The
County Cricket Ground (also known as
Nevil Road) is a
cricket venue in
Bristol,
England. It is in the district of
Ashley Down. The ground is home to the
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club.
Initially known as Ashley Down Ground, it was bought in 1889 by
W. G. Grace and has been home to Gloucestershire ever since. It was sold to local confectionery firm
J. S. Fry & Sons and renamed Fry's Ground. The club bought the ground back in 1933 and it reverted back to its original name. It was sold again in 1976, this time to
Royal & Sun Alliance who renamed the ground the Phoenix County Ground for eight years before changing to The Royal & Sun Alliance County Ground until the ground was again bought by the club and took it up its current title.
While the ground is steeped in character, it also has the feel of an ageing ground, especially as cricket sees its popularity grow due to the continued success of
Twenty20 cricket. Despite this, the ground does host
One Day Internationals, usually one per year, with the addition of temporary seating to double the ground's capacity. Day–night matches are possible with the addition of temporary floodlights.
The concrete roof over the public terraces is formed from eight hyperbolic-paraboloid umbrellas each approximately 30 ft square, designed by T.H.B. Burrough in 1960.
Within the ground are tennis and squash courts as well as a gym, which is available to the public.
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