The Oval
Cricket
Test
London
Score:
51.5
/ 60
Overview
The traditional home of the last Test of the English summer, The Oval is the perfect place to say farewell to the longest form of the international game for another year. While it may not be as old, and may not boast quite as grand a pavilion, as Lord’s, it has much to recommend it and is arguably the better of London’s two Test grounds. It can certainly challenge its rival north of the river for history as the ground where England’s ignominious defeat to Australia in 1882 inspired the famous obituary that sparked the Ashes and ignited international cricket’s longest, most storied, and bitterest rivalry. While the famous urn may reside in the MCC Museum at Lord’s, there are plenty of nods, from ornamental urns to commemorative plaques, that mark The Oval’s pivotal role in beginning this ongoing chapter of cricketing history. With its more permissive ground regulations than Lord’s - allowing fancy dress, flags, and a level of rowdiness frowned upon on Middlesex turf - The Oval has a more charged atmosphere. The seats in its public sections are less comfortable, but they’ll cost you a little less than Lord’s. Catering and facilities are of a high standard and the ground is very well connected, making getting there and away a relative breeze.
Score Summaries
Atmosphere & Experience: 9
With the privilege of hosting the final Test of the summer most years, The Oval has hosted many nail-biting finishes to classic series. Having tickets for a Test there can often make watching the other matches in a series a strange experience in which one is wishing defeat or a draw on England to ensure you’ll be attending a decider and not a dead rubber. You can expect cheering, chanting, and spirited renditions of ‘Jerusalem’, all becoming louder, but considerably less tuneful, as the day progresses and more pints are consumed. The views, particularly from the upper levels of the pavilion and the stands at the southern end of the ground, are spectacular. A sweeping vista of London from the skyscrapers around Liverpool Street along the river to Westminster on the east side and the many new tower blocks sprouting up around Vauxhall to the west provides a stunning backdrop to the cricket.
Seats: 8
Some of the seats in the public stands are a little narrow and can get uncomfortable after a while. Members and their guests benefit from much nicer seats – most with better views than those available to non-members - in the Peter May stand, so, if you’re not a member it’s worth considering joining or befriending somebody who is. Seats in the pavilion are for members only. Views are clear and unobstructed all over the ground.
Catering: 9
Bars and concessions are plentiful. There’s a great selection of food, from standard stadium fare to more unusual and creative options. The cakes served in the pavilion are particularly highly recommended.
Facilities: 9
Plenty of them spread throughout the ground, mostly maintained to a very high standard.
Getting There: 8.5
The Oval is extremely well connected. It is within easy walking distance of Oval (Northern Line) and Vauxhall (Victoria Line, National Rail), and Kennington (Northern Line) stations. Bus routes to various parts of central and south London are easily accessible from locations around the ground.
Getting Away: 8
Naturally, everything is considerably busier than at the end of a sell-out day of Test cricket. However, you may find that it’s relatively easy to get on a bus as the majority of people seem to head for the stations.