test back at the SCG Australia lead 11–3 until late in the game. Incredibly, England scored three quick tries to snatch the game (18–13) and the series. The attendance of the first test stood as the highest recorded crowd for an international rugby league match until 73,631 fans attended the1992 World Cup final between Australia andGreat Britain at the famousWembley Stadium in London, England.

The nexttour by England was in 1946, knows as The "Indomitables" tour due to the Great Britain team traveling to Australia on theRoyal Navy'sAircraft carrierHMS Indomitable. The first test played on 17 June was an 8 – 8 draw, the opening try of the series was scored by the legendaryFrank Whitcombe for the tourists, in front of a crowd of 64,527. England went on to win The Ashes. In 1950 Australia had not won a series against the team Lions for 30 years but this time there was a big change. Britain had won the first Test and Australia the second, which made the third SCG Test the decider. The tour coincided with a record amount of rain and by the time the teams arrived the SCG was a mud heap. Forty tonnes of soil were brought in and spread over the surface to try and dry it out. Tied 2–2 at half time, Australia scored the only try of the match late in the second half when wingerRon Roberts crossed in the corner to seal the win. At the end of the game the crowd of over 47,000 jumped the fence and invaded the field and congregated in front of the Members' Stand cheering and calling for Aussie captainClive Churchill.

The1963 NSWRFL Grand Final was won by theSt George Dragons 8–3 in front of 69,860 fans in atrocious conditions. It was the Dragons eighth consecutive premiership and their third consecutive grand final win against theWestern Suburbs Magpies. The match's only try, scored by Dragons wingerJohnny King, was clouded in controversy after he appeared to be tackled when a defender knocked him flat on the ground, only to get up and carry the ball to the try line under howls of protest from Wests players who believe that the referee had called King to play the ball. That try became the centre of furore when rumours spread that match referee Darcy Lawler had bet on St. George to win (Wests captainArthur Summons later claimed one of his players announced to his teammates before the game that any who had bet on the Magpies to win had better lay off their bets as referee Lawler had backed St. George). After the match, photographer John O'Gready took the iconic rugby league photograph, "The Gladiators", depicting Arthur Summons supporting St. George captainNorm Provan. The photo of Summons and Provan was later used as the basis for theWinfield Cup trophy, and continues to be used to this day with theNational Rugby League'sTelstra Premiership Trophy.

On 18 September 1965, the largest ever official crowd at the SCG, 78,056, saw St George defeat theSouth Sydney Rabbitohs 12–8 in theNSWRFL grand final. Gates were ordered to be closed two hours before the game began and children were allowed to sit inside the fence. Contemporary accounts indicate that many more – perhaps thousands – gained other means of access and sat on grandstand roofs or went into theSydney Showground (Moore Park) and viewed the match from the stairways and roof of the main pavilion. Estimates from people there that day put the crowd as high as 90,000. This would stand as the largest rugby league crowd in Australia until Game 2 of the1994 State of Origin series when 87,161 attended the game at theMelbourne Cricket Ground. Due to the overcrowding of the ground during the grand final, theNew South Wales Police Force imposed a 70,000 capacity limit on the Cricket Ground for safety reasons.

The SCG hosted the1968 Rugby League World Cup final, won 20–2 by theJohnny Raper led Australians overFrance in front of 54,290. The Australian team that day, coached byHarry Bath, boasted legends of the Australian game in Raper (Lock),Eric Simms (Fullback),Graeme Langlands andJohnny Greaves (centres),Bob Fulton (Five-eighth),Billy Smith (halfback),Arthur Beetson (prop) andDick Thornett andRon Coote (second-row). Although the Final attracted over 54,000 fans, this was actually not the highest attendance of the1968 World Cup. That came during the opening game of the tournament when 62,256 saw Australia defeat Great Britain 25–10. This would stand as the highest attendance for a World Cup match until 73,631 attended the1992 World Cup final to see Australia again defeat Great Britain 10–6 at the famousWembley Stadium inLondon.

