Wellington's Westpac Stadium profiled as 'The Cake Tin' with 36,000 capacity and rain-hit ODI history

Wellington's Westpac Stadium profiled

The Times of India profiles the major New Zealand sporting venue in Wellington, previously known as the Westpac Trust Stadium.

Nickname and capacity

Due to its shape and structure the venue is informally known as ‘The Cake Tin’ by outsiders, although locals refer to it as ‘The Stadium’. The Westpac Stadium boasts a large capacity of 36,000 seats which can be pushed up to 40,000 when temporary seating provisions are made.

Why it was built

The venue was made to replace the former Athletic Park which was deemed inconsiderate for events of international stature due to its location and plight. Another purpose for the rebuild was to provide a venue big enough to host One Day International matches.

Use beyond cricket

The large capacity makes it an apt location to host the annual "Rock2Wgtn" music festival. Situated close to a railway line, it allows players to use this stadium as a training venue during the off-season.

Cricket history and conditions

One difficulty that has always plagued this ground is rainfall which has caused many a match to end in a ‘no-result’. The first One Day International was played at this venue between New Zealand and the West Indies in 2000. The two ends of this ground are the Scoreboard End and the City End.