View source for Manuka Oval

{{Short description|Stadium in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory}}
{{Use Australian English|date=October 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox venue
| stadium_name        = Manuka Oval
| former_names        = Manuka Circle Park (before enclosed) 
| logo_image          = Manuka Oval logo.png
| image               = Manuka Oval.JPG 
| caption             = The Menzies, Bradman and Hawke stands <br>(left to right), pictured in 2006
| location            = [[Griffith, Australian Capital Territory|Griffith]], [[Australian Capital Territory]] ({{maplink|type=shape-inverse|icon=no|zoom=18}})
| coordinates         = {{coord|35|19|5|S|149|08|5|E|display=it}}
| broke_ground        = 1926
| built               = 1929 (enclosed)
| opened              = 
| owner               = [[Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly|ACT Government]]
| operator            = Territory Venues and Events
| surface             = Legend (cricket square)
 Santa Ana (outfield)                  
| tenants             = {{collapsible list|
* '''[[Australian Football League]]'''
* [[Greater Western Sydney Giants|GWS Giants]] (2012–present)
* [[Melbourne Football Club|Melbourne FC]] (2007–09)
* [[North Melbourne Football Club|North Melbourne FC]] (1998, 2001–06)
* [[Western Bulldogs]] (2007–11)
* '''[[Cricket]]'''
* [[ACT Comets]] (1997–2000)
* [[ACT Meteors]] (2009–present)
* [[Australian national cricket team]] (2013–present)
* [[Australian women's national cricket team]] (1988, 2008–09, 2011, 2016–present)
* [[Sydney Thunder]] ([[Big Bash League|BBL]]; 2018–present)
* [[Sydney Thunder]] ([[Women's Big Bash League|WBBL]]; 2018–present)
* '''[[National Rugby League]]'''
* [[Canberra Raiders]] (2001)
}}
| seating_capacity    = 15,000 (overall)<ref name="cap1">[http://www.austadiums.com/stadiums/stadiums.php?id=65 Manuka Oval] – Austadiums. Retrieved 20 March 2016.</ref><br/>13,550 (seated)<ref name="cap2">{{Cite web|url=http://manukaoval.com.au/about-manuka-oval/|title=Manuka Oval - Overview|access-date=24 October 2010}}</ref><br/>12,000 (cricket)<ref>[http://www.espncricinfo.com/Australia/content/ground/56370.html Manuka Oval] espncricinfo.com. Retrieved on 30 Nov 2015</ref>
| record_attendance   = 15,807 (1985, Prime Minister's XI v.  West Indies)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/122479711 |title=A day at the cricket |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=23 January 1985  |work=[[The Canberra Times]] |page=1 |access-date=5 February 2019}}</ref>
| dimensions = {{cvt|162 x 138|m}}<ref>{{cite news |last1=Atkinson |first1=Cody |last2=Lawson |first2=Sean |title=From the SCG to Kardinia Park — do ground sizes contribute to the end result in AFL games? |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-16/cody-and-sean-afl-analysis-how-much-do-ground-sizes-matter/101154950 |website=ABC News |date=15 June 2022 |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |access-date=19 February 2024}}</ref>
| scoreboard          = Jack Fingleton Scoreboard
| embedded = {{Infobox cricket ground|embed=yes
|       ground_name = 
|          nickname = 
|             image = 
|           caption = 
|           country = [[Australia]]
|          location = 
|       coordinates = 
|     establishment = 
|  seating_capacity = 
|             owner = 
|           curator = 
|           tenants = 
|             year1 = 
|             club1 = 
|             year2 = 
|             club2 =
|              end1 = Pool End
|              end2 = Manuka End
|     international = yes
| onlytestdate     = 1–4 February
| onlytestyear     = 2019
| onlytesthome     = Australia
| onlytestaway     = Sri Lanka
|     firsttestdate = 
|     firsttestyear = 
|     firsttesthome = 
|     firsttestaway = 
|      lasttestdate =
|      lasttestyear = 
|      lasttesthome = 
|      lasttestaway = 

