Swalec Stadium

Home to county side Glamorgan Cricket and also host to international matches since its big bucks redevelopment, this is the city’s premier venue for catching the thwack of leather on willow. The security is rather thorough for such a sedate sport (one steward’s tale of confiscating a cheese knife from a hungry spectator is about as middle-​class as anecdote involving s potentially deadly weapon get). And when, rather than if, it rains — precipitation being as omnipresent in cricket as lavishly-​applied sunblock and drunk fans in fancy dress — a good proportion of the fans get soaked in the uncovered stands. Avoid those pitfalls and it’s a relaxing day out with added first class sport.

It’s July 2009 and a mate of mine calls me — «Hey do you fancy coming to see the Ashes tomorrow? I’ve got a spare ticket»
I said no thanks because I’m not really a big fan of cricket.
ONLY JOKING.
I am speaking the truth when I say I’m not a big fan of cricket but I’d be off my head not to say no. Why?
Because The Ashes (a test cricket series played between England and Australia) is one of international cricket’s most celebrated rivalries and dates back to 1882 and has never been played in Cardiff before.
Anyway i had to drive someone in the morning and it was tipping down with rain — so i thought the game will obviously be called off.
But i got to Cardiff and Sophia Garden seemed to be existing in its very own sun bubble.
We went into the Swalec Stadium (just been refurbed at a price of £9.6m) watched the game, with the sun blanketing us all day — in between popping out to the bar for a few refreshments and had an absolute cracking day.
There was friendly rivalry and banter between us and the Ozzies plus we won!
You don’t need to be a cricket fan to watch a game — there are plenty of breaks in the play to pop out and grab a bite to eat /​drink. The best way to think of it is as a relaxing day out with a couple of mates eating and drinking to your hearts content whilst a game of cricket is played in front of you.

I don’t like cricket, oh no, I love it! OK well I don’t really love it but its actually quite a fun way to spend a sunny summers day with a few beers and some mates. This is still a very new stadium so its a bit lacking in history and charm, but its very functional and has lots of space and toilets and some really good food outlets.
There’s not too much more I can say about the place. I’d defiantly recommend everyone gives it ago and support Glamorgan (they need all the support they can get).
Oh yeah they also do functions, we were thinking of having a christmas party there last year too. Looks awesome but expensive!

Glamorgan County Cricket Club’s proud new facility in the heart of Cardiff was completed just in time for the start of the 2008 Season. During 2007 season, the old ground (better known as Sophia Gardens) was redeveloped into a magnificent new stadium, with a 16,000 capacity. The impressive new ground will host the First Ashes Test between England and Australia in July 2009, and a 1-​day International vs. South Africa in September 2008.
The new ground certainly has all the trappings of a Test Match Arena — large stands, lots of corporate hospitality boxes, splendid Members’ Pavilion, electronic scoreboard, and state-​of-​the-​art Media Centre. What it lacks is atmosphere and character: it is what it is — a metal and plastic stadium, built to budget, functional and unlovely. It has not developed gradually through the years, like Lords or Trent Bridge, and so lacks the feel of those places.
Nevertheless it is a fine place to watch cricket, with plenty of refreshment stands, as well as a very good restaurant facility, managed by an executive chef who likes to feature locally produced foods.