Pitch Report: 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup – Ageas Bowl, Southampton

Cricket365
May 7, 2019

Ageas Bowl: Overview

Established: 2001
Capacity: 20000 (with temporary seating)
Floodlights: Yes
Ends: Pavilion End, Northern End
Home Teams: Hampshire, England

2019 Cricket World Cup fixtures:
June 5, 1030 BST/1500 IST: India bt South Africa
June 10, 1030 BST/1500 IST: South Africa v West Indies – no result
June 14, 1030 BST/1500 IST: England bt West Indies
June 22, 1030 BST/1500 IST: India bt Afghanistan
June 24, 1030 BST/1500 IST: Bangladesh v Afghanistan – Bangladesh 2/7, Afghanistan 5/2

Bangladesh v Afghanistan – Paddy’s Power Prices

Continued development of this 21st century ground has seen it grow into a proper stadium and an increasingly frequent destination on the international circuit.

The ground only opened in 2001, hosting its first ODI in 2003. That partly explains a high RPO stat at the ground at well over five an over, and it’s certainly a good batting ground. Eighteen individual centuries in just 23 matches is another eye-catching statistic.

Two truly power-packed batting line-ups – India and West Indies – both have a couple of opportunities to fill their boots here, while South Africa and England will also certainly look to go big. Afghanistan also have two games here, playing India and Bangladesh in the space of three days towards the end of June.

The two highest ODI totals ever made at this ground came in the England-Pakistan match just three weeks before the start of the World Cup, while the eight 300+ totals made here have all come within the last eight games.

Ageas Bowl: ODI statistics

Matches: 27
Won batting first: 13 (52%)
Won batting second: 12 (48%)
No result/abandoned: 2

Won toss: W11 L14 NR1
Won toss, batted: W6 L7
Won toss, fielded: W5 L7 NR1

Highest total: England 373/3 (50/50 overs) v Pakistan, May 11 2019
Lowest total: USA 65 (24/50 overs) v Australia, Sept 13 2004

300+ totals: 8

Runs per over: 5.41
Runs per wicket: 35.58

MORE 2019 ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP PITCH REPORTS

Ageas Bowl: Last 10 ODIs

June 22 2019: India (224/8, 50/50 overs) beat Afghanistan (213, 49.5/50 overs) by 11 runs
June 14 2019: England (213/2, 33.1/50 overs) beat West Indies (212, 44.4/50 overs) by eight wickets
June 10 2019: South Africa (29/2, 7.3/50 overs) v West Indies – no result
June 5 2019: India (230/4, 47.3/50 overs) bt South Africa (227/9, 50/50 overs) by six wickets
May 11 2019: England (373/3, 50/50 overs) bt Pakistan (361/7, 50/50 overs) by 12 runs
Sept 29 2017: England (294/1, 38/50 overs) bt West Indies (288/6, 50/50 overs) by nine wickets
May 27 2017: England (330/6, 50/50 overs) bt South Africa (328/5, 50/50 overs) by two runs
Aug 24 2016: England (194/3, 34.3 overs, target: 151) bt Pakistan (260/6, 50/50 overs) by 44 runs (DL method)
Sept 3 2015: Australia (305/6, 50/50 overs) bt England (246, 45.3/50 overs) by 59 runs
June 14 2015: New Zealand (306/7, 49/50 overs) bt England (302, 45.2/50 overs) by three wickets

Ageas Bowl: ODI record by country

England: P18 W11 L7
South Africa: P5 W2 L2 NR1
Bangladesh: P1 L1
India: P5 W3 L2
West Indies: P7 W2 L3 NR2
Afghanistan: P1 L1

Ageas Bowl: Individual ODI stats

Centuries: 20
Five-wicket hauls: 2

Highest scores:
189* (155), Martin Guptill (New Zealand) v England, June 2 2013
150 (124), Hashim Amla (South Africa) v England, August 28 201
143 (107), Shane Watson (Australia) v England, Sept 16 2013
141* (114), Jonny Bairstow (England) v West Indies, Sept 27 2017
138 (106), Fakhar Zaman (Pakistan) v England, May 11 2019
126* (118), Ian Bell (England) v India, August 21 2007
126 (117), Ian Bell (England) v West Indies, June 16 2012
122* (144), Rohit Sharma (India) v South Africa, June 5 2019
118 (113), Kane Williamson (New Zealand) v England, June 14 2015
110* (55), Jos Buttler (England) v Pakistan, May 11 2019

Best bowling:
10-4-29-5, Mervyn Dillon (West Indies) v Bangladesh, Sept 15 2004
10-0-61-5, Ben Stokes (England) v Australia, Sept 16 2013

Ageas Bowl: Classic Match

May 11 2019: England (373/3, 50/50 overs) bt Pakistan (361/7, 50/50 overs) by 12 runs

England were given their usual solid yet rapid start by Jason Roy (87) and Jonny Bairstow (51) but their innings was propelled into the stratosphere by the latest instalment of the Jos Buttler show.

The England keeper-batsman shared an unbroken stand of 162 in 14.5 overs with captain Eoin Morgan, whose own unbeaten 71 from 48 balls was made to look utterly pedestrian.

Buttler sent nine sixes over the ropes in a 55-ball 110 not out, six of them in the space of the 18 balls it took him to move from 50 to 100.

So good was the Southampton pitch, though, that England’s total proved only just enough, with Fakhar Zaman playing his own innings for the ages with 138 off 106 balls while half-centuries from Babar Azam and Asif Ali kept Pakistan in contention. At 323/4 with five overs to go Pakistan were still right in it, but wickets began to fall and they came up just short.