The Bourda is a cricket ground in Georgetown, Guyana, used by the Guyanese cricket team for matches with other nations in the Caribbean as well as some Test matches involving the West Indies. Located in Bourda in Georgetown, Guyana, between Regent Street and North Road, it is home to the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC). The ground is reminiscent of old baseball stadiums, due to its cantilever stands. The Ladies stand is as fascinating, but the more modern, such as the Rohan Kanhai stand, blend in well. The liveliest part of the ground with the ubiquitous music and DJs is at The Mound, an unprotected area. The ground is nicknamed "The Cornerstone".
While the crowd are passionate about their cricket, they are also among the most volatile, with mini riots and pitch invasions not uncommon. The worst incident was in 1979 during a World Series Cricket SuperTest when the pavilion was ransacked and players hid in the changing rooms wearing their helmets for added protection.
It has hosted 30 Test matches and 10 One Day International. Four of the last five Tests at the ground have ended in draws,[1] possibly due to rainy weather, as matches are often scheduled during Guyana's rainy period.[2] The ground, which has a capacity of around 22,000, opened in 1884, has seen Test cricket since 1930, and is the only stadium in the world to be situated below sea level. The ground has a moat round it to protect the pitch from flooding. It is the oldest ground in the Caribbean.
Cricket matches between Trinidad and GCC were played there as early as 1883, and later between GCC and teams from Britain, in 1895 and 1897. It hosted its first Test in February 1930 against England, which the home side won by 289 runs and George Headley scored a century in each innings. Clive Lloyd and Rohan Kanhai have stands named after them at Bourda. [1]
The ground did not host matches for the 2007 Cricket World Cup, as a new stadium, the Providence Stadium, was built. The Guyanese authorities, however, insisted that the Bourda would still be used for first-class cricket.
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