We’re delighted to be hosting the UK’s first ever Day/Night Investec Test Match when England take on the West Indies starting from Thursday 17 August. Demand for this historic fixture has been huge and we look forward to welcoming over 70,000 spectators to Edgbaston next week. Our spectators and guests are at the heart of all our operations and we have invested and made significant improvements to our facilities to make sure we deliver a truly unforgettable match day experience. Please read on for our full Test Match spectator guide.
Our spectators and guests are at the heart of all our operations and we have invested and made significant improvements to our facilities to make sure we deliver a truly unforgettable match day experience.
Edgbaston has a 20-year association with day/night cricket, after becoming the first cricket venue in the United Kingdom to host a day/night domestic fixture in 1997, as Warwickshire beat Somerset in an AXA Life League match. The day/night Test will be a landmark as it will be Edgbaston’s 50th Test Match with England having won 26 of the previous 49 Tests, with 15 draws and just eight defeats.
England have lost just once in Test match cricket at Edgbaston since 2002 and have recorded victories in their last two Investec Test matches in Birmingham; against Australia in 2015 and Pakistan in 2016. They have also won the last six fixtures at Edgbaston in all formats. However, West Indies is the only nation to have secured more wins over England at Edgbaston with the tourists currently leading the home nation 4-2 in the previous nine encounters between these two great cricketing sides.
Match Details
- Gates Open: Midday
- Match Starts: 2pm
- Lunch: 4pm
- Second Session: 4.40pm
- Tea: 6.40pm
- Final Session: 7pm
- Close: 9/9.30pm
Please note that play can go on as late as 10pm should we have delays.
Please Allow Plenty of Time
You will also see additional bag searches and individual ‘pat downs’ which will no doubt add a little more time to your entry in to the stadium. With that in mind, we would recommend that fans head to the stadium in plenty of time to avoid the expected match-day queues. Prior to the match day please make sure that you have checked the full list of what you can and can’t take into the venue which includes cans and glass, click here for the full ticket terms and conditions. Please note gates open at 12pm (2 hours before start of play).
Travel and Car Parking
Why not travel to Edgbaston with Virgin Trains? With up to three trains an hour and just 1 hour and 24 minutes from London to Birmingham New Street, the stadium’s just a short journey away. Leaving the car at home means the whole group can travel together from start to stumps. Click here for more information on trains to Birmingham.
If you’re coming by car, please note that the streets around the stadium are all residential and as such they are subject to stringent parking restrictions during the Test Match.
Once you arrive at New Street Train Station, National Express West Midlands our official shuttle bus provider to Warwickshire County Cricket Club is running regular buses to Edgbaston. Shuttle buses will depart from Smallbrook Queensway (opposite TK Maxx and close to the Bullring) and are convenient for users of both New Street and Moor Street Train Stations. A return journey on our shuttle bus service is available for just £5 for adults and £3 for children.
Edgbaston is also only a 40 minute walk from Birmingham New Street train station if you fancy a stroll and increasing your step count. Volunteers will be on hand at New Street station to point you in the right direction.
If you’re coming by car, please note that the streets around the stadium are all residential and as such they are subject to stringent parking restrictions throughout the Test Match. Spectator who haven’t pre-booked their car parking will need to go to Red Gra Car Park where parking will be available for £15 for the whole day. Please note that car parking on-site is unavailable.
Please note there are ongoing roadworks on the Aston Expressway – M6 J6/A38(M) Spaghetti/Gravelly Hill Interchange – so we recommend you leave plenty of time and plan your journey when travelling to Edgbaston. For further information on these roadworks, please click here.
Edgbaston Road Closure
Following successful measures for the ICC Champions Trophy and consultation with West Midlands Police and Birmingham City Council, we will once again have a road closure of Edgbaston Road, from the Pershore Road to Willows Road.