|      firstodidate = 10 March
|      firstodiyear = 1992
|      firstodihome = South Africa
|   firstodihomevar = 1928
|      firstodiaway = Zimbabwe
|       lastodidate = 6 February
|       lastodiyear = 2024
|       lastodihome = Australia
|       lastodiaway = West Indies

|     firstt20idate = 5 November
|     firstt20iyear = 2019
|     firstt20ihome = Australia
|     firstt20iaway = Pakistan
|      lastt20idate = 14 October 
|      lastt20iyear = 2022
|      lastt20ihome = Australia
|      lastt20iaway = England 
 
| onlywtestdate = 27–30 January
| onlywtestyear = 2022
| onlywtesthome = Australia
| onlywtestaway = England
|    firstwtestdate = 
|    firstwtestyear = 
|    firstwtesthome = 
|    firstwtestaway = 
|     lastwtestdate = 
|     lastwtestyear = 
|     lastwtesthome = 
|     lastwtestaway = 

|     firstwodidate = 7 December
|     firstwodiyear = 1988
|     firstwodihome = Australia
|     firstwodiaway = New Zealand
|      lastwodidate = 3 February
|      lastwodiyear = 2022
|      lastwodihome = Australia
|      lastwodiaway = England

|    firstwt20idate = 16 January
|    firstwt20iyear = 2011
|    firstwt20ihome = Australia
|    firstwt20iaway = England
|     lastwt20idate = 28 January
|     lastwt20iyear = 2024
|     lastwt20ihome = Australia
|     lastwt20iaway = South Africa

|              date = 6 February
|              year = 2024
|            source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/ground/56370.html Cricinfo
}}
|website = {{url|https://manukaoval.com.au/|manukaoval.com.au}}
}}
'''Manuka Oval''' is a sporting venue in [[Canberra]], the capital of Australia. It is located in [[Griffith, Australian Capital Territory|Griffith]], in the area of that suburb known as [[Manuka, Australian Capital Territory|Manuka]]. Manuka Oval has a seating capacity of 13,550 people and an overall capacity of 16,000 people, although this is lower for some sports depending on the configuration used.<ref name="cap1"/><ref name="cap2"/> The area on which the ground is situated has been used for sport since the early 20th century, but was only enclosed in 1929. It has since undergone several redevelopments, most recently beginning in 2011.

Currently, Manuka Oval is primarily used for [[cricket]] (during the summer months) and [[Australian rules football]] (during the winter months). The ground was previously also used for [[rugby league]] and [[rugby union]] matches, but there are now more suitable venues in Canberra for those sports. As a cricket ground, Manuka Oval is the home venue for the [[ACT Comets]] (men's) and the [[ACT Meteors]] (women's) teams, and has also hosted a number of international matches, including at the [[1992 Cricket World Cup|1992]] and [[2015 Cricket World Cup|2015 World Cups]]. As an Australian rules football ground, Manuka Oval's primary tenant is the [[Eastlake Football Club]], which plays in the [[North East Australian Football League]] (NEAFL). Australian Football League (AFL) games are played at the ground on a semi-regular basis. The [[Greater Western Sydney Giants]] have used the oval as a secondary home ground since the club entered the AFL in 2012 and [[AFL Women's]] in 2017. Other AFL clubs had previously hosted games at the venue, most notably the [[North Melbourne Football Club]] from 1998 to 2006.

