Observatory Lane is a cricket ground in Rathmines, Dublin, Ireland.
Leinster Cricket Club was founded in 1852, originally playing matches at nearby Grosvenor Square, before moving to Observatory Lane in 1865.[1]
First-class cricket was first played at Observatory Lane in 1912 when Ireland played Scotland.[3] The ground hosted six first-class matches before World War II, including a match between Ireland and the touring New Zealanders in 1937, in which no team passed 100 in any of the four innings.[4] Ireland played the Marylebone Cricket Club in 1948, with a 27 year wait before the next first-class match was played at the ground in 1975.[3] To date, 13 first-class matches have been played at Observatory Lane, the last in 2012 against Afghanistan in the ICC Intercontinental Cup.[3] List A cricket was first played at Observatory Lane in the 2005 ICC Trophy, with the ground hosting two matches.[5] A third List A match was played there between Leinster Lightning and Northern Knights in the 2017 Inter-Provincial Cup, with Leinster Lightning due to play a further List A match there in the 2018 Inter-Provincial Cup.[5] Women's international cricket was first played at Observatory Lane in 1990, when Ireland women played England women in a Women's One Day International (WODI).[6] To date six WODIs have been played at the ground,[6] along with two Women's Twenty20 Internationals in 2009.[7]
The Ireland rugby union team played their first home match at Observatory Lane in 1875 against England,[8][1] after Lansdowne Road was deemed unsuitable.[9]
Ireland International Rugby Union Matches | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date | Home | Score | Opponent | Competition | Attendance |
13 December 1875 | ![]() |
0G–1G | ![]() |
1875–76 Home Nations | [10][11] |