In the interest of spectator safety, Edgbaston Road will be closed between 12pm (gates opening time) and 2pm (start of match). Gates to the main car park on Edgbaston Road will be closed from 11.30am for every day of the Test Match meaning access to the car park will be via Pershore Road entrance after this time. There may also be a road closure for up to an hour after play.
Food, Drink & Entertainment
There is plenty of public catering around the stadium for you and your guests to enjoy. Our Executive Head Chef, Dave Hill and his team have worked hard to make sure our public catering is full of flavour and there are lots of catering options to choose from, all at a reasonable price including Halal, vegetarian, healthy options and family friendly menus. Have a look at our ground map which has all the information you need.
Edgbaston will have 29 food outlets and 30 bars open throughout the Test Match with a range of catering options being available for spectators. Around the stadium you will find West Midlands street food at its finest including pizza, curry, noodles, fish and chips, kebabs, coffee, crepes and doughnuts to ensure all fans have a range of options available.
Edgbaston will have 29 food outlets and 30 bars open throughout the Test Match with a range of catering options being available for spectators.
Why not head to our new and improved Beach Area which is located behind the RES Wyatt Stand? Here you will see a number of improvements which includes new deck chairs, sand pit, a big TV screen and a range of catering options for you to enjoy. Again, gates open 2 hours before the match and we would encourage all spectators to arrive early to the stadium to avoid any potential queues.
We have also made improvements to other facilities. We now have two fantastic Real Ale Bars (Moseley and Bear and Staff Bar) where you will find 10 different ales to choose from. Behind the RES Wyatt Stand, we have a new Gin Bar (Fever Tree) where we will be serving a range of gins. Not far from Fever Tree, located behind the Scrivens Stand, is our new cocktail bar where there will be a mixture of the most popular cocktails. Make sure you head over to our Beach Area and behind the RES Wyatt Stand and enjoy the range of food and drink we have on offer.
Special food offers are available
A new meal deal is available within the South Stand Kiosks, which include any hot food item, with a bottle of soft drink, water or any draught pint. We also have a new Kids Meal Box which is available in within the South Stand Kiosks, which includes a Ham or Cheese(v) Roll, Crisp, Cereal Bar, Fruit and Juice. We also recommend you try Edgbaston’s homemade sausage rolls in partnership with Fordhall Farms.
New Stadium Wi-Fi
Working with the ECB and The Cloud, Edgbaston has installed a state of the art free Wi-Fi available for all spectators in 2017. To connect search for Wi-Fi networks and select “_The Cloud” upon connection login using your existing Cloud account or complete a once only registration form.
Prayer Area and Baby Changing Facility
Edgbaston has a prayer room, which is accessible throughout play, located on the first floor of the West Stand by the entrance to the Visitor & Learning Centre. In the South Stand on the concourse, you will also find a baby changing facility should you require this.
A smiling band of volunteers together with Edgbaston’s experienced team will be on hand throughout the day to assist, direct and generally ensure you have a great time at Edgbaston so please don’t hesitate to ask them should you need directions or have any other questions.
Merchandise
Please visit the Edgbaston Shop where you will be able to find a range of fantastic merchandise including England replica kit, caps, t-shirts and jerseys.
E-Cups
Edgbaston Stadium understands how important sustainability is and works hard to make sure the products we use are responsibly sourced whist reducing our carbon footprint – reusable e-cups have therefore been in place at Edgbaston since 2016. Reusable plastic cups have replaced all disposable cups at the stadium and prevent thousands of plastic disposable cups going into landfill each year.
With the help of our fans, we are going to be able to reduce the volume of waste at the Stadium and lower our carbon footprint and our aim to reduce landfill waste by 10 tonnes.
Ticket Information
We are expecting a full house for the first three days of the Test Match. There are handful of tickets remaining for day one (Thursday 17 August) and day three (Saturday 18 August) priced from just £26 for adults and £6 for Juniors, please click here to visit our ticketing page. Spectators who have not received their tickets can collect at our ticket collection point which is located in the Indoor Cricket Centre.
