Supersport park (Centurion Park)

Cricket occupies a unique and significant position in the affections of countless individuals across the globe, and the region of South Africa is not exempt from this phenomenon. Among the many distinguished cricket grounds, a particular venue commands exceptional reverence - SuperSport Park, which is also referred to as Centurion Park. SuperSport Park is an emblematic venue that hosts both domestic and international cricketing events, serving as a platform for epic confrontations within the sport. It is a testament to the historical and contemporary significance of cricket in South Africa. The present article elucidates the expedition of the park, its durable structures, noteworthy achievements, and emblematic contests that have engendered a permanent mark on the athletic terrain. SuperSport Park has been the notable site for various cricketing pursuits both nationally and internationally, ranging from hosting South Africa’s domestic cricket events to serving as the arena for internationally-renowned cricketing behemoths.

History of Supersport park (Centurion Park)

Supersport Park, which is alternatively referred to as Centurion Park, is a cricket stadium situated in Centurion, Gauteng, South Africa. The appellation “Supersport Park” was bestowed upon the stadium subsequent to the procurement of its shares by the television enterprise, SuperSport. The ground’s maximum capacity stands at 22,000 individuals. The Titans cricket team has been hosting the majority of their domestic fixtures at this location since 2004. The site on which the Titans’ antecedent squad Northerns (formerly Northern Transvaal) played their home matches has been in use since 1986. The Pretoria Capitals’ home stadium is also situated at this location. Following the demise of the apartheid regime, the town formerly known as Verwoerdburg underwent a renaming process. It was eventually bestowed with a new name - Centurion - which was derived from the nomenclature of a cricket field, thus having the advantage of being politically non-partisan. In November 1995, the inaugural Test match was played at Centurion as part of the initial tour of South Africa by the England cricket team following the dismantling of the apartheid system. The conclusion of the game was determined as a draw subsequent to experiencing substantial impact from precipitation. The fifth Test match of England’s 2000 tour was held in Centurion, where the South African captain, Hansie Cronje, famously conceded his team’s second innings to facilitate a result on the final day, ultimately resulting in England’s victory. Subsequent disclosures indicated that Cronje had acquiesced to a bookmaker’s entreaty to deliberately preclude the termination of the match in a stalemate by accepting financial remuneration. In 2001, additional conflict arose within the cricket community following the declaration of the third Test scheduled between South Africa and India at Centurion as an “unofficial” Test. This decision was made subsequent to the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s refusal to acknowledge the International Cricket Council-appointed match referee, Mike Denness. Denness had imposed disciplinary measures on various Indian players for their conduct during the previous match at Port Elizabeth. During the first Test of India’s tour of South Africa in the 2010-11 cricket season, the accomplished Indian batsman, Sachin Tendulkar, marked his 50th Test century at Centurion in December of that same year. Commencing in the summer of 2018/19, the said venue traditionally accommodates a Boxing Day Test. The Centurion stadium served as a host venue for the 2003 Cricket World Cup, which was held in South Africa. Moreover, it was chosen as a location for the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy and held the ultimate match on the 5th of October in 2009. The 2009 edition of the Indian Premier League was hosted in South Africa, whereby Centurion was enlisted as among the eight venues utilized for the tournament. The venue served as the setting for a total of twelve matches, including an esteemed semi-final encounter. Supersport Park served as the venue for a domestic and continental Sixes tournament, in which the Titans emerged victorious in the domestic competition and South Africa claimed the continental title by defeating Kenya in the final. Centurion organized a practice match of Australian rules football in 2008 featuring Carlton and Fremantle. On the 17th of September 2011, the vocal pop ensemble from Ireland known as Westlife performed a concert at Centurion Park as part of their Gravity Tour, in promotion of their album entitled “Gravity. "

Supersport park fixtures

The stadium consistently serves as a venue for international cricket contests, encompassing Test matches, One Day Internationals (ODIs), and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). Numerous international teams hailing from diverse regions across the world have made their presence felt on the grounds of the park, thereby adding significantly to its illustrious chronicle.

