Photo Credit: Gallo Images / Dolphins Cricket
The iconic Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Cricket Stadium celebrates 100 years of cricket on 18 January 2023, exactly 100 years after the first test match took place at the venue between South Africa and England in 1923.
The ground has witnessed some of cricket’s most memorable moments in the last century including the famous Timeless Test Match that lasted ten days in 1939, 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 the ODI in 2017 along with record breaking, match winning spell from Keshav Maharaj against Bangladesh in the Test played in 2022.
As one of South Africa’s premier cricketing venues and home to the KZN Cricket Union and Hollywoodbets Dolphins, Kingsmead has cemented itself as one of the country’s most iconic stadiums and with the recent investment from stadium sponsor Hollywoodbets and various other partners, the stadium continues to evolve into a place that puts spectator satisfaction at the heart.
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 CEO Heinrich Strydom, they hope to continue to honour the legacy of the ground throughout the coming months.
“The Hollywoodbets 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 18 January 1923,” Strydom said.
“100 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 that have graced this hallowed turf, who have sparked the magic and brilliance that is Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Stadium.
Name of Author: Dolphins Cricket
The Hollywoodbets Dolphins represent KwaZulu-Natal (Coastal) in South Africa. They compete in the CSA 4-Day Series, Momentum One-Day Cup, and Mzansi Super League T20. Their home venues are Kingsmead Cricket Ground in Durban and Pietermaritzburg Oval in Pietermaritzburg.
