5 Grounds with the lowest opening stands average in Test cricket

#2 Hagley Oval, Christchurch, New Zealand

Fielding side appeals for a wicket at Hagley Oval

The Hagley Oval in Christchurch is one of the newest Test match venues in the world, having opened its doors to Test cricket back on Boxing Day of 2014 and over the course of 5 games, the ground proven to be a nightmare of opening batsmen. Needless, it has a lot to do with the individual skills of the New Zealand fast bowlers, who are regarded as some of the finest exponents of swing bowling in the world and the Hagley Oval is a ground that is highly suited to that sort of bowling.

The opening stand average of 26.10 in 20 innings is not much of a surprise and it is unlikely that things are going to improve over the years to come. The help that seam bowlers get at the ground is well known and so far, the no opening pair has been able to record a century stand at the venue.