Short Boundaries, Tent Dressing Rooms: Cricket’s Unusual Home at the Asian Games
As you enter Korogi Athletic Park, the venue for cricket at the Asian Games, it feels more like a park than a sporting venue, with thousands of trees surrounding the ground. The first impression is that it is a decent venue that could host Ranji Trophy matches. Essentially, it is a baseball ground that has been converted into a cricket stadium.
How big is the ground?
The ground is big enough to meet international cricket standards, but the boundaries are short, measuring 60 yards from the centre of the wicket in every direction.
One reason for the short boundaries is that the surface near the players’ dugouts is not completely flat. Nagoya experienced 18 consecutive days of rain before the Asian Games, the heaviest rainfall in 136 years. As a result, the minimum boundary distance of 60 yards was approved.
The boundary length for the men’s T20 event has not yet been decided.
In the women’s final, India posted a massive 216/3, hitting 13 sixes and 18 fours.
Players’ dressing rooms
Two matches involving four teams are played at the ground each day. Each team is allocated a tent as its dressing room, as there are no permanent dressing rooms at the venue.
Each dressing-room tent measures around 26 yards by 20 yards, while the dugouts are also made up of tents. The dressing rooms are equipped with air-conditioning.
Practice area
Four artificial practice pitches are located next to the dressing rooms. Players can use them on match day and the day before.
The first match of the day starts at 9am, with the second scheduled for 2pm. Matches are played on alternate days.
Fan seating capacity
As the venue is primarily a baseball ground, there are no permanent spectator stands. Temporary, roofless stands have been installed instead.
Each stand holds around 320 spectators, with eight stands providing a maximum capacity of approximately 2,500. The semi-circular stands cover only half of the stadium.
Behind the spectator area is the permanent baseball setup, including the dugouts. The heavy rain has also left some areas of the surface uneven. The ground staff have done a good job overall, although a few areas outside the field of play remain wet and muddy.
Media centre
The media centre is housed in another tent, with seating for around 60 journalists and photographers. It has two standing air-conditioning units and a separate blower that releases cool air.
There is also an open media tribune, as at several other venues, with a total capacity of 66. Of these, 32 seats have tables, while 24 do not.
There are certainly shortcomings at the Asian Games cricket venue. It does not compare with India’s established cricket stadiums, particularly when it comes to facilities and infrastructure. But the venue itself is beautiful.
For cricketers accustomed to spacious dressing rooms and the usual luxuries of international cricket, Korogi Athletic Park may feel a little like a return to club or junior-level cricket.
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