{{short description|Sports complex in Alexandra, New Zealand}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=April 2024}} {{Infobox cricket ground | ground_name = Molyneux Park | nickname = | country = New Zealand | image = | caption = | location = [[Alexandra, New Zealand|Alexandra]], New Zealand | establishment = 1961 (first recorded match) | seating_capacity = | end1 = Old Man Range End | end2 = St Bathans End | club1 = [[Otago Sparks|Otago Women]] | year1 = 2006–present | club2 = [[Otago cricket team|Otago]] | year2 = 1979–present | date = 3 November | year = 2011 | source = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/21/1396.html Ground profile }}
'''Molyneux Park''' is a [[cricket]] ground and sports complex in [[Alexandra, New Zealand|Alexandra]], [[Otago]], New Zealand. It is the main sports venue for the Alexandra area.<ref name=CODC>{{cite web |title=Alexandra/Clyde Area Parks & Reserves |url=https://www.codc.govt.nz/services/parks/alexandra-area |website=Central Otago District Council |access-date=19 January 2021}}</ref>
Molyneux Park was developed in the 1960s and 1970s. As well as cricket, rugby, softball, netball and bowls facilities it has a seasonal outdoor ice skating rink, squash courts and the Alexandra bike park.<ref name=CODC/>
The first recorded cricket match on the ground came in January 1961 when [[Central Otago cricket team|Central Otago]] played the touring [[Marylebone Cricket Club cricket team in New Zealand in 1960–61|Marylebone Cricket Club]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/21/1396_misc.html|title=Other matches played on Molyneux Park, Alexandra|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=3 November 2011}}</ref> The ground held its first [[first-class cricket|first-class]] match during the 1978/79 [[Shell Trophy#Shell Trophy|Shell Cup]] when [[Otago cricket team|Otago]] played [[Central Districts cricket team|Central Districts]]. The following season the first [[List A cricket|List A]] match was held there when Otago played [[Wellington cricket team|Wellington]] in the 1980/81 [[Shell Trophy#Shell Trophy|Shell Trophy]]. Molyneux Park has been used as a home venue for Otago since then. As of early 2021 it had hosted 31 first-class matches,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/21/1396_f.html|title=First-Class Matches played on Molyneux Park, Alexandra|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=19 January 2021}}</ref> 66 List A matches,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/21/1396_a.html|title=List A Matches played on Molyneux Park, Alexandra|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=19 January 2021}}</ref> as well as 10 [[Twenty20]] matches.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/21/1396_tt.html|title=Twenty20 Matches played on Molyneux Park, Alexandra|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=19 January 2021}}</ref> Between 2006 and 2009, [[Otago Sparks|Otago Women]] used the ground for home matches in the [[State League]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/21/1396_wnz.html|title=Women's New Zealand Domestic League Matches played on Molyneux Park, Alexandra|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=3 November 2011}}</ref>
Two Youth [[Test cricket|Test matches]] have been played there. The first came in 1999 when [[New Zealand Under-19 cricket team|New Zealand Under-19s]] played [[England Under-19 cricket team|England Under-19s]], while the second saw New Zealand Under-19s play [[South Africa Under-19 cricket team|South Africa Under-19s]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/21/1396_ut.html|title=Youth Test Matches played on Molyneux Park, Alexandra|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=3 November 2011}}</ref> Three Youth [[One Day International]]s were also played there between 1993 and 1995.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/21/1396_uo.html|title=Youth One-Day International Matches played on Molyneux Park, Alexandra|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=3 November 2011}}</ref> Molyneux Park is also the home ground for the [[Otago Country cricket team]], which competes in the [[Hawke Cup]].
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.espncricinfo.com/newzealand/content/ground/58787.html Molyneux Park] at [[ESPNcricinfo]] *[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/21/1396.html Molyneux Park] at CricketArchive
{{coord|45|14|35.75|S|169|23|00.92|E|type:landmark_scale:2000_region:NL|display=title}}
[[Category:1961 establishments in New Zealand]] [[Category:Cricket grounds in New Zealand]] [[Category:Sports venues in Otago]] [[Category:Alexandra, New Zealand]]