One of the most courageous efforts at the SCG wasJohn Sattler's performance in the1970 grand final between South Sydney and theManly-Warringah Sea Eagles. In the first ten minutes of the game, South's captain Sattler had his jaw broken by a punch from Manly forward John Bucknall in an off-the-ball incident. Sattler went down but pulled himself up on teammateMichael Cleary, asking the winger to help him so that the other players would not know he was hurt. In an act of supreme courage Sattler played on, refusing treatment at half time and pleas from teammates not to take the field again, to lead Souths to a famous 23–12 win. It was not until well after the game that he went to hospital. The Australian side to tour Britain was selected that night and, but for his injury, Sattler would have been picked as captain.

The Cricket Ground hosted what many consider to be the toughest grand final of all in1973 when defending premiers Manly-Warringah faced theCronulla-Sutherland Sharks, who were playing in their first ever grand final after joining the competition in1967. The Sharks were Captain-coached by Great Britain halfbackTommy Bishop and had a forward pack led by his toughSt. Helens and GB teammateCliff Watson and1973 Rothmans MedallistKen Maddison, along with goal kicking 18-year-old whiz-kid centreSteve Rogers. Manly were coached byRon Willey and captained by tough hookerFreddy Jones, and could boast internationalsKen Irvine,Ray Branighan, Bob Fulton,John O'Neill, British lockMalcolm Reilly, as well as tough tackling second-row forwardTerry Randall and 19-year-old fullbackGraham Eadie. From the opening kick off the game descended into a series of high or late tackles and several all-in brawls, though surprisingly referee Keith Page did not send any player off, despite threatening to do so and repeatedly handing out cautions, including twice to all 26 players on the field. In the opening minutes of the game, Mal Reilly was felled in back play by Cronulla hookerRon "Rocky" Turner well after he kicked the ball and, after writhing on the ground in agony with a badly bruised hip, left the field for a pain killing injection. When he returned he created mayhem with strong-arm tactics, although he was clearly out of sorts football wise and was replaced after just 25 minutes by John Bucknell. In the end, the difference between the two teams was Manly's international centre Bob Fulton who scored two tries in leading Manly to a 10–7 win. The game was described bySunday Telegraph writer Ian Heads as"A grand final as tough and dirty as any bar-room brawl".^[40]

In 1975, in one of the most memorablegrand finals ever, the Arthur Beetson captained,Jack Gibson coachedEastern Suburbs Roosters, defeated St. George 38–0 to win the premiership. That Roosters team is considered one of the best sides ever assembled and the eight tries to nil scoreline remained a record winning margin in a grand final until the2008 NRL Grand Final played between Manly Warringah and theMelbourne Storm, Manly winning by the tune of 40–0. However, the game was famous for reasons other than the scoreline. St George's Captain-coach Graeme Langlands played with a misdirected pain killing injection that made his right leg go numb and prevented him from playing anywhere near his best. Easts were without two of their stars, rookie fullbackRussell Fairfax and centreMark Harris, and coach Jack Gibson gambled on an unknown player to help fill the void –John Rheinberger – who played in his first only first grade game in the grand final. Leading by only 5–0 at half-time, the Roosters scored an avalanche of tries after the interval to humiliate the Dragons. Earlier in the same season, the Roosters recorded the longest winning streak of any first grade rugby league football club – 19 matches. It was the Eastern Suburbs Roosters' eleventh premiership victory and their second in succession.

The SCG hosted its second Rugby League World Cup final in1977. On 25 June Australia defeated Great Britain 13–12 in front of just 24,457 fans. The match was highlighted by a 60-metre try to Manly-Warringah centreRussel Gartner who outpaced the Lions chasers late in the first half to give Australia an 8–5 lead. This would prove to be (as of 2016) the last World Cup game played at the SCG.

In1981, another memorable and emotional rugby league grand final was played at the SCG. Since joining the Sydney Premiership in1947, theParramatta Eels had not won a grand final. In1976 and1977 it had suffered consecutive losses, first to Manly-Warringah (who also joined the league in 1947) and then St George in the first replayed grand final. In 1981, the Eels 'dream team' (another team coached by Jack Gibson), comprising internationalsRay Price,Mick Cronin,Ron Hilditch andBob "The Bear" O'Reilly, as well as budding starsPeter Sterling,Brett Kenny,Steve Ella,Eric Grothe andJohn Muggleton, outscored theTommy Raudonikis captainedNewtown four tries to three to win 20–11 and secure their first premiership. Playing second-row for Newtown that day was future dual grand final winning, andNSW State of Origin coachPhil Gould. Financial pressures at the Newtown club would result in the Jets competing in the New South Wales Rugby League first grade competition for only two seasons following their 1981 grand final appearance.

