St.Helen's, Swansea

The St.Helen's ground in Swansea has staged first-class cricket ever since Glamorgan joined the County Championship in 1921. The ground, which overlooks Swansea Bay, is laid out on a reclaimed sandbank, and with a sandy subsoil, St.Helen's is considered to be one of the fastest drying grounds in the country.

However, the downside of it`s maritime location is that the wicket can have a fickle character when the tide is in, with the underground moisture aiding the bowlers, and a number of Glamorgan captains have hastily checked the local tidetables before going out to toss up!

Over the years some of Glamorgan's most famous victories have taken place at Swansea, including their back-to-back victories over Australia in 1964 and 1968. It was also the place where, in 1968, Sir Garry Sobers of Nottinghamshire and the West Indies, became the first player in cricket history to score six sixes in an over, and it was where Clive Lloyd scored the fastest double-century on record when batting for the West Indians in 1976.

Swansea was also the ground where, in August 1985, Matthew Maynard launched his county career with a remarkable debut hundred as he reached his maiden first-class century with three successive straight sixes off Yorkshire`s Phil Carrick.

Matthew then returned up the 70-odd steps of the pavilion to a standing ovation - somewhat different to the unfortunate fate that befall Mick Norman of Northamptonshire who bagged a king pair in a day at St. Helen's in June 1964 and twice within a few hours had to make the long walk back up to the Swansea pavilion after being dismissed first ball of both innings!

Find out more information about the history of the Swansea ground, its ground records and a listing of the matches that the ground has staged.