X-Nico

6 unusual facts about Melbourne Park


Clarence Passailaigue

As an attacking batsman he announced himself to the cricketing world by scoring 183 for Jamaica at Melbourne Park, Kingston in March, 1930, against a touring M.C.C. side led by F.S.G. Calthorpe.

Melbourne Park

The decision was met with strong opposition, and was compared by some to renaming Stade Roland Garros (home to the French Open in Paris) "Paris Park".

Melbourne Park, Kingston

Playing for Jamaica against Lord Tennyson's XI in February 1932, he struck 344 not out, at the time the highest innings made in the West Indies and still (as of 2007) a ground record.

In one-day cricket, Dawnley Joseph's 153* for Windward Islands against Jamaica in 1997-98 was the highest List A score made in the West Indies, a record that stood until Imran Nazir hit 160* for Pakistan against Zimbabwe in the 2007 World Cup.

In the Barbados v Rest of Leeward Islands Red Stripe Bowl match in 2002-03, Barbadian batsman Kurt Wilkinson was given out hit the ball twice, although his dismissal was controversial, as after hitting the ball, it had bounced from the pitch back onto his bat.

National Tennis Centre

National Tennis Centre at Flinders Park, now Melbourne Park, home of the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament


1997 in sumo

To mark 100 years of trade relations between Japan and Australia a tour by top division wrestlers visits Melbourne on the 6th and 7th, where an exhibition tournament is held at Melbourne Park (home of the Australian Open), and Sydney on the 13th and 14th, at the Sydney Entertainment Centre.

Rod Laver Arena

Rod Laver Arena is a tennis stadium that is part of the Melbourne Park complex located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and has been the main venue for the Australian Open in tennis since 1988, replacing the ageing Kooyong Stadium.


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