The1986 NSWRL Grand Final at the SCG between theJohn Monie coached Parramatta and defending premiersCanterbury-Bankstown, coached byWarren Ryan, and played in front of one of the smallest grand final crowds in years (45,843), would go down as the lowest scoring and only try-less grand final in NSWRL history. Parramatta won their 4th premiership in six years with a tough 4–2 win thanks to two Mick Cronin goals to send captain Ray Price, and Cronin, into rugby league retirement on the winning note they deserved after stellar careers for Parramatta, NSW and Australia. Cronin retired from the game having scored 1,971 points in the Sydney premiership (75 tries, 865 goals and 2 field goals, all for Parramatta), at the time the record number of points scored in a career.

The last rugby league grand final played at the Cricket Ground was the1987 decider between the Bob Fulton coached Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and theCanberra Raiders, who had joined the premiership in1982. In front of 50,201 fans on an unseasonably warm day in Sydney, the Sea Eagles ran out 18–8 winners, scoring two tries to one with dual rugby internationalMichael O'Connor scoring 14 of Manly's points with a try and a perfect 5/5 goal kicking. Manly's other try scorer that day, Five-eighthCliff Lyons won theClive Churchill Medal as the man of the match.

The ground lost the grand final and numerous games to theSydney Football Stadium (SFS) in1988. Even so, between 1988 and 2018 the ground continued to host occasionalNational Rugby League matches,^[41][42] mostly featuring the Heritage round game betweenSt George Illawarra andSouth Sydney and the2008 CentenaryANZAC Test between Australia and New Zealand, in what was the first test held at the famous old ground since theWally Lewis captained Australians had defeated the Kiwis 29–12 on19 July 1986 in front of 34,302 fans. The 2008 Kangaroos, kitted out in replica 1908 jumpers depicting the colours of NSW and Qld, ran out 28-12 winners in front of 34,571 fans, the largest Test crowd in Sydney since the first Ashes test of the1992 Great Britain Lions tour when 40,141 attended Game 1 at the SFS.

Regular rugby league action returned to the SCG on 16 March 2019 with theSydney Roosters calling the SCG home after the Sydney Football Stadium was demolished to make way for the newSydney Football Stadium on the site. The Anzac Day clash betweenSt George Illawarra and theSydney Roosters will also be held at the SCG while the Roosters call the cricket ground home.^[43] The Roosters also played two home games at the SCG against theMelbourne Storm andManly Warringah in 2023 due to the Sydney Football Stadium being used for the2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.

The Cricket Ground hosted sixState of Origin series games from 1982–1987

Game#	Date	Result	Attendance	Year
1	22 June 1982	Queensland def.New South Wales 10–5	20,242	1982
2	21 June 1983	New South Wales def.Queensland 10–6	21,620	1983
3	19 June 1984	Queensland def.New South Wales 14–2	29,088	1984
4	11 June 1985	New South Wales def.Queensland 21–14	39,068	1985
5	10 June 1986	New South Wales def.Queensland 24–20	40,707	1986
6	16 June 1987	Queensland def.New South Wales 12–6	42,048	1987

In 1885 the first inter-colonial tennis match was held at the SCG when Victoria played New South Wales although forms of the game were no doubt played in Australia from its colonial beginnings. All colonies of Australia were well established when the final versions of the rules of the game were codified by theMarylebone Cricket Club in 1875 and by theAll England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in 1877 when it held its first tournament atWimbledon.

Tennis was regularly played at the SCG in the early days. The Sydney tournament which was to become theNew South Wales Open, was first played at the SCG in 1885 before moving to the NSW Lawn Tennis Club's courts at Double Bay, then toWhite City and later to theOlympic Tennis Centre atHomebush Bay. The SCG was the host of the1908 Australasian Championships.^[44]

In 1898, Sydney cycle firm, Gavin Gibson Ltd, imported seven motorised tricycles produced by CountJules-Albert de Dion and powered by one cylinder petrol engines designed by his partnerGeorges Bouton. On the evening of 1 January 1901, these seven machines raced around the concrete cycle track which ringed the inside of the SCG in those days to compete in Australia's first ever motor race.

