The Albert Ground has been given a refresh, with the completion of the Clive Fairbairn Pavilion following a 12-month renovation.
The Clive Fairbairn Pavilion, named after the former MCC player, administrator and honorary life member, Clive Fairbairn, was originally constructed in 1908 and designed by architects Oakden and Ballantyne at the cost of 1,380 pounds.Upgrades to the traditional pavilion included restoration of the wooden structure, internal male and female toilets and a stand-along scorers’ box to the side of the building.
On Thursday night, a group of guests from the Melbourne Cricket Club, including President Michael Happell, gathered to celebrate the opening of the new pavilion.
The home of the MCC Premier Cricket Men’s and Women’s teams, the Albert Ground is one of the Premier Cricket’s primary finals venues, having won the best Premier Cricket Main Oval Award for the last three seasons.
The Albert Ground is steeped in history with the venue having hosted international women’s cricket – including Australia and England’s ODIs in 1984/85 and the World Cup 1988.
A part of the Melbourne Cricket Club since 1890, the venue was formerly known as the Warehousemen’s Ground, and the ground hasn’t just hosted cricket during its long life.
From 1905 to 1912, the Warehousemen’s Ground hosted international tennis, including the first Australasian Championships, now known as the Australian Open. The matches were played on the actual cricket oval in November 1905, with MCC member Rodney Heath winning the singles.
According to former MCC President, Hans Ebeling, it was officially renamed to the Albert Ground in 1908.
The Albert Ground will continue to host the remainder of the 2020/21 season, with the Men’s First XI set to play Melbourne University at the Ground on Saturday, before the Women’s First XI host their semi-final against Box Hill on Sunday.