The Newlands Cricket Ground is one of the world’s most beautiful cricket grounds located in Cape Town, South Africa.
Established in 1888, the Newlands is known for being overlooked by Table Mountain and Devil's Peak, two of the prominent sight-seeing landmarks in Cape Town, the legislative capital of South Africa.
Following a string of renovations, the stadium has increased its seating capacity to 25,000.
The Newlands Cricket Ground is the home of Western Province Cricket, Cape Cobras and MI Cape Town.
Owned by the Western Province Cricket Association (WPCA), the Newlands is one of South Africa’s oldest sporting stadiums and staged its first international match, a Test between South Africa and England in 1889. The visitors won the Test by an innings and 202 runs.
Since then, it has hosted 60 Tests, 47 ODIs and 21 T20Is. Let’s have a closer look at the Newlands Test records and stats.
Newlands Test records and stats
Highest total
The South Africa cricket team holds the record for the highest total at the Newlands Cricket Ground in Test cricket. During the third Test of Australia’s tour of South Africa in 2009, the hosts posted the highest total of 651 in their first innings at this venue. Centuries from AB de Villiers (163), Ashwell Prince (150) and captain Jacques Kallis (102) powered South Africa to a mammoth total.
Australia were bundled out for 209 in their first innings after electing to bat first. The Proteas bowled out the visitors for 422 in their second innings to win the Cape Town Test by an innings and 20 runs.
Lowest total
Hosts South Africa recorded the lowest total at the Newlands Cricket Ground in Tests. Chasing 246 in the fourth innings, South Africa were skittled out for 35 in 22.4 overs against England in the final Test of a two-match series in April 1899.
Opening batter Albert Powell (11) was the only South African batter to register double digits in their second innings. For England, pacer Schofield Haigh was the wrecker-in-chief with six wickets. Earlier, England scored 92 in their first innings after opting to bat first while South Africa managed 177. England were bowled for 330 in their second innings. The visitors won the Test by 210 runs.
Most runs
Legendary South African cricketer Jacques Kallis scored the most runs at this ground in cricket’s longest format. Between 1996 and 2013, the former right-handed batter amassed 2,181 runs in 22 matches at an impressive average of 72.70. Kallis slammed nine centuries and as many fifties at the Newlands in Test cricket. His highest Test score of 224 at the Cape Town cricket ground came against Sri Lanka in 2012. Kallis’ former teammate Graeme Smith features second on the list with 1,363 runs in 17 Tests.
Most wickets
Former South Africa pacer Dale Steyn bagged the most wickets at the Newlands in Test cricket. The former right-arm fast bowler picked up 74 wickets in 15 matches at an average of 21.75 and a strike rate of 44.29. Steyn registered eight four-wicket hauls and one fifer at this venue in Tests between 2006 and 2019. Steyn’s former bowling partner Vernon Philander is second on the list with 53 wickets in 11 Tests.
Highest individual score
Former New Zealand cricketer Stephen Fleming registered the highest individual score at the Newlands Cricket Ground in Tests. Batting at number three, captain Stephen Fleming scored 262 off 423 balls in the first innings of the second Test of New Zealand’s tour of South Africa in 2006. His magnificent double hundred was laced with 31 fours and two sixes. Fleming’s innings helped New Zealand post 593/8d. In reply, South Africa scored 512 in their first innings. The visitors were 121/3 in their second innings as the match ended in a draw. South Africa won the three-match Test series 2-0.
Best bowling figures in an innings
England’s Johnny Briggs recorded the best bowling figures in an innings of a Test match at this venue in 1899. The left-arm spinner registered figures of 8/11 to bundle out South Africa for 43 in the second innings. Briggs dismissed Bernard Tancred, Arthur Ochse, Philip Hutchinson, captain William Milton, Dicky Richards, Charles Vintcent, Fred Smith and Gobo Ashley to help South Africa win the Cape Town Test by an innings and 202 runs.
Best bowling figures in a match
Johnny Briggs also holds the record for the best bowling figures in a Test match at the Newlands. The England spinner took 15 wickets during the second Test of England’s tour of South Africa in 1889. While Briggs bagged seven wickets for 17 runs in the first innings, he scalped another eight wickets for just 11 runs in the second innings. Briggs’ incredible bowling performance helped England thrash the hosts by an innings and 202 runs.
Highest partnership
England’s Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow recorded the highest partnership at the Newlands in Test cricket. Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow forged a massive 399-run stand for the sixth wicket in the first innings of the second Test against South Africa in 2016. Stokes slammed 258 while Bairstow remained unbeaten on 150. The match ended in a draw.
Photo credit: Alamy
