Table of Contents
The team plays in some of the most exotic tourist locations around the world, but do their cricketing venues match that luxury? Here are some of the biggest and best cricket stadiums in the West Indies.
Which is the Oldest Cricket Stadium in the West Indies?
The Oldest Cricket Stadium in the West Indies is the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados. Construction was completed in 1871 and cricket first began to be played here when the Pickwick Cricket Club took over ownership 11 years later.
International cricket has been played at the Kensington Oval since 1930.
Biggest Cricket Stadiums in West Indies
Kensington Oval – Barbados, Bridgetown
Capacity: 28000
The Kensington Oval in Barbados is the oldest cricket ground in the West Indies and it’s also the biggest. Some significant renovation work was carried out ahead of the 2007 World Cup and this increased the stadium’s capacity to 28,000.
The West Indies first played here when they took on England in a test match in January 1930. It’s now a regular venue for touring sides while Barbados’ red ball and white ball domestic teams also play here.
Bourda – Georgetown, Guyana
Capacity: 25000
Bourda is another big ground and an interesting fact about this location is that it’s the only test cricket stadium in South America. Visiting teams don’t always come to this venue as much as they did in the past and they may be down to the weather.
There’s a lot of rain in Guyana and many international games have been ruined by it. When play can take place, this is a picturesque location that can hold up to 25,000 spectators. Bourda was opened in 1884, it first hosted test cricket in 1930, and it is currently home to Guyana and the Georgetown Cricket Club.
Queens Park Oval – Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
Capacity: 25000
Opened in 1896, the Queens Park Oval is the main cricket stadium in Trinidad and Tobago. It is a privately owned ground and the Queens Park Cricket Club are in charge here.
It has a capacity of up to 25,000 and is another regular stop on the circuit for international touring teams. Queens Park Oval hosted its first test match in 1930 when England were the visitors and it also plays home to Trinidad and Tobago, plus the Trinbago Knight Riders.
National Cricket Stadium – St. Georges, Grenada
Capacity: 20000
Another regular location on the international circuit in the West Indies is the National Cricket Stadium of Grenada. Situated in St Georges, it has a capacity of 20,000 and opened way back in 1887.
Despite the fact that it’s been in place for over 100 years, the West Indies only started playing here in 2002. In a bid to take the national game into other parts of the Caribbean, the National Stadium is now a far more familiar venue.
Arnos Vale Stadium – Kingstown, St. Vincent
Capacity: 18000
With one of its straight boundaries looking out over the sea, Arnos Vale is one of the most beautiful cricket grounds in the world. It’s located in Kingstown, the capital of St Vincent and the Grenadines, and it’s been hosting international cricket since 1981.
Because of its spectacular surroundings, Arnos Vale is a popular destination for fans of travelling teams. It has a capacity of 18,000 so there’s plenty of room to accommodate everyone who wants to watch cricket here.
Sabina Park – Kingston, Jamaica
Capacity: 15600
As a regular and established ground in the West Indies, it may be a little surprising to see that Sabina Park’s capacity is quite low at 15,600. Opened in 1895, the ground is known for its hard, fast and bouncy wickets and the Windies’ greatest pace bowlers have always enjoyed playing here.
Located in the capital Kingston, Sabina Park first hosted a test match in April 1930 when England were the visitors. It continues to be a regular venue for tests, ODIs and T20is, while the Jamaican domestic teams also play their home games here.
Daren Sammy Ground – Gros Islet, Saint Lucia
Capacity: 15000
This stadium was originally called the Beausejour Ground and it was opened in 2002. The venue has subsequently been renamed as the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, in honour of the first player from Saint Lucia to represent the West Indies.
Surrounded by beautiful rolling hills, this ground has a current capacity of 15,000 and it has become another regular stadium for West Indies matches. It hosted its first test match in 2003 and the Daren Sammy Ground continues to hold tests, ODIs and T20is, together with domestic matches for the Windward Isles and St Lucia Kings.
Antigua Recreation Ground – St. Johns, Antigua and Barbuda
Capacity: 12000
While the Antigua Recreation Ground still exists, it is currently in a sad state of repair and facing an uncertain future. The grass is overgrown and the infrastructure is in dire need of repair.
Hopefully it will return to international cricket one day as this is an iconic venue and the ground where Brian Lara made his record breaking 400 in 2004. The stadium has a capacity of 12,000 when operational. The Antigua Recreation Ground opened in 1978 and hosted its first test match three years later.
Windsor Park – Roseau, Dominica
Capacity: 12000
This is the national stadium of Dominica and one that is most commonly used for cricket matches. International football is also played here, but Windsor Park in Roseau is primarily used for cricket and it first hosted the West Indies in an ODI against India in 2009.
Windsor Park opened in 2007, it has a generous capacity of 12,000 and is another ground to be situated close to a spectacular coastline.
Sir Vivian Richards Stadium – North Sound, Antigua and Barbuda
Capacity: 10000
The Sir Vivian Richards Stadium is one of the newer venues in international cricket and it’s come along to replace the old Antigua Recreation Ground. It was constructed specifically for the 2007 World Cup and the official opening took place a year earlier.
The Sir Vivian Richards Stadium is now Antigua’s first choice ground for all international matches and it hosts a great deal of West Indies’ Women’s games.
Conclusion
I’ve been lucky enough to visit two of the stadiums on this list. Back in 1990, the atmosphere was unforgettable as England played a test match at the Kensington Oval. Much later, in 2022, I was at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium to see West Indies’ Women take on New Zealand in a T20 international.
My memories aside, this is a great place to go and watch cricket if you get a chance. As we can see from this list, there is a huge choice of stadiums and the weather in the region means that there are games taking place across most of the calendar year.
