Bradman, Grace, history made in 200 years at NTCA oval

Grazing stock kept the grass down, and because it was flat and handy, locals used it to play cricket. Without a proper pitch though, scores were a bit low.

In the 1830s clubs began to form.

The Launceston Cricket Club (LCC), for example, appears to date unofficially from around 1835, despite its official formation being cited as 1841.

When racing fixtures moved to Mowbray in 1844, it freed up the site for development as a dedicated cricket ground. The LCC asked for it to be granted to them, which was agreed in 1850.

The LCC could now undertake improvements, creating an oval with a fenced perimeter, trees, and grandstand. It still exists as the NTCA oval today.

This prompted Victoria to challenge Tasmania to the first intercolonial match, played at the renovated ground in February 1851.

William Henty bowled the first ball (underarm in those days!), which was souvenired by umpire Charles Weedon and later donated to QVMAG.

A thousand people turned up to watch, some 20% of the population of Launceston, forcing an unofficial holiday as the city shut down. We won by three wickets, and one of the bats used is now owned by Launceston Grammar.

Disaster struck in 1853, when the grandstand burnt down. Four years later it was rebuilt using public subscriptions, and this time they insured it!

A gunpowder magazine was built at the north-east corner - being a safe site away from the city.

Before long they boasted a two-storey members' pavilion.

The site being larger than needed, a second ground was constructed, under today's Elphin Sports Centre.

Formation of the NTCA came in 1886, and the LCC handed over the grounds to them.

Over the years, we saw many legends of the game playing here.

WG Grace captained the second English side to visit, in 1874.

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In 1928 Harold Larwood bowled such a fast ball that one of the bails was found 60 metres past the stumps!

Two years later Don Bradman played here while on his way to England.

In 1931 our own Bill Cahill astounded all when he bowled half an over right-handed against South Africa, then the other half left-handed!

A spectacular fire destroyed the grandstand and a recently erected pavilion in 1950, taking all the NTCA records with it.

In a sterling display, players ignored the furore and carried on without interrupting play.

Finally, a new ground was constructed behind K-Mart in 1987, as part of a $1.4 million upgrade funded in exchange for giving up the second oval.

The new ground is magnificent, with a base of shale, coal and coke dumped on the site by the old gasworks.

It drains wonderfully, unlike the boggy old ground given up.

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