Surrey County Cricket Club was founded in 1845; with a lease on the Kennington Oval (a former market garden) being obtained from the Duchy of Cornwall shortly afterwards.

The inaugural first-class cricket match played at The Oval was in June 1846, when Surrey took on Kent. The Oval was also the first ground in Britain (and second in the world) to host an international cricket game when England played Australia in 1880.

The Oval has been central to the development of other major sporting events in the UK. The FA Cup Final was staged at The Oval between 1872 and 1892, while the England football team played, and won, its first international match at The Oval against Scotland.

Other sports to have graced the Oval pitch include rugby union, hockey, lacrosse, tennis, athletics, baseball, roller skating and Aussie Rules Football. Interestingly, during WWII The Oval was commandeered as a prisoner of war camp, although it was not used. The Oval also hosted an open-air rock festival in September 1971 with The Who headlining.

Since 1845 the Oval has developed into one of the world’s leading Test match grounds. The historic pavilion was opened for the season of 1898; while the most recent addition to the ground has been the OCS Stand at the Vauxhall End in 2005.

If you would like more information about Surrey County Cricket Club’s history please contact enquiries@surreycricket.com

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