== History ==
The oval was originally a park officially known as "Manuka Circle Park", however by the end of the 1920s it was known as Manuka Oval. The park and nearby [[Manuka, Australian Capital Territory#Shops|shopping centre]] were named after the ''[[Leptospermum scoparium]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s [[Māori language|Māori name]], Manuka. There was a push for the park to become an enclosed oval starting in 1926 by various sports groups.<ref name="crichistory" /> Work began on Manuka Oval to erect a fence, along with other improvements made in 1929. The field had previously been used to casually play [[rugby league]] and Australian rules football. The first cricket pitch was played on in April 1930. The Bradman Pavilion, the oval's main stand, was constructed in 1962 in honour of [[Donald Bradman|Sir Donald Bradman]]. The [[Robert Menzies]] Stand and the [[Bob Hawke]] Stand were constructed in 1987 and 1992 respectively and were named after the first two [[Prime Minister of Australia|Australian Prime Ministers]] to bring international cricket teams to Canberra to play against the [[Prime Minister's XI]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ecb.co.uk/tickets/venues/manuka-oval-canberra,95,MV.html|title=Manuka Oval, Canberra|publisher=[[England and Wales Cricket Board]]|access-date=16 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120325023004/http://www.ecb.co.uk/tickets/venues/manuka-oval-canberra,95,MV.html|archive-date=25 March 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2004, Manuka Oval celebrated the 75th anniversary of its formal establishment.

Manuka Oval had a $4.3 million upgrade starting from the second half of 2011, which included 4,300 additional temporary seats for the venue, new media and corporate facilities, upgrades to the Hawke and Bradman stands' covering and upgrades to entry facilities.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/manuka-oval-and-canberra-stadium-get-6m-spruceup/2147849.aspx|title=Manuka Oval and Canberra Stadium get $6m spruce-up|author=Anderson, Stephanie|date=29 April 2011|work=[[The Canberra Times]]|access-date=29 April 2011}}</ref><ref name="11/12Budget">{{cite web |url=http://www.chiefminister.act.gov.au/media.php?v=10698 |title=Investing in our sporting and event venues |date=3 May 2011 |work=Andrew Barr, MLA - Media Releases |publisher=[[ACT Government]]|access-date=3 May 2011}}</ref> Floodlights were installed at the ground in late 2012 to allow sport to be played at the venue at night, and were first used on 29 January 2013 for a day-night cricket match between the [[West Indies cricket team|West Indies]] and the Prime Minister's XI.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/manuka-lights-fantastic-and-so-was-the-atmosphere-20130129-2djd5.html|title=Manuka lights fantastic, and so was the atmosphere|date=30 January 2013|access-date=28 April 2013|newspaper=The Canberra Times|first=Lee|last=Gaskin}}</ref>

The AFL, through a private consortium, made an $800 million bid to upgrade the precinct in 2018 and expand the seating capacity by 4,750 with covered areas, however the ACT government rejected the proposal.<ref>[https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8179828/giants-in-favour-of-manuka-oval-funding-boost/ AFL: GWS Giants 'in favour' of Manuka Oval funding boost amid federal government's Tasmania commitment] by Melanie Dinjaski 2 May 2023</ref><ref>[https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6033593/afl-boss-gillon-mclachlan-wants-sport-to-dominate-canberra-market-via-gws-giants/ AFL boss Gillon McLachlan wants sport to dominate Canberra market via GWS Giants] By Chris Dutton, David Polkinghorne 24 April 2018</ref>

==Sports played at the ground==

=== Cricket===
{{multiple image
|total_width= 200
|align = left
|direction= vertical
|image1 = PMXI Australia v England 2006.jpg
|caption1 = The PM's XI is an annual cricket match at Manuka Oval. The curator's residence is on the right in the background
|image2 = Queanbeyan v Wests 1st grade two-day Grand Final Manuka March 2014.jpg
|caption2 = 2014 cricket match between [[Queanbeyan District Cricket Club|Queanbeyan]] and {{tooltip|2=Western District & University of Canberra Cricket Club|Wests/UC}} 
}}
The first cricket match to be played at the oval was on [[Easter Monday]], 13 April 1930.<ref name="crichistory">{{cite web| work=[[Cricket ACT]]| title=Manuka Oval| first=Mr D.| last=Selth| url=http://www.cricketact.com.au/about-cricket-act/history/manuka-oval| access-date=21 December 2007| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111009045501/http://www.cricketact.com.au/about-cricket-act/history/manuka-oval| archive-date=9 October 2011| url-status=dead}}</ref> The [[Prime Minister's XI]] is played at the oval annually. It was started by Robert Menzies in 1951, and there were six more matches up to 1965 in his term as prime minister. The match was brought back in 1984 by Bob Hawke and has been played annually since. In 1992, the ground hosted its first [[One Day International]] (ODI) match between [[South African cricket team|South Africa]] and [[Zimbabwean cricket team|Zimbabwe]] as part of the [[1992 Cricket World Cup]], but otherwise remained largely unused for top level cricket.