The SCG was the main stadium for the1938 British Empire Games which were tied into the State's sesqui-centenary celebrations. Perhaps because of this the Federal Government provided no money and only £10,000 came from the State Government to cover the organising committee's administrative costs. The budget was therefore, very tight and using the existing SCG was one way of making ends meet. Cyclist Edgar "Dunc" Gray led the teams onto the ground and athletes ran on a makeshift grass track.

Club rugby was first played at the then Civil and Military Ground as early as 1870, and the first inter-colonial game was played there in 1882. NSW beatQueensland 28–4. From June 1911 theNSW Rugby League had exclusive use of the SCG, as well as theSydney Sports Ground and theSydney Showground, preventing rugby union games from being played there. Over the years the SCG hosted 71 rugby union tests before Sydney international matches were moved first to Waratah Rugby Park (Concord Oval), then theSydney Football Stadium and laterStadium Australia. The largest ever crowd to watch a rugby union match at the SCG was 49,327 who saw NSW playedNew Zealand on 13 July 1907.

Of those 71 tests none could have been more dramatic than the game against the South AfricanSpringboks on 7 August 1971. Marred by anti-apartheid protests, field invasions and objects being thrown onto the ground and halted several times to remove golf balls and protestors, it was won by South Africa who went through the tour undefeated.

The SCG has been both a happy and unhappy hunting ground for Australian rugby union. One of the worst incidents to occur there was the sad demise of Ken Catchpole's international career. Robbed of a glorious retirement, his career ended in a disgraceful scandal. Australia was playing the New Zealand All Blacks and while Catchpole was trapped on the bottom of a ruck New Zealander second rower, Colin Meads, tried to drag him out by one leg, splitting him like a wishbone. Australia, although well beaten on this occasion, was well served by international-standard halfbacks and 20-year-old John Hipwell ran on for his first test as Catchpole was carried off. It was a sad end to an illustrious career.

Dramatic though that game was, no test could have been as important in the development ofAustralian Rugby Union than the game against the touringWelsh team in 1978.

The 1978 Welsh had arrived in Australia as (the then)Five Nations Champions,Triple Crown winners, the best rugby union team in the world but they were a sad and sorry bunch by the time they got to Sydney for the last game of the tour, the second test. The team was decimated by injuries and in two earlier tour games had suffered a last minute loss to Sydney and a humiliating defeat midweek to theAustralian Capital Territory.

Rumours abounded that the Welsh were ready for a big 'get square' with Australian prop Steve Finnane, the so-called 'enforcer' of the Australian team. Finnane and other senior members of the team had vowed to avenge the defeat of the Australians by the Welsh on their last tour of the UK several years before. The SCG crowd did not have long to wait because after the very first scrum Welsh propGraham Price came out holding his bloodied jaw, the victim of a Finnane punch. Price had bored in on Finnane, his opposite number in the front row and Finnane reacted.

After Price left the field and the game continued for a short while until the Welsh, using a pre-determined code word, sparked an all-in-brawl. Wales lost the test and the two-test series.

In 1979 there was a one-off game against theAll Blacks at the SCG. The kicking of a young five-eighth named Tony Melrose closed out the New Zealanders and Australia won a try-less game 12–6, to take back theBledisloe Cup for the first time since 1949. The following year the Australians showed it was no fluke by beating New Zealand two tests to one in Australia to successfully defend the trophy for the first time.

On 14 April 2018 theNSW Waratahs played a home game at the SCG against theQueensland Reds in the Waratahs first appearance at the ground in 35 years.^[45][46]

The Waratahs staged three of their home games in the2019 Super Rugby season at the SCG while the Sydney Football Stadium was being rebuilt.^[47] In July 2022 the SCG staged a rugby union test for the first time since 1986 when Australia played England.^[48]

The firstAustralian rules football match to be played at the SCG wasInter-Colonial football match played between Victoria and New South Wales on 6 August 1881.

