St Helen's Rugby and Cricket Ground

Rugby and cricket ground in Swansea

St Helen's Rugby and Cricket Ground, commonly known simply as St Helens Ground, is a sports venue in Swansea, Wales, owned and operated by the City and County of Swansea Council. Used mainly for rugby union and cricket, it has been the home ground of Swansea RFC and Swansea Cricket Club since it opened in 1873. In rugby union, St Helen's was the venue for the first ever home match of the Wales national team in 1882. It continued to be used regularly by Wales, often for the Five Nations Championship, until 1954, but has staged only one full international since, in 1997. More recently, the ground has been used by the Wales women's team. Glamorgan County Cricket Club have regularly used St Helen's as an outground since 1921. The ground has staged two One Day Internationals: England against New Zealand in 1973, and a 1983 World Cup match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka. St. Helen's was the location of Sir Garfield Sobers's six sixes in a single over in first class cricket, the maximum possible runs in a single over, and the first time it had been done. St Helen's has also staged international matches in two other sports. In rugby league, Wales played thirteen matches at the ground between 1945 and 1978, two of which were part of the 1975 World Cup tournament. A football international between Wales and Ireland took place at St Helen's in 1894.

Since the ground opened in 1873 it has been the home of the Swansea Rugby Football Club, and the Swansea Cricket Club. On 19 June 1928 the ground was the venue of a mile race, for Swansea Grammar School's Sports Day, won by a teenage Dylan Thomas; he carried a newspaper photograph of his victory with him until his death. In 2005, the venue could hold an audience of 10,500 seated before it was re developed. The famous east stand, which had provided cloisters over part of Oystermouth Road, has since been demolished and replaced with a metallic stand unloved by locals. In late November 2007, the ground's perimeter wall in the South East corner, next to Mumbles Road and Gorse Lane, was knocked down and a new wall built further inside the ground, in similar style to the old wall. This was to accommodate a new car park with 39 spaces for the Patti Pavilion. St. Helen's Ground is claimed to be home to the tallest freestanding flood light in Europe, with the light in the north eastern corner of the ground standing at 150ft (40m).

The first home international in the history of Welsh rugby was played at St Helen's on 16 December 1882, against England. The ground was the scene of New Zealand's first victory over Wales in 1924. The decision to abandon Swansea as an international rugby union venue in the 1950s was prompted by overstretch of what was then a 50,000 capacity ground; delays for players and spectators travelling west along the A48, especially at Port Talbot; and higher revenues from games at Cardiff Arms Park. Game# Date Result Attendance Notes1 24 November 1945 def. 26–10 30,000 1945–46 European Rugby League Championship2 16 November 1946 def. 19–5 25,000 1946–47 European Rugby League Championship3 12 April 1947 def. 12–5 12,000 1946–47 European Rugby League Championship4 18 October 1947 def. 28–20 18,283 1947 Wales vs New Zealand5 6 December 1947 def. 18–7 10,000 1947–48 European Rugby League Championship6 20 March 1948 def. 20–12 6,462 1948–49 European Rugby League Championship7 20 November 1948 def. 12–5 9,224 1948–49 Kangaroo Tour8 5 February 1949 def. 14–10 9,553 1948–49 European Rugby League Championship9 31 March 1951 Other Nationalities def. 27–21 5,000 1950–51 European Rugby League Championship10 16 February 1975 def. 21–8 23,000 1975 European Rugby League Championship11 19 October 1975 def. 18–6 11,112 1975 Rugby League World Cup12 2 November 1975 def. 25–24 2,645 1975 Rugby League World Cup13 15 October 1978 def. 8–3 4,250 1978 Kangaroo Tour

It was in this ground in 1968 that Garfield Sobers hit the first six sixes in one over in first class cricket. Sobers was playing as captain of Nottinghamshire against Glamorgan. As part of their commitment to the entire country of Wales, Glamorgan County Cricket Club play some of their home matches at St Helen's, as well as their regular home ground, SWALEC Stadium in Cardiff, and Penrhyn Avenue in Rhos on Sea. Wales Minor Counties Cricket Club, who have played minor counties cricket since 1988, use the ground as a home base. They are currently the only non English team in the Minor Counties Championship.

A single ODI century has been scored at the venue. No. Score Player Team Balls Opposing team Date Result 1 100 Dennis Amiss 121 format=dmy Won