Adelaide and Suburban Cricket

It’s been 110 years since a first-class cricket match in South Australia was played anywhere other than Adelaide Oval. That match between SA and Lord Hawke’s XI was played at Unley Oval because the main ground was booked for cycling meetings featuring the world-champion black American ‘Major’ Taylor. Today’s Sheffield Shield match against Queensland at Glenelg Oval (I’ll not call it Gliderol Stadium) afforded a wonderful view of the Mt Lofty Ranges, something the new AO will no longer provide. We’ll also settle for our stumps score of 4-294.

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About Bernard Whimpress

Freelance historian (mainly sport) who has just written his 40th book. Will accept writing commissions with reasonable pay. Among his most recent books are George Giffen: A Biography, The Towns: 100 Years of Glory 1919-2018, Joe Darling: Cricketer, Farmer, Politician and Family Man (with Graeme Ryan) and The MCC Official Ashes Treasures (5th edition).

Comments

  1. Tony Roberts says

    Bernard
    What the hell is Gliderol (sounds like an insect repellent)? Driving past it last March, Glenelg seemed to me that it would make a good Shield venue, in the way that Melbourne venues such as Punt Road and the Junction Oval should also be. (Glenelg’s close to your home – an added bonus. With that uninterrupted view of the Loftys, are you issuing an open invitation to J Neville Turner to watch future shield matches at Glenelg?)

    Judging from the first two days’ scores, is Gliderol a batting-friendly substance, or do SA and Queensland just have pedestrian attacks at present?

  2. mickey randall says

    Bernard- thanks for this. Whilst currently living in Singapore, I’m usually a Glenelg resident. Why not permanently move the shield cricket to Glenelg? There is a natural intimacy that would generate better atmosphere than playing at a largely empty Adelaide oval. Other states have done this for years. Sitting on the grass in the pocket down from Snout’s Bar would be great!

  3. Gliderol make automatic garage doors. I am sure there are enough automatic openings between the bat and pad of Phil Hughes to make them a logical sponsor of SA cricket.
    Speaking of which go to the Cricket Australia website and try to get a score for the SA v Quld Shield Match. These teams no longer exist. After a few minutes I worked out that I should be looking for the “West End Redbacks V the XXXX Gold Bulls”.
    Spare me. I though that bullshit (no pun intended) was for short form cricket.
    The A-League, NBL and the baseball league must be laughing like drains at those idiots at Cricket Australia.
    Bugger the Ashes (CA certainly have) and roll on January tennis.

  4. mickey randall says

    Excellent points (pints) Peter.
    Is CA advertising the upcoming Ashes series between the Rancid, Warm Tetleys Bitter Poms and the Cold Lager but in Tepid Form Australia?

  5. Touche’ MR. Love your work.
    Don’t you think ‘tepid’ is talking things up a bit, form wise? Though it does seem a perfect description of CA in general.
    Is there a Broad Bitter?

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