In 2015, the ground hosted three [[One Day International]] (ODI) matches between [[Bangladesh cricket team|Bangladesh]] and [[Afghanistan cricket team|Afghanistan]], [[West Indies cricket team|West Indies]] and [[Zimbabwe cricket team|Zimbabwe]], [[South Africa cricket team|South Africa]] and [[Ireland cricket team|Ireland]] as part of the [[2015 Cricket World Cup]].

The ground is home to the [[ACT Comets|Canberra Comets]], who played in the [[Australian domestic limited-overs cricket tournament|Mercantile Mutual Cup]] from the 1997–98 season to the 1999–2000 season; the team now plays in the [[Futures League]].

Manuka Oval held its second ODI, and its first as part of a normal international tour, on 12 February 2008 between [[India national cricket team|India]] and [[Sri Lanka national cricket team|Sri Lanka]] in the [[2007–08 Commonwealth Bank Series|Australian tri-series]];<ref>{{cite web| work=[[Cricinfo]] | title=Australia alter summer schedule to satisfy India|url=http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/australia/content/story/291342.html| date=20 April 2007 | access-date=19 April 2007}}</ref> and it hosted its first international match featuring [[Australia national cricket team|Australia]] on 6 February 2013, in which Australia defeated the [[West Indies cricket team|West Indies]] by 39 runs.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sportal.com.au/cricket-news-display/luke-sheehan-odi-series-moves-to-canberra-220646 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130306030629/http://www.sportal.com.au/cricket-news-display/luke-sheehan-odi-series-moves-to-canberra-220646 |url-status=dead |archive-date=6 March 2013 |title=ODI series moves to Canberra |first=Luke |last=Sheehan |date=4 February 2013 |publisher=[[Sportal]] |access-date=4 February 2013 }}</ref> Top level domestic cricket also returned to the ground from 2011 to 2012, with the [[New South Wales cricket team|New South Wales Blues]] for three seasons playing a [[Sheffield Shield]] and [[Australian Domestic One-Day Series|Ryobi One Day Cup]] match each season;<ref name="11/12Budget" /> and, the ground hosted the 2013/14 Sheffield Shield final, because the [[Sydney Cricket Ground]] was unavailable due to a [[2014 Los Angeles Dodgers season#Opening series|Major League Baseball series]].<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|title=Manuka Oval given tick of approval after Sheffield Shield cricket final|first=Lee|last=Gaskin|date=25 March 2014|access-date=17 May 2014|url=http://www.smh.com.au/sport/manuka-oval-given-tick-of-approval-after-sheffield-shield-cricket-final-20140325-hvmhq.html|publication-place=Sydney, NSW}}</ref>

The venue sought to host its first [[Test cricket|Test match]] in the year 2013 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the city of Canberra, however, the request was not granted.<ref>{{cite web| work=[[The Canberra Times]] |first=Chris|last=Dutton| title=NSW support needed to attract Aussie cricket team: Barr|url=http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/sport/cricket/nsw-support-needed-to-attract-aussie-cricket-team-barr/2182867.aspx| date=2 June 2011 | access-date=19 July 2011}}</ref>

The ground hosted the final of the [[2014–15 Big Bash League season|2014–15 T20 Big Bash]] on 28 January 2015. The first regular season BBL game was held on 24 January 2018 when the [[Sydney Thunder]] hosted the [[Melbourne Renegades]]. The first [[Women's Big Bash League|WBBL]] game at the venue was held on the same day.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://manukaoval.com.au/news/thunder-at-manuka-oval/ |title=Thunder at Manuka Oval – Manuka Oval |website=manukaoval.com.au |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171101165822/http://manukaoval.com.au/news/thunder-at-manuka-oval/ |archive-date=2017-11-01}} </ref>