On the domestic sphere, SuperSport Park serves as the esteemed domicile of the Northerns cricket squad, which was previously recognized as the Northern Transvaal. The stadium serves as a platform for exhilarating competitions staged as components of South Africa’s domestic tournaments, notably, the 4-Day Franchise Series, the Momentum One Day Cup, and the CSA T20 Challenge.

Furthermore, in addition to its routine events, SuperSport Park has been selected as a prominent location for major global tournaments during times when South Africa has had the privilege of hosting them. The venue in question held noteworthy significance as a site for both the 2003 Cricket World Cup and the 2007 ICC World Twenty20.

Furthermore, the stadium hosts a variety of notable cricket affairs, encompassing exhibition matches and philanthropic initiatives, among others. SuperSport Park remains a favored venue for both domestic and international cricket fixtures, owing to its modern amenities and celebrated reputation for offering seamless cricket experiences to the teams and audiences it caters to. Its vibrancy as a hub for the sport remains unquestionable.

Supersport park (Centurion Park) T20 records

Regarding individual performances, the South African cricket player Albie Morkel has notably influenced the outcome of matches played on this particular venue. The individual in question has compiled the highest aggregate of runs at SuperSport Park, accruing a grand total of 895 runs across 48 matches of the T20 format. In relation to international T20 cricket, Rassie van der Dussen has established a record by accumulating a total of 202 runs across a span of five matches. In addition, Morkel demonstrated his multi-dimensional prowess with the ball by capturing 47 wickets across 46 innings - a record-setting achievement at the specific sporting venue. In the realm of international T20s, Chris Morris claimed the highest number of wickets, amassing a total of seven in a mere four fixtures.

The stadium has been a venue for a number of exceptional performances from various teams. The Tshwane Titans have established a record for the least amount of runs scored in a single innings during a cricket match by recording a mere 35/3 against the Nelson Mandela Bay Giants in November of 2018. In March 2013, South Africa registered a modest score of 100 against Pakistan in the global cricketing arena. In contrast, the most significant score attained by a team was registered by South Africa, wherein they accumulated 241 runs while losing six wickets in a 20-over match against England in November of 2009.

The exhibition of exceptional individual aptitude has likewise been manifested at this location. At SuperSport Park, the record for the highest individual score achieved in a T20 match is currently held by Babar Azam, a cricketer of Pakistani origin. In April of 2021, Azam accomplished this feat by scoring 122 runs off a mere 59 deliveries against a team from South Africa. In the domain of franchise cricket, Manish Pandey, a member of the Bangalore team in the Indian T20 League, achieved the topmost individual score of 114 runs from 73 deliveries in 2009.

With regards to the sport of bowling, Umar Gul of Pakistan attained the most exemplary statistics at this particular ground, exhibiting his prowess by securing 5 wickets for a mere 6 runs within a span of 2. 2 overs during the month of March in the year 2013. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan established a notable achievement by attaining the highest partnership record at the ground, having scored a cumulative of 197 runs over 106 balls against South Africa.

ODI Records

The SuperSport Park, an esteemed cricket facility, has facilitated a cumulative of 23 One Day International (ODI) contests. Upon closer analysis of the results, it is evident that the team which engaged in batting first emerged victorious in 9 of the matches, whereas the team that was chasing the target emerged triumphant in 12 instances.

The matches generated a combined total of 11,055 runs, which were scored from a total of 11,457 delivered balls. The aforementioned observations yielded an arithmetic mean of 480. 65 runs per match, accompanied by a strike rate of 96. The SuperSport Park has experienced a range in the recorded One Day International (ODI) scores, spanning from a maximum of 384 to a significantly low score of 11.

The quantitative analysis of boundary count at this location is of notable significance, as it yields a cumulative frequency of 1,311, comprising of a noteworthy count of 248 sixes and 1,063 fours. Upon further analysis of the scoring patterns, it was observed that the scores were distributed across different ranges. Specifically, there were five instances wherein scores ranged from 100-149 runs, five instances wherein scores ranged from 150-199 runs, seven instances wherein scores ranged from 200-249 runs, fifteen instances wherein scores ranged from 250-299 runs, ten instances wherein scores ranged from 300-349 runs, and two instances wherein scores ranged from 350-399 runs. As of present, no team has surpassed the milestone score of 400 runs.

