Observatory Lane

Leinster Cricket Club was founded in 1852, originally playing matches at nearby Grosvenor Square, before moving to Observatory Lane in 1865.

First-class cricket was first played at Observatory Lane in 1912 when Ireland played Scotland.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/60/1312_f.html|title=First-Class Matches played on Observatory Lane, Rathmines, Dublin|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=16 July 2018}} The ground hosted six first-class matches before World War II, including a match between Ireland and the touring New Zealanders in 1937, in which no team passed 100 in any of the four innings.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/16/16419.html|title=Ireland v New Zealanders, 1937|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=16 July 2018}} Ireland played the Marylebone Cricket Club in 1948, with a 27 year wait before the next first-class match was played at the ground in 1975. To date, 13 first-class matches have been played at Observatory Lane, the last in 2012 against Afghanistan in the ICC Intercontinental Cup. List A cricket was first played at Observatory Lane in the 2005 ICC Trophy, with the ground hosting two matches.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/60/1312_a.html|title=List A Matches played on Observatory Lane, Rathmines, Dublin|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=16 July 2018}} A third List A match was played there between Leinster Lightning and Northern Knights in the 2017 Inter-Provincial Cup, with Leinster Lightning due to play a further List A match there in the 2018 Inter-Provincial Cup. Women's international cricket was first played at Observatory Lane in 1990, when Ireland women played England women in a Women's One Day International (WODI).{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/60/1312_wo.html|title=Women's One-Day International Matches played on Observatory Lane, Rathmines, Dublin|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=16 July 2018}} To date six WODIs have been played at the ground, along with two Women's Twenty20 Internationals in 2009.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/60/1312_witt.html|title=Women's Twenty-20 International Matches played on Observatory Lane, Rathmines, Dublin|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=16 July 2018}}

The Ireland rugby union team played their first home match at Observatory Lane in 1875 against England,{{cite web |title=Irish International Teams: Results, Scorers, Dates and Venues – 1874 to June 1999 |url=http://www.irishrugby.ie/history/css/arch_history_1.htm |access-date=16 July 2018 |publisher=Irishrugby.ie}} after Lansdowne Road was deemed unsuitable.Gerard Siggins (2005), Green Days:Cricket in Ireland 1792–2005. Nonsuch Publishing Ltd., p.37

• Highest team total: 462 by Ireland v Canada, 2011{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/266/266108.html|title=Ireland v Canada, 2011|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=15 July 2018}}
• Lowest team total: 30 by Ireland v New Zealanders, 1937{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/60/1312/f_Lowest_Team_Totals.html|title=Observatory Lane, Rathmines, Dublin - Lowest Team Totals in first-class cricket|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=16 July 2018}}
• Highest individual innings: 144 by Andrew White for Ireland v Netherlands, 2010{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/60/1312/f_Centuries.html|title=Observatory Lane, Rathmines, Dublin - Centuries in first-class cricket|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=16 July 2018}}
• Best bowling in an innings: 8-80 by Robert Gregory for Ireland v Scotland, 1912{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/60/1312/f_Most_Wickets_in_Innings.html|title=Observatory Lane, Rathmines, Dublin - Seven Wickets in an Innings in first-class cricket|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=16 July 2018}}
• Best bowling in a match: 10-45 by James Boucher for Ireland v Minor Counties, 1937{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/16/16139.html|title=Ireland v Minor Counties, 1937|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=16 July 2018}}

• Highest team total: 239/8 by Leinster Lightning v Northern Knights, 2017{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/1027/1027112.html|title=Leinster Lightning v Northern Knights, 2018|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=16 July 2018}}
• Lowest team total: 132 by Northern Knights v Leinster Lightning, as above
• Highest individual innings: 126* by Kenneth Kamyuka for Uganda v Papua New Guinea, 2005{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/60/1312/a_Centuries.html|title=Observatory Lane, Rathmines, Dublin - Centuries in List A matches |publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=16 July 2018}}
• Best bowling in an innings: 5-23 by Andrew Britton for North West Warriors v Leinster Lightning, 2018{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/11083/scorecard/1136924/leinster-lightning-vs-north-west-warriors-6th-match-cricket-ireland-inter-provincial-limited-over-cup-2018|title=Leinster Lightning v North West Warriors, 2018|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=13 September 2018}}

• List of Leinster Lightning grounds
• List of cricket grounds in Ireland

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• [https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/60/1312.html Observatory Lane, Dublin] at CricketArchive

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Category:Cricket grounds in County Dublin

Category:Sports venues in Dublin (city)

Category:Sports venues completed in 1865

Category:1865 establishments in Ireland

Category:Rugby union stadiums in Ireland