Willowmoore Park Cricket Stadium is a multifunctional stadium that can accommodate a total of 20,000 individuals. Situated in Benoni, Gauteng, just like one of South Africa’s new global grounds, this stadium is the home ground for the Eastern Cricket Union and is likewise used by the Nashua Titans cricket team.

With Willowmoore Park celebrating women’s cricket by hosting the upcoming second and third T20 Women’s International Matches Momentum Proteas Women versus Australia, let’s have a look at some of the facts and figures associated with this stadium.

Historical Facts of Willowmoore Park:

Established in the year 1924, Willowmoore Park was founded by English Miners. It is named after the willow trees that encompassed ground and the “moor” located at the rear of the field. This stadium is also known as “Sahara Willowmoore Park” as the Sahara group sponsors it.

  • Sir Jacques Rudolph once alluded to Willowmoore Park as “varkpan.” Derived from the Afrikaans, varkpan signifies “pig plate,” when translated in English. With specific reference to the mindset of South African men, this says a lot about the presence of self-assertive force, futility, and fear in the past. They represent varied aspects along with the biased mentality
  • The premier international match in this stadium was played between an invitation team of South Africa and England in the year 1993, and the arena was formally inaugurated in the year 1924. 
  • It was on this field that Denis Compton, the well-known English cricketer, scored 300 runs in a three-hour-long match played between England and North Eastern Transvaal in 1948. It stands as the quickest ever triple century. 
  • In 1997, the ground facilitated its premier One Day International, among Zimbabwe and India, which saw a limit horde of 12,000 onlookers. Sachin Tendulkar delivered a smooth century as the Indian team won by six wickets, with more than ten overs remaining.
  • In the T20 women’s cricket match played between South Africa and Pakistan cricket teams in the year 2019, South Africa emerged as the winning team and had won the game by nine wickets. This match was successfully hosted on the Willowmoore ground.

The features of Sahara Willowmoore Park Stadium:

  • Renovations made to this stadium have profoundly changed its appearance and have given it a cutting-edge look. With provisions such as world-class players facilities, new seating arrangements, a four-story Media Center, an LED electronic scoreboard, and different onlooker office upgrades, the comforts of both the spectators and players have been increased.
  • An ultra-modern, new sub-surface, and ring drainage system has been introduced on the playing surface. Three extra pitches are available to enhance stability.  
  • Willowmoore Park has an additional field equipped with a grandstand, dining corridor, and player changing rooms. The arena likewise has nine other areas that are fit for playing nine junior matches and six senior matches.

Willowmoore Park is dedicated to hosting only matches of short formats to facilitate its first T20 international in the year 2018. It has become a famous stadium to host ODI matches. Until now, Willowmoore Park and the Eastern Cricket Union have hosted the under 19 World Cup, the 2007 ICC T20 World Cup, and the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier Tournament in 2009.