In April 2018, it was confirmed that the Manuka Oval would host its first ever Test match in [[Sri Lankan cricket team in Australia in 2018–19#2nd Test|February 2019]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://the-riotact.com/maiden-test-match-dates-confirmed-as-manuka-oval-set-to-host-its-biggest-summer-of-cricket/243520 |title=Maiden test match dates confirmed as Manuka Oval set to host {{sic|i|t's|nolink=y}} biggest summer of cricket |access-date=30 October 2018 |work=The Riotact}}</ref> The match was held from 1 to 5 February 2019 between Australia and Sri Lanka, where four Australian batsmen made centuries.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/sl-in-aus-2018-19-1145098/australia-vs-sri-lanka-2nd-test-1145001/full-scorecard | title=AUS vs SL, SL in AUS 2018/19, 2nd Test at Canberra, February 01 - 04, 2019 - Full Scorecard }}</ref>

The most runs scored here in ODI format is by [[Aaron Finch]] (348 runs), followed by [[David Warner (cricketer)|David Warner]] (265 runs) and [[Hashim Amla]] (261 runs). The most wickets taken here is by [[Mitchell Starc]] (7 wickets).

=== Australian rules football===
Manuka Oval was the home ground of the [[Manuka Football Club]], an [[AFL Canberra|Australian Capital Territory Football League]] club, from 1928 to 1991, when it merged with the [[Eastlake Football Club]]. The merged club, which retained the Eastlake name, continues to play home games at Manuka Oval, both in [[AFL Canberra]] competitions and in the [[North East Australian Football League]] (NEAFL).

The oval has served as an occasional venue for [[Australian Football League]] matches since 1998, and a permanent home venue since 2012.
{{Image frame 
 | caption=Average AFL and AFLW Attendances at Manuka Oval (source AFL tables.com)
 | content = 
{{Graph:Chart
 | width = 450
 | height = 150
 | legend=Legend
 | type = rect
 | xAxisAngle = 90
 | xAxisTitle = Year 
 | yAxisTitle = Average Attendance
 | x = 1998,1999,2000,2001,2002,2003,2004,2005,2006,2007,2008,2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014,2015,2016,2017,2018,2019,2020,2021,2022
 | y1Title=AFL
 | y1 = 11321,,,11368,9509,12043,10218,12179,11341,12892,12494,9927,14308,10184,8431,8352,8208,10132,12886,12502,11686,11884,,9814,9804
 | y2Title=AFLW
 | y2 = ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,6460,,,,1847,2091
|vAnnotatonsLine=2012
|vAnnotatonsLabel=GWS
}}
}}
Between 1998 and 2006, the [[North Melbourne Football Club]], hosted a total of eighteen matches at the venue, playing three games per season from 2001 onwards.<ref>{{cite web| work=[[The Canberra Times]] | title=Swans grab win from nowhere Out-pointed visitors storm home to leap over Kangas |author=Jean, David|url=http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/sport/afl/swans-grab-win-from-nowhere-outpointed-visitors-storm-home-to-leap-over-kangas/669093.aspx| date=5 June 2006 | access-date=6 November 2007}}</ref> [[Brent Harvey]] was the only player to have played all 18 AFL games featuring the Kangaroos played at Manuka Oval.