Essendon andMelbourne played a premiership match at Moore Park in 1904 in front of the Governor General and Governor of NSW. Melbourne won and both teams had to return home by boat down the coast; two other matches (Fitzroy v Collingwood and Geelong v Carlton, which had been postponed) were also played there in 1903. In 1922,Port Adelaide played a combined New South Wales side on the ground.^[49]

In the subsequent decades, the ground was rarely used for Australian Rules, except for the occasional exhibition match or interstate football carnival.

Richmond played Collingwood there in 1952, and eight VFL matches were played there in 1979–1981, but Australian rules football was not to make a regular comeback to the SCG until 1982, whenSouth Melbourne relocated to Sydney and made the SCG its home ground.

South Melbourne was formed in 1867, a foundation member of the first Australian rules competition theVictorian Football Association (VFA) and also its later replacement theVictorian Football League (VFL). The club won five premierships with the VFA up to 1890 and three more in the VFL in the first half of the 20th century, but a lack of success in the post-war years and serious financial troubles left them ripe for relocation when the game's administrators were looking to expand the competition into other states.^[50]

In 1982 South Melbourne moved to Sydney and the SCG to become the Sydney Swans. Despite their shaky financial situation, the Swans were the flavour of Sydney in the early years; the Swans matches at the SCG were the place to be seen, rivaling Sydney's main winter sport, rugby league. In the late 1980s Sydney Rules Ltd, the company which ran the licence for the club, recorded a profit of $600,000. However, when the stock market crashed in October 1987, the Swans went with it, but the Swans have since managed to hold on and have gained a foothold in Sydney.^[51][52][53]

The SCG most notably hosted Sydney's preliminary final againstEssendon in 1996, in which full forwardTony Lockett scored a behindafter the final siren to give Sydney a one-point win, sending the Swans into their first grand final since 1945. Between 2003 and 2015, most Sydney Swans home finals had been played at the largerStadium Australia unless it was otherwise booked. Since 2016, all Swans home finals (with the exception of a Sydney Derby in 2016) have been played at the SCG.

There have been two modern-daypitch invasions witnessed at the ground: first in 1999, when Tony Lockett kicked his 1300th career goal to become the highest goalkicker in VFL/AFL history,^[54] and second in 2022 whenLance Franklin kicked his 1000th career goal becoming only the sixth player to kick as many goals in VFL/AFL history.^[55]

On 9 September 2017, the largest ever crowd to watch an Australian Rules game at the SCG, 46,323, came to see the Swans defeatEssendon in an Elimination Final.

The SCG was the shortest field used for AFL games, at 153 metres long, but Geelong'sKardinia Park is narrower. However recent works on the Northern Stand facilitated an extension of the playing surface means it is no longer the shortest ground in the league.

The SCG has been a popular arena for a whole range of sports before the turn of the 20th century including cricket, tennis, baseball, soccer and cycling with athletics being staged there as early as 1879. On New Year's Day, 1880, possibly some of the most exotic sports ever seen at the SCG were staged when the 12th AnnualHighlands Games was held. Organised by the Scottish community events includedtossing the caber,putting the stone and other traditional Highland sports as well asHighland dancing. A crowd of 5000 attended. On 5 May 1964, 51,566soccer fans came to the SCG to see NSW take on English clubEverton F.C. In 1974 the Socceroos defeated Uruguay 2–0 in front of a capacity crowd in a friendly match before the World Cup finals. It was announced in April 2018 thatSydney FC will stage 6 of their 13 home matches in the 2019-2020 A-League season with the other 7 games to be split betweenJubilee Oval andLeichhardt Oval while the Sydney Football Stadium is demolished and rebuilt.^[56] Sydney FC played their first game at the SCG on 27 October 2018 against rivalsWestern Sydney Wanderers FC in front of 30,688 fans.^[57]

In June 2013,Major League Baseball, theNew South Wales Government, and the Sydney Cricket Ground announced that the season opening first two games of the 2014 MLB season would be played at the SCG between theArizona Diamondbacks and theLos Angeles Dodgers, on Saturday 22 March (7pmAEST / 0800UTC / 1am PDT) and Sunday 23 March (1pm AEST / 0200 UTC / 7pm PDT Saturday 22 March) 2014.^{[58][59][60][61]}

