The Oval, officially the Kia Oval through sponsorship, has been the home of Surrey County Cricket Club since 1845. Located in Kennington, south London, the 27,500-capacity ground hosted the very first Test match played in England in 1880 and the very first Ashes Test in 1882. That 1882 match, where Australia’s victory on English soil led to the famous mock obituary for English cricket, gave birth to the Ashes tradition that has defined the sport for over 140 years.
The ground has undergone significant modernization while retaining its Victorian character. The OCS Stand, the Peter May Stand, and the distinctive gasholders visible beyond the boundary at the Vauxhall End are defining features of the Oval’s skyline. The venue traditionally hosts the final Test of every English summer, giving it a special status in the domestic calendar. The Oval’s flat, true pitches have produced some of cricket’s highest scores and most memorable batting performances.
In 2026, The Oval serves as the home ground for MI London in The Hundred and hosts group-stage matches in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. The England vs New Zealand 2nd Test runs from June 17 to 21 at the ground.
The Oval operates on British Summer Time (BST, UTC+1) during the cricket season. A 10:30 BST Test match start is 04:30 in New York, 15:00 in India, and 19:30 in Sydney. T20 evening matches starting at 18:30 BST are 12:30 in New York and 23:00 in India. Check whatisthetime.now/london for current London time or whatisthetime.now/country/united-kingdom for full UK timezone details.