Nelson Park, Napier


Nelson Park is a cricket ground in Napier, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand.

Establishment

A syndicate reclaimed the Napier South area from the Ahuriri Lagoon and swamp in 1908. In 1909, the town council purchased 20 acres for a park named in honour of a member of the reclamation syndicate, the Hawke's Bay pioneering settler William Nelson.

Playing history

The ground first held a first-class match when Hawke's Bay played Wellington in 1920, and Hawke's Bay also played a first-class match there in 1921 against the touring Australians. Senior cricket was next played there nearly 65 years later when Central Districts played Wellington in the 1985-86 Shell Trophy. It has been a regular first-class venue since 2007. As of December 2018, Central Districts has played 20 first-class matches there, lifting the Plunket Shield at the venue in 2018–19. A 2011-12 Ford Trophy match was held between the Central Districts Stags and the Wellington Firebirds, which finished in a no result.
In the 1920s Nelson Park was regarded as one of the best cricket wickets in New Zealand.
Five Youth One Day Internationals have been played at Nelson Park, all in the 2010 Under-19 World Cup. The ground has also been used a home venue for Central Districts Women in the State League in the 2010/11 season.
There are five cricket pitches in Nelson Park, with some overlap among the five fields.