The Circle        

Anlaby Road,
Hull, England

Profile

Hull's Circle ground was established in 1898 after the old Argyle Street venue was shut down. A new, purpose-built ground was opened and so much land was acquired from the North-Eastern Railway Company that the club was able to build secondary pitches to the north and south of the vast main arena.

More than 6,000 attended the opening in May 1898 and within a year Yorkshire played their first Championship match, and they continued to visit the venue almost every year until 1974.

In 1904 Hull City FC built of football ground on the land and they played there until 1939. No trace of that stadium remains. The old pitches to the north and south were turned over to rugby after the war.

In 1987 the old pavilion - loved but tatty - was condemned and demolished, a year after Humberside County Council took over the lease. In the late 1990s the council decided to build a new bespoke rugby league and football stadium on the land and the last game of cricket was played there on September 9, 2000. .
Cricinfo staff