The TCA Ground, or Tasmanian Cricket Association Ground, is one of two first-class standard cricket grounds in Hobart, Tasmania. It is located on the Queens Domain less than one kilometre from the CBD.
The TCA Ground is a picturesque ground with a village feel and white picket boundary which could easily belong in the English countryside, except for the typical Australian Eucalypt bushland which hugs the boundary line. Due to its elevated position on the Domain the ground has commanding views over the River Derwent and city, as well as being dominated by views of Mount Wellington. This elevated position also exposes the ground to strong sea breezes which can provide excellent assistance for bowlers. During a match between the touring South African team and a Combined XI in December 1963, South African captain Trevor Goddard appealed to the umpires about the strength of the wind, which led to play being suspended.
The ground is regularly used for local Grade competition cricket in the summer, and Australian rules football in the winter. It has both synthetic and grass nets, and an indoor bowling practice area.
The other first-class standard ground in Tasmania is the now preferred Bellerive Oval in the City of Clarence which has since the late 1970s overtaken the TCA Ground as the home of the Tasmanian cricket team and the TCA, and the ground which hosts Australia's international matches when they play in Hobart. No first-class cricket has been played at the TCA Ground since 1987.
It currently hosts Hobart Football Club (SFL) and DOSA Football Club (Old Scholars FA) Australian Rules football matches each Winter and North Hobart Cricket Club matches in TCA cricket each Summer.
History
Cricket had been played at the venue as far back as the early 1870s and on 8 September 1873 the TCA were granted permission to use the ground for cricket only, the TCA's annual reports state that the TCA Ground was opened in 1882 following approximately 10 years of intermittent development. The main grandstand, the H.C Smith Stand was completed in 1880, and extended in 1908, but has otherwise remained unchanged since that time. It is now heritage listed. The small stand next to it is known as the Ladies Stand, and was completed in 1894. For much of the early 20th century, crowds were segregated by gender. The Ladies Stand was originally in the opposite pocket to where it currently stands, (where the kiosk and DOSA Football Clubrooms currently stand) but was blown over by a gale in 1946, it was again blown down in 1995 and was rebuilt in late 1999.
The ground was opened with much fanfare in 1882, with the TCA played a visiting Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) XI, and although the scorecard is lost, the TCA was soundly trounced.
One of the early problems the ground faced was the drought which struck southern Tasmania towards the end of the 19th century. The pitch cut up and was virtually unplayable. On one occasion Edward H. Butler, a Tasmanian fast-bowler who also played for the Marylebone Cricket Club, took advantage of the conditions take 6 for 1 for Southern Tasmania against Northern Tasmanian, the pitch soon developed a feared reputation among batsmen. The ground long suffered from lack of water supply often with bare patches, until after the First World War when mains supply reached it.
Another problem which dogged the ground in the early years was inadequate seating and changing room facilities. The original Member's Stand of 1880 was moved back in 1906 to allow the construction of a more modern brick addition which opened in 1908, and was to be later named the H.C Smith Stand after longtime Tasmanian cricket official Horace Clyde Smith (1893–1977).
A "classic" style scoreboard was added in 1907 (later demolished in 1984 after years of neglect), complete with a press area underneath. A top deck with outside stairs was added in 1946, and by 1950 there was a players viewing area. By 1977 the press area had been modernised and relocated to the top deck of the H.C Smith Stand, but by this stage, Bellerive Oval was already being considered instead of further improvements to the TCA Ground.
The smaller stand next to the H.C Smith Stand was unnamed and was built by the Hobart Greyhound Racing Club (HGRC) and was opened in September 1954 (demolished in April 2018) as was the concrete grandstand now known as the Powell Pascoe Payne Stand, named for Hobart Football Club legends, also opened in September 1954, along with new entrance gates, turnstile houses and ticket boxes.