From 2007 until 2009, the [[Melbourne Football Club|Melbourne Demons]] and the [[Western Bulldogs]] each played a home match against the Sydney Swans at the venue; the Bulldogs continued this arrangement in 2010 and 2011.<ref>{{cite web| work=[[The Canberra Times]] |author=Merryn Sherwood and James Dampney ([[Australian Associated Press|AAP]])| title=AFL pursues ACT youngsters after missing Mills (Page 2)|url=http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/sport/football-australian-rules/afl-pursues-act-youngsters-after-missing-mills/1663658.aspx| date=30 October 2009 | access-date=22 December 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/sport/football-australian-rules/bulldogs-swans-to-return-to-manuka/1906072.aspx |title=Bulldogs, Swans to return to Manuka |author=Gaskin, Lee |date=8 August 2010|work=[[The Canberra Times]] |access-date=24 November 2010}}</ref>

Since 2012, the newly established [[Greater Western Sydney Giants]] have played three home-and-away matches and one pre-season match at the ground each year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/11/11/3063121.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101112020108/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/11/11/3063121.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 November 2010|title=GWS-Canberra deal 'good value for money'|date=11 November 2010 |publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |access-date=24 November 2010}}</ref> The club's first ever AFL win, against the [[Gold Coast Football Club|Gold Coast Suns]] in [[2012 AFL season#Round 7|Round 7, 2012]], took place at this venue.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-05-12/giants-stun-suns-in-canberra/4007558 Giants stun Suns for first win], ''ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)'', 12 May 2012</ref> The record crowd for the ground was set when 14,974 attended for the match between the Giants and Richmond, a game the Giants won by 88 points holding Richmond to their lowest score, 3.5 (23). The women's team also plays one home-and-away match at Manuka Oval during the [[AFL Women's]] season; their opponents in the 2017 and 2018 matches played in Canberra were, on both occasions, the {{AFLW|WB}}. Manuka Oval also hosts the home matches of the [[Belconnen Magpies Football Club|Belconnen Magpies]] and [[Eastlake Football Club|Eastlake Demons]] in the [[AFL Canberra|North East Australian Football League]] competition as well as all eastern conference finals.

For three seasons beginning with the [[2013 AFL season]], Manuka Oval was branded as '''StarTrack Oval''' during Australian rules football matches.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.primemovermag.com.au/news/article/startrack-secures-naming-rights-of-manuka-oval|title=StarTrack secures naming rights of Manuka Oval|date=16 April 2013|access-date=28 April 2013|work=Prime Mover Magazine}}</ref> The naming rights deal expired in early 2016.<ref>(18 February 2016). [http://www.austadiums.com/news/news.php?id=575 "Giant push for Manuka upgrade"] – Austadiums. Retrieved 20 March 2016.</ref> Since 2017 until 2020 the venue has commercially been known as the '''[[University of New South Wales|UNSW]] Canberra Oval'''.<ref>{{cite web|date=10 March 2017|work=GWS Giants|title=UNSW Canberra Oval announced|url=http://www.gwsgiants.com.au/video/2017-03-10/unsw-canberra-oval-announcement}}</ref>

As of 2019, [[Jeremy Cameron]] holds the record for the most AFL goals kicked at Manuka Oval, kicking 49 goals.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/cameron-boots-six-gws-beat-saints-by-44|title=Cameron boots six, GWS beat Saints by 44|publisher=SBS News|date=4 May 2019|access-date=14 July 2019}}</ref>

=== Rugby league ===
The second game of the [[1948 Great Britain Lions tour]] was played at the Oval as the touring side beat the [[Group 8 Rugby League]] representative side 45–12.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article229464938 |title=England wins 45 TO 12; Murphy off hurt |newspaper=[[The Sun (Sydney)|The Sun]]  |issue=11,340  |date=29 May 1946  |page=14 (LATE FINAL EXTRA) |via=[[National Library of Australia]]}}</ref> During the [[1951 French rugby league tour of Australia and New Zealand]], Les Chanticleers played a game at the oval against a Monaro side that attracted approximately 5,000 spectators.  Manuka Oval hosted one [[National Rugby League]] game on 26 May 2001 with the [[Canberra Raiders]] moving their game to the ground because of a clash with the [[Brumbies (rugby)|ACT Brumbies]].<ref>{{cite web| work=[[The Canberra Times]] | title=Both codes keen to avoid further clashes of fixtures|url=http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/sport/other/both-codes-keen-to-avoid-further-clashes-of-fixtures/657204.aspx| date=29 May 2001 | access-date=22 December 2009}}</ref>

