Ambassador Cruise Line Ground
Chelmsford, United Kingdom
Formerly: County Ground, Ford County Ground, Cloudfm County Ground, Cloud County Ground
The Ambassador Cruise Line Ground Essex County Cricket Club bought the site on New Writtle Street in 1966, but the first-class action began much earlier. The club played its opening match there in June 1925, marking the start of a long relationship with the pitch.
The playing surface is natural grass. The venue has hosted significant matches across different formats. India defeated Australia by 118 runs in the first One-Day International held at the ground in 1982. More recently, England secured victories against New Zealand in Women's T20 International matches during the 2010 season and again in September 2021. Ireland and Bangladesh shared points in a One-Day International in May 2023, though the result was decided by rain rather than play.
The name of the ground changes with the seasons, a routine shift for commercial reasons. It was known as the Ford County Ground between 2005 and 2013 before becoming the Cloudfm County Ground. The current title, Ambassador Cruise Line Ground, was adopted in 2025. The capacity is 6,500.
Essex use the facility for the County Championship, the T20 Blast, and the One-Day Cup.
Who plays here
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Essex Women
29 matches
Recent matches here
| Date | Match | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Sep | Essex Women — Yorkshire Women | 241:233 |
| 6 Sep | Essex Women — Surrey Women | 226:344 |
| 19 Aug | Essex Women — Somerset Women | 266:267 |
| 7 Jul | Essex Women — Somerset Women | 177:178 |
| 5 Jul | Essex Women — Surrey Women | 185:184 |
| 28 Jun | Essex Women — The Blaze Women | 136:137 |
| 17 Jun | Essex Women — Hampshire Women | 245:246 |
| 13 Jun | Essex Women — Durham Women | 245:291 |