7 Best grounds for batting

#1) Antigua Recreation Ground

Antigua Recreation Ground

With a staggering average runs per wicket of 38.17 across 22 Tests, the Antigua Recreation Ground may be the best place in the world to be a batsman. It is often called the "feather bed" due to the flatness of the pitch.

The West Indies is currently one of the best-placed in the world for bowlers to tour, but if the Antigua Recreation Ground was still used in international cricket, batsmen would be far less apprehensive about touring the Caribbean.

The ground witnessed history in 2004 when Brian Lara reclaimed the world record for the highest innings in Test cricket by making a colossal 400* against England. Lara ended up declaring with his side at 5/751. This was also against the pace attack that would, in a little over a year, swing England to their first Ashes victory in 16 years.

When Lara scored his 400, he took the record from Matthew Hayden, who had made 380 against Zimbabwe six months earlier. Before Hayden's innings, it was Lara who held the record, a 375 made in 1994 at the very same ground. Like his 400, Lara's 375 was against a strong England attack. However, the English batting line-up was certainly effective as they equalled the West Indies first innings score of 593.

In 2005, Chris Gayle then scored 317 against a South Africa side that bowled all 11 