=== Rugby union ===
The [[Canberra Vikings|Canberra Kookaburras]] ([[rugby union]]) played their home games at Manuka Oval when they competed in the [[Shute Shield|Sydney competition]] from 1995 until they were excluded from the competition in 2000. The Kookaburras rugby union team rejoined the top [[Tooheys New Cup|Sydney competition]] in 2004 as the [[Canberra Vikings]] however opted to play their home games at [[Viking Park]] instead. The Canberra Vikings did make a return to Manuka Oval in 2007 for the [[Australian Rugby Championship]] and played three of their four home games at the ground. The other game was played at [[Canberra Stadium]]. However the competition was scrapped by the [[Australian Rugby Union]] at the end of the year.<ref>{{cite web|work=[[The Canberra Times]] |title=Return from exile |author=Whyte, Julia |url=http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/sport/rugby-union/return-from-exile/702179.aspx |date=11 August 2007 |access-date=11 December 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716170145/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/sport/rugby-union/return-from-exile/702179.aspx |archive-date=16 July 2011 }}</ref>

===Others===
Manuka Oval has also previously hosted [[boxing]] and [[wrestling]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2729203 |title=WRESTLING, BOXING AT MANUKA OVAL. |newspaper=[[The Canberra Times|The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1954)]] |location=ACT |date=1 November 1947 |access-date=18 July 2011 |page=3 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> In the inaugural year of the [[National Soccer League]] in 1977, [[Canberra City FC|Canberra City]] played its home games at Manuka Oval, but moved to the newly built [[Canberra Stadium|Bruce Stadium]] in 1978. [[Field Hockey|Hockey]] was also played at Manuka Oval until the National Hockey Centre was built.

== Ground amenities ==
{{multiple image
|total_width= 350
|image1= Cricket at Manuka Oval (70848762).jpg
|caption1 = The trees around the oval date back to the 1920s
|image2 = Scoreboard_manuka.jpg
|caption2 = The Jack Fingleton Scoreboard
}}
A two-storey curator's residence is attached to the oval. It was built in the 1930s in the style typically used by the [[Federal Capital Commission]]. The trees that circle the oval include [[cypress]], [[Populus|poplar]], [[oak]] and [[elm]] trees, many of which were planted in the 1920s.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.screenmakers.com.au/services/sporting-venues/manuka-oval-act |title=Manuka Oval ACT|work=Screenmakers Pty Ltd|access-date=4 May 2011}}</ref> The Jack Fingleton Scoreboard, originally located at the [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]] (MCG), dates to 1901. When an electronic scoreboard was installed at the MCG in the early 1980s, the old scoreboard was relocated to Manuka Oval. The scoreboard is named after [[Jack Fingleton]], an Australian opening batsman, political correspondent in Canberra, and prolific author, who had died shortly before the board's relocation.<ref name="history">{{Cite web|url=http://www.manukaoval.com.au/about/history.php|title=Manuka Oval - History|access-date=14 January 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110217055008/http://www.manukaoval.com.au/about/history.php|archive-date=17 February 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Jack Fingleton : the man who stood up to Bradman|author= Growden, Greg|location=Crows Nest, New South Wales|publisher=[[Allen & Unwin]]|year=2008|isbn=978-1-74175-548-0}}</ref>

