What’s your favourite cricket ground?

Like anything else in life, we have those we like and others we don’t. It can be based on where we first watched the game or saw a particular match or met a friend for life.

Sometimes there’s no specific reason, we just feel comfortable there.

Lawrence Booth – editor of Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, whose 2025 edition is published this week – has utilised his day job as cricket correspondent of the Daily Mail to publish his own list.

Such pieces always stir debate.

Not surprisingly, Sussex’s headquarters at Hove – where Surrey spent their Easter weekend – came top and it’s hard to disagree given the relaxing ambience, just a five-minute walk to the beach.

Trent Bridge, the Kia Oval, Lord’s and Worcester make up the rest of the top five, the latter happily able to start the season in good shape thanks to a dry March following suffering several coverings from the nearby River Severn during the winter.

My list would feature all of those pretty high up and perhaps a less likely one. Essex’s ground at Chelmsford might be a little tired in places but you get a wonderful view down the wicket, it takes only a few minutes to stroll there from the station and they always seem pleased to see you. From a journalist’s point of view, the press box may be small but the welcome is warm and entertainment value from its inmates always high.

Booth restricted his list to English headquarters grounds but, if you widened the field, Yorkshire’s seaside second home of Scarborough would be a popular choice. It’s even closer to the beach than Hove, albeit down a steep cliff path, so the sound of seagulls is even more prevalent. The cricket always seems to be engrossing and there’s a guaranteed seat, not surprisingly given it hosted two one-day internationals in the 1970s.

Go abroad and it’s almost impossible to better Newlands in Cape Town, Table Mountain looming over it.

Now the English season is getting into full sway, though, there is the opportunity to appreciate many of the delightful grounds in west Surrey. The I’Anson Cup competition may not have a monopoly on them but it boasts a fair share. Tilford may be the most photographed or painted, for obvious reasons, but there’s much pleasure to be had spending an afternoon at Frensham or Puttenham or Blackheath or numerous others.

So if you have a few hours to spare at the weekend over the coming months, drop in.

By Richard Spiller