The Northern Stand was completed for the2013–14 Ashes series, and provided the main stand behindhome plate, with premium seating. The temporary outfield fence arced from the easternBill O'Reilly Stand (left field /third base line) and the westernBrewongle Stand (right field /first base line).^[58][62] Twobullpens were positioned behind the outfield fence. Seating was restricted in the Victor Trumper Stand and the Clive Churchill Stand due to eye-line restrictions caused by the outfield fence and the need for abatter's eye space in centre field. Its dimensions were 328 feet (99.974 m) to foul lines, 370 feet (112.776 m) to power alleys, and 400 feet (121.920 m) to centre field.

It was announced that due to the restricted seating the SCG's capacity would be 38,000 for baseball. Game 1 of the series, won 3-1 by the Dodgers with the win going to their ace pitcherClayton Kershaw, attracted 38,266 fans while Game 2, won 7-5 by the Dodgers, attracted 38,079 fans.^[63][64] As the games took place approximately one week before the normal season opening date, both the Diamondbacks and the Dodgers actually returned to theirSpring Training schedules once the series ended.

Major League Baseball is a significant co-owner of theAustralian Baseball League relaunched in 2010, and cooperates with theAustralian Baseball Federation.^[60]

Most career runs^[65]

Runs	Player	Period
1,480 (27 innings)	Ricky Ponting	1996–2012
1,177 (29 innings)	Allan Border	1979–1994
1,150 (22 innings)	Greg Chappell	1971–1984
1,127 (21 innings)	David Boon	1984–1995
1,084 (25 innings)	Steve Waugh	1986–2004

Most career runs (non-Australia)^[66]

Runs	Player	Period
808 (7 innings)	Wally Hammond	1928–1946
785 (9 innings)	Sachin Tendulkar	1992–2012
654 (15 innings)	Jack Hobbs	1908–1928
569 (11 innings)	David Gower	1979–1991
549 (7 innings)	VVS Laxman	2000–2012

Highest individual scores^[67]

Runs	Player	Date
329* v. India	Michael Clarke	3 Jan 2012
287 v. Australia	R. E. Foster	11 Dec 1903
277 v. Australia	Brian Lara	2 Jan 1993
251 v. Australia	Wally Hammond	14 Dec 1928
242 v. West Indies	Doug Walters	14 Feb 1969

Most centuries^[68]

Centuries	Player	Period
6 (27 innings)	Ricky Ponting	1996–2012
4 (7 innings)	Wally Hammond	1928–1946
4 (12 innings)	Usman Khawaja	2011–2024
4 (17 innings)	Steve Smith	2011–2024
4 (20 innings)	David Warner	2012–2024
4 (21 innings)	David Boon	1984–1995
4 (22 innings)	Greg Chappell	1971–1984
4 (22 innings)	Matthew Hayden	2001–2009

Highest batting average (5+ innings)^[69]

Average	Player	Period
161.60 (7 innings, 2NO)	Wally Hammond	1928–1946
157.00 (9 innings, 4 NO)	Sachin Tendulkar	1992–2012
104.00 (12 innings, 4 NO)	Usman Khawaja	2011–2024
94.00 (13 innings, 5 NO)	Michael Hussey	2006–2013
81.55 (10 innings, 1 NO)	Marnus Labuschagne	2019–2024

Most career wickets^[70]

Wickets	Player	Period
64 (26 innings)	Shane Warne	1992–2007
53 (16 innings)	Stuart MacGill	1999–2006
50 (24 innings)	Glenn McGrath	1993–2006
48 (24 innings)	Nathan Lyon	2012–2024
45 (12 innings)	Charles Turner	1887–1895

Most career wickets (non-Australia)^[71]

Wickets	Player	Period
35 (8 innings)	George Lohmann	1887–1892
28 (10 innings)	Sydney Barnes	1901–1912
24 (10 innings)	Bobby Peel	1885–1895
24 (6 innings)	Maurice Tate	1924–1928
23 (13 innings)	Billy Bates	1882–1887
23 (7 innings)	Tom Richardson	1894–1898

Best innings figures^[72]

