Seddon Park, Cricket ground

Seddon Park is a round, well-grassed cricket ground in Hamilton, New Zealand, with a centre block of nine pitches running roughly north to south. An embankment circles three-quarters of the perimeter, with a tall hedgerow outside it.

Seddon Park was named by the Hamilton Borough Council in July 1906, before it was developed, after Richard Seddon, New Zealand's longest-serving prime minister. It was first used for a major cricket match in February 1914, when the touring Australians played a South Auckland XVIII over two days. From 1990 to 2006 it carried sponsor names (Trust Bank Park, WestpacTrust Park, Westpac Park) before reverting to Seddon Park.

Seddon Park was named in July 1906 by the Hamilton Borough Council, before the ground was even developed, after Richard Seddon, New Zealand's longest-serving prime minister. Spectators watch from an embankment that curves around three-quarters of the perimeter, with a tall hedgerow outside it, which gives matches the picnic-style setting the ground is known for.

The ground sits close to Hamilton's city center, making it straightforward to reach on foot from most central areas. On match days, arriving early is a good idea if you want to pick your spot on the open grass banks, which fill up gradually through the day.

Kane Williamson scored 251 runs against the West Indies here in 2020, which remains his highest score in Test cricket. That record was set on a ground where the open grass banks mean spectators sit at roughly the same level as the outfield, giving a closeness to the game that covered stadiums rarely offer.