The various means of dismissal available to batsmen consist of 24 lbw judgments, 53 instances of being bowled, 9 cases of being stumped, 223 occurrences of being caught, and 22 instances of being run-out. The bowlers who achieved significant numbers of wickets were mainly those who were right-armers, having taken a total of 229 wickets, as opposed to their left-arm compatriots, who secured a mere 81 wickets.

An analysis of the performance of left-arm bowlers reveals that the fast bowlers secured 5 wickets, fast-medium bowlers secured 45 wickets, medium bowlers secured 1 wicket, and slow bowlers secured 30 wickets. The present study examines the distribution of wickets among right-arm bowlers. Data analysis reveals that fast bowlers accounted for 59 wickets, while fast-medium bowlers contributed to a total of 98 wickets. Similarly, medium bowlers claimed 21 wickets, and slow bowlers were responsible for 51 wickets.

Throughout the twenty-three One Day International (ODI) matches, the bowlers recorded a tally of seventy wickets, with a commendable strike rate of 35. 69 and an average of 34. 43 Among the total number of individuals analyzed, 211 were identified as being right-handed batsmen, whereas 121 were identified as being left-handed. The present study reveals a diversity in the modes of dismissal of the examined batsmen, as observed with right-handed batters being dismissed through leg before wicket (LBW) on 14 occasions, bowling out on 40 occasions, stumped out on 4 instances, and caught out on 136 occasions. The present study revealed that left-handed batsmen were subject to 10 dismissals by leg before wicket (lbw), 13 dismissals by being bowled, 5 dismissals by being stumped, and 87 dismissals by being caught.

On the aspect of fielding, catches accounted for the majority of dismissals, with a total of 223 occurrences. Subsequently, the aforementioned set of events were succeeded by 9 instances of stumpings, 12 occurrences of direct throw run-outs, and 10 instances of indirect throw run-outs. This dataset affords a comprehensive analysis of the One Day International (ODI) records at SuperSport Park, offering valuable insights into the performance of cricket teams at this sporting venue.

IPL records

The distinguished cricket site of SuperSport Park has played host to a cumulative sum of 12 encounters of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The outcome of the aforementioned matches indicates a notable inclination towards the pursuing team, with 8 occurrences in which they emerged victorious, compared to a mere 4 instances where the team that batted first claimed triumph. Throughout the course of these 12 matches, a cumulative sum of 3,653 runs was scored from a total of 2,751 deliveries, resulting in an average of 304. 41 runs per match and a strike rate of 132.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) encounters hosted at SuperSport Park have exhibited commendable exemplifications of batting prowess, wherein the pinnacle score registered is 189, whereas the nadir stands at 105. The stadium has witnessed a cumulative count of 435 boundary hits, comprising 118 instances of sixes and 317 instances of fours. The distribution of scores was characterized by 10 occurrences falling within the range of 100 to 149, while 14 instances were observed within the range of 150 to 199, and no scores were recorded above 200.

The manner in which dismissals occurred during the match was as follows: there were a total of 11 instances where batsmen were dismissed through Leg Before Wicket (LBW), while 25 wickets were claimed through being Bowled. In addition, five dismissals occurred as a result of Stumpings, while 75 wickets were obtained through Catches. Finally, there were 16 Run-outs that led to the dismissal of batsmen. The distribution of wickets among the different categories of bowlers indicated that left-arm bowlers captured thirty-four wickets, whereas right-arm bowlers accounted for eighty-three wickets. The cohort of wicket takers with left-arm orientation included a group of fast bowlers who claimed five wickets, a cohort of fast-medium bowlers who secured fourteen wickets, a group of medium-paced bowlers with two wickets, and a group of languid pace bowlers with thirteen wickets. The distribution of wickets among right-arm bowlers indicates that fast bowlers secured seven wickets, fast-medium bowlers acquired 29 wickets, medium bowlers obtained 14 wickets, and slow bowlers claimed 33 wickets.