Figures	Player	Date
8/35 v. Australia	George Lohmann	25 Feb 1887
8/58 v. Australia	George Lohmann	29 Jan 1892
8/94 v. Australia	Tom Richardson	26 Feb 1898
8/141 v. Australia	Anil Kumble	2 Jan 2004
7/40 v. Australia	Dick Barlow	26 Jan 1883
7/40 v. Australia	John Snow	9 Jan 1971
7/43 v. England	Charles Turner	10 Feb 1888
7/44 v. England	Fred Spofforth	26 Jan 1883
7/46 v. West Indies	Allan Border	26 Jan 1989
7/50 v. England	Stuart MacGill	2 Jan 1999

Note: best innings figures limited to 10; there have actually been 23 seven-wicket innings hauls at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Best match figures^[73]

Figures	Player	Date
12/87 v. England	Charles Turner	10 Feb 1888
12/107 v. England	Stuart MacGill	2 Jan 1999
12/128 v. South Africa	Shane Warne	2 Jan 1994
12/165 v. Australia	Imran Khan	14 Jan 1977
12/175 v. England	Herbert Hordern	15 Dec 1911
12/279 v. Australia	Anil Kumble	2 Jan 2004

Lowest strike rate (4+ innings)^[74]

Strike rate	Player	Period
29.7 (4 wickets)	Michael Clarke	2005–2014
31.6 (12 wickets)	Frank Tyson	1954–1955
32.1 (13 wickets)	Richard Hadlee	1974–1985
32.4 (11 wickets)	Tom Horan	1882–1885
34.8 (35 wickets)	George Lohmann	1887–1892

Highest innings scores^[75]

Score	Team	Date
7/705d	India v. Australia	2 Jan 2004
8/659d	Australia v. England	13 Dec 1946
4/659d	Australia v. India	3 Jan 2012
7/649d	Australia v. England	4 Jan 2018
644	England v. Australia	3 Jan 2011

Lowest completed innings^[76]

Score	Team	Date
42	Australia v. England	10 Feb 1888
45	England v. Australia	28 Jan 1887
65	England v. Australia	1 Feb 1895
72	England v. Australia	1 Feb 1895
77	England v. Australia	14 Mar 1885

Highest partnerships^[77]

Runs	Wicket	Players	Match	Date
405	5th	Sid Barnes (234) &Don Bradman (234)	Australia v.England	13 Dec 1946
353	4th	Sachin Tendulkar (241*) &VVS Laxman (178)	India v.Australia	2 Jan 2004
336	4th	Doug Walters (242) &Bill Lawry (151)	Australia v.West Indies	14 Feb 1969
334*	5th	Michael Clarke (329*) &Michael Hussey (150*)	Australia v.India	3 Jan 2012
293	3rd	Brian Lara (277) &Richie Richardson (109)	West Indies v.Australia	2 Jan 1993

Highest partnerships by wicket^[78]

Runs	Wicket	Players	Match	Date
234	1st	Bob Barber (185) &Geoffrey Boycott (84)	England v.Australia	7 Jan 1966
224	2nd	Clem Hill (191) &Warren Bardsley (132)	Australia v.South Africa	9 Dec 1910
224		Sunil Gavaskar (172) &Mohinder Amarnath (138)	India v.Australia	2 Jan 1986
293	3rd	Brian Lara (277) &Richie Richardson (109)	West Indies v.Australia	2 Jan 1993
353	4th	Sachin Tendulkar (241*) &VVS Laxman (178)	India v.Australia	2 Jan 2004
405	5th	Sid Barnes (234) &Don Bradman (234)	Australia v.England	13 Dec 1946
187	6th	Warwick Armstrong (158) &Charles Kelleway (78)	Australia v.England	17 Dec 1920
204	7th	Rishabh Pant (159*) &Ravindra Jadeja (81)	India v.Australia	3 Jan 2019
154	8th	George Bonnor (128) &Sammy Jones (40)	Australia v.England	14 Mar 1885
154	9th	Syd Gregory (201) &Jack Blackham (74)	Australia v.England	14 Dec 1894
130	10th	R. E. Foster (287) &Wilfred Rhodes (40*)	England v.Australia	11 Dec 1903

Last updated 19 October 2024.