==Attendance records==

===AFL attendance records===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:800px;"
|- style="background:#bdb76b;"
!width=1%|No.
!width=17%|Date
!width=46%|Teams
!width=6%|Crowd
|-
| align=center|1 || align=center|30 July 2016 || align=center|{{AFL GWS}} v. {{AFL Ric}} || 14,974
|-
| align=center|2 || align=center|4 June 2006 || align=center|[[North Melbourne Football Club|Kangaroos]] v. {{AFL Syd}} || 14,922
|-
| align=center|3 || align=center|18 April 2004 || align=center|[[North Melbourne Football Club|Kangaroos]] v. {{AFL Syd}} || 14,891
|-
| align=center|4 || align=center|25 July 2015 || align=center|{{AFL GWS}} v. {{AFL Gee}} || 14,667
|-
| align=center|5 || align=center|27 May 2007 || align=center|{{AFL WB}} v. {{AFL Syd}} || 14,517
|-
| align=center|6 || align=center|15 May 2010 || align=center|{{AFL WB}} v. {{AFL Syd}} || 14,308
|-
| align=center|7 || align=center|5 August 2017 || align=center|{{AFL GWS}} v. {{AFL Mel}} || 14,274
|-
| align=center|8 || align=center|28 April 2017 || align=center|{{AFL GWS}} v. {{AFL WB}} || 14,048
|-
| align=center|9 || align=center|25 May 2003 || align=center|[[North Melbourne Football Club|Kangaroos]] v. {{AFL Syd}} || 13,832
|-
| align=center|10 || align=center|3 April 2016 || align=center|{{AFL GWS}} v. {{AFL Gee}} || 13,656
|-
| colspan="4" align=right | ''Source:'' [http://afltables.com/afl/crowds/vn_manuka_oval.html AFL Attendance Records] <sup>''Last updated on 6 August 2017''</sup>
|}

===Cricket attendance records===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:800px;"
|- style="background:#bdb76b;"
!width=1%|No.
!width=17%|Date
!width=46%|Teams
!width=6%|Crowd
|-
| align=center| 1 || align=center| 22 January 1985 || align=center| {{Flagicon|AUS}} [[Prime Minister's XI]] v. {{cr|West Indies}} || 15,807
|-
| align=center| 2 || align=center| 24 January 1984  || align=center| {{Flagicon|AUS}} [[Prime Minister's XI]] v. {{cr|West Indies}} || 14,484
|-
| align=center| 3 || align=center| 22 January 1986 || align=center| {{Flagicon|AUS}} [[Prime Minister's XI]] v. {{cr|New Zealand}} || 12,700
|-
| align=center| 4 || align=center| 10 November 2006 || align=center| {{Flagicon|AUS}} [[Prime Minister's XI]] v. {{cr|England}} || 11,859
|-
| align=center| 5 || align=center| 28 January 2015 || align=center| [[Sydney Sixers]] v. [[Perth Scorchers]] || 11,837
|-
| align=center| 6 || align=center| 9 February 2019 || align=center| [[Sydney Thunder]] v. [[Hobart Hurricanes]] || 11,557
|-
| align=center| 7 || align=center| 6 February 2013 || align=center| {{cr|Australia}} v. {{cr|West Indies}} || 11,548
|-
| align=center| 8 || align=center| 2 February 2019 || align=center| {{cr|Australia}} v. {{cr|Sri Lanka}} (Day 2, Test cricket) || 11,388<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/sport/cricket/final-test-for-mitchell-starc-to-stand-tall-20190202-p50v8h.html |title=Final Test for Mitchell Starc to stand tall |last=Helmers |first=Caden |date=2 February 2019 |website=[[The Canberra Times]] |publisher=[[Nine Entertainment Co.]] |access-date=5 February 2019}}</ref>
|-
| align=center| 9 || align=center| 24 January 2018 || align=center| [[Sydney Thunder]] v. [[Melbourne Renegades]] || 11,319
|-
| align=center| 10 || align=center| 28 January 2004 || align=center| {{Flagicon|AUS}} [[Prime Minister's XI]] v. {{cr|India}} || 11,300
|-
| colspan="4" align=right | ''Source:'' [https://twitter.com/ACTCricketStats/status/1090447707024445440 Adam Morehouse] <sup>''Last updated on 5 February 2019''</sup>
|}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* {{Official website}}
* {{Austadiums|65}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20111009045501/http://www.cricketact.com.au/about-cricket-act/history/manuka-oval ACT Cricket history of Manuka oval]
* [http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/ground/56370.html CricInfo's profile of Manuka Oval]

* [https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/2/66.html Manuka Oval CricketArchive]

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