The IPL fixtures held at SuperSport Park exhibited the attainment of a cumulative sum of 70 wickets by the bowlers across a dozen games, resulting in a strike rate of 20. 52 and an average of 27. At this venue, a collective count of 87 right-handed and 44 left-handed batsmen were eliminated by the bowlers. The right-handed batsmen exhibited a total of six dismissals through leg before wicket (LBW), while being bowled out on 17 occasions. Additionally, they succumbed to being stumped four times and caught out 48 times during the course of their innings. In contrast, the data reveals that batsmen of left-handed orientation were subject to LBW dismissals a total of 5 times, 8 instances of being bowled, one stumping, and 26 catches. From a functional viewpoint pertaining to fielding, a total of 75 catches, 5 stumpings, 9 direct hit run-outs, and 7 throw run-outs were observed. This thorough examination demonstrates the constantly changing nature of IPL matches hosted at SuperSport Park.

Supersport park stats

In the context of Test matches, South Africa has established itself as a preeminent team, having achieved victory in a substantial majority of the 28 matches played between the years 1995 and 2023, specifically winning 22 of those contests. The host nation has achieved greater prominence than any of the other teams, namely Australia, England, and India, despite the latter’s considerable success.

South Africa exhibited a commendable performance in the realm of One-Day Internationals, attaining triumph in 26 out of 45 games contested during the period spanning from 1992 to 2022. Both Australia and India have demonstrated a commendable performance at the venue, garnering 8 and 6 triumphs respectively.It can be stated that South Africa participated in 9 matches from 2007 to 2022, achieving victory in 4 and facing defeat in 5 of them.

Famous matches

SuperSport Park has proven to be a venue of immense historical significance, having played host to several indelible cricket matches. In 1999, amidst the World Cup proceedings, a prominent draw match ensued between South Africa and Australia which was played at the respective venue. In the calendar year of 2003, a noteworthy achievement occurred within the realm of international cricket. Herschelle Gibbs exemplified an extraordinary display of athletic prowess by hitting six consecutive sixes within a single over during a match against the Netherlands. It was the first instance of such an accomplishment of sporting excellence in an international context.

The “438 game” contested between South Africa and Australia in 2006 remains a topic of fervent discussion amongst cricket enthusiasts on a global scale. The momentous contest witnessed South Africa triumphantly pursuing a target of 434 runs, thereby establishing an unprecedented benchmark for the greatest successful run chase in the history of ODI.

The SuperSport Park venue attained the noteworthy accolade of inaugurating its first-ever Test match in the year 2000, featuring a contest between South Africa and New Zealand. The match concluded with an outstanding triumph for South Africa, with a win by an innings and 25 runs. This notable achievement was largely attributed to the exceptional performance of Shaun Pollock who secured 9 wickets during the competition.

In the year 2003, a crucial match in the Cricket World Cup tournament was held at this venue, specifically the semi-final match featuring the national cricket teams of India and Kenya. India achieved triumph by securing a victory with a margin of 91 runs, attributed to the commendable achievement of a century scored by Sachin Tendulkar.

Additionally augmenting the distinguished chronicles of the stadium, SuperSport Park was selected as the venue for the commencement of the first season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in South Africa during 2009. The esteemed competition showcased a cohort of outstanding athletes from across the globe, among whom figures Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, and Jacques Kallis, all of whom demonstrated their exceptional abilities on the grounds of SuperSport Park.

Conclusion

SuperSport Park, a prominent stronghold of South African cricket, transcends its basic function as a mere athletic facility. The aforementioned statement serves as a vivid exemplification of the profound attachment of the populace to the sport of cricket, elucidating the diverse range of emotions experienced throughout the course of its illustrious history, encompassing both euphoric elation and heartrending letdowns. Over the course of its past, the venue has acted as a setting for a plethora of captivating cricket fixtures, playing witness to indelible displays of skill and exceptional achievements. The cricket ground remains a dynamic center for sport activity, seamlessly linking the sport’s past, present, and future through a shared commitment to passion and enjoyment. SuperSport Park is renowned for its impressive statistical and record-breaking achievements, however, its significance extends beyond these accolades as it encapsulates a rich tapestry of stories within its boundary lines. Undoubtedly, SuperSport Park occupies a crucial position in the annals of cricket history.