Coolidge Cricket Ground (Stanford Cricket Ground)

The basics

Known locally as Sticky Wicket Stadium, the Coolidge Cricket Ground can accommodate up to 5,000 spectators. The facility stopped hosting live matches in 2008 and resumed operations during the 2016-17 season, after an eight-year hiatus. In addition to hosting Twenty20 cricket matches and the Leeward Islands team, the stadium served as the home field for the Antigua Barracuda FC soccer team for a season. The stadium appeals mainly to sports fans but is largely off the radar of most island visitors. As such, it’s hardly ever featured on guided sightseeing tours. If you’d like to visit, you need to do so independently or opt for a private tour.

Things to know before you go

• Don’t forget to wear sunglasses, sunscreen, and a hat, as the stadium offers little shade.
• Cricket matches can last anywhere from a few hours to several days, with as many as six hours played each day of the game.
• Other places to see a cricket game include Sir Vivian Richards Stadium and the Antigua Recreation Ground.

How to get there

The Stanford Cricket Ground is located adjacent to the airport and is accessible via the Sir George Walter Highway. The best way to get there is by car, taxi, or guided tour.

When to get there

The best time to visit the cricket stadium is during a match, though the facility also hosts concerts and other cultural events from time to time. Be sure to check the calendar ahead of your visit. The main cricket season goes from January to July, but regional and international matches are held throughout the year.

The Story of Allen Sanford

This cricket ground was once named after Texan financier Allen Stanford, who developed much of Antigua and invested heavily in the stadium. Stanford was the subject of several fraud investigations beginning in 2009 and was convicted in 2012 for running a massive Ponzi scheme. When the cricket stadium reopened in 2016, it was renamed the Coolidge Cricket Ground.