Most career games^[79]

Games	Player	Period
143	Adam Goodes	1999–2015
136	Michael O'Loughlin	1995–2009
128	Jude Bolton	1999–2013
125	Mark Bayes	1985–1998
123	Daryn Cresswell	1992–2003

Most career goals^[79]

Goals	Player	Period
295	Tony Lockett	1983–2002
258	Lance Franklin	2005–2023
246	Michael O'Loughlin	1995–2009
190	Adam Goodes	1999–2015
176	Barry Hall	1998–2011
	Warwick Capper	1984–1991

Most goals in a match^[79]

Goals	Player	Match	Date
14	Gary Ablett Sr.	Geelong v.Sydney	15 May 1994
12	Tony Lockett	Sydney v.Port Adelaide	19 Jul 1998
	Tony Lockett	Sydney v.Richmond	11 Aug 1996
	Tony Lockett	St Kilda v.Sydney	19 May 1991
	Brian Taylor	Collingwood v.Sydney	21 Jul 1985

Most disposals in a match^[79]

Disposals	Player	Match	Date
53	Greg Williams	Sydney v.St Kilda	13 Aug 1989
44	Phil Kelly	North Melbourne v.Sydney	10 Apr 1983
	Greg Smith	Sydney v.St Kilda	20 Jun 1982
43	Barry Mitchell	Sydney v.West Coast	16 Apr 1989
	Bruce Abernethy	North Melbourne v.Sydney	10 Apr 1983

• Highest score:Sydney 36.20 (236) defeatedEssendon 11.7 (73), 26 July 1987
• Lowest score:Sydney 4.6 (30) defeated byGreater Western Sydney 10.19 (79), 8 September 2018
• Biggest margin:Sydney defeatedWest Coast, 171 points, 24 June 2023

Last updated: 25 June 2023.

• CurrentSeating capacity (2023): 48,000^[80] — with the addition of new grandstands, removal of the Hill and standing only areas, the capacity of the SCG has reduced by around 30,000 fewer than the record attendance figure.
• Largest rugby league match attendance: 78,056 (1965 Grand FinalSt George vSouth Sydney, 18 September 1965)^[81]
• Largest cricket match attendance: 58,446 (Day 2, Second Test,Australia vEngland, 15 December 1928)^[82]
• Largest association football (soccer) match attendance: 51,566 (NSW vEverton, 2 May 1964)
• Largest rugby union match attendance: 49,327 (NSW vNew Zealand, 13 July 1907)
• Largest Australian rules football match attendance: 46,323 (Sydney vEssendon, 9 September 2017)
• Largest concert attendance: 45,191 (WaveAid benefit concert, 29 January 2005)
• Largest Big Bash League attendance: 43,153 (Sydney Sixers vBrisbane Heat, 24 January 2024)

Preceded by Lake Oval, Albert Park (South Melbourne Football Club)	Home of theSydney Swans  1982 – present	Succeeded by Current ground
Preceded by Sydney Common	Home of theNew South Wales Blues  1878 – present	Succeeded by Current ground
Preceded by First venue	Home of theSydney Sixers  2011 – present	Succeeded by Current ground
Preceded by First venue	Host of theNew South Wales Rugby League premiership grand final  1908–1987	Succeeded by Sydney Football Stadium
Preceded by No designated final, effectivelyOdsal Stadium	Host of theRugby League World Cup final  1968	Succeeded by Headingley Rugby Stadium
Preceded by First venue	Host of theWorld Club Challenge  1976	Succeeded by Central Park
Preceded by WACA Ground	Grand Final stadiums ofTuyul Rugby Sevens  1998	Succeeded by Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium

• 
  Large light towers were added to the ground in the late 1970s to capitalise on "night cricket"
• 
  The historic Members' Pavilion under lights with the Sydney skyline behind
• 
  Sydney Cricket Ground looking over Yabba's Hill and the Pat Hills Stand before redevelopment, during 5th Test, 1982–83 Ashes Series

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• Use Australian English from January 2012
• All Wikipedia articles written in Australian English
• Use dmy dates from April 2020
• Coordinates on Wikidata
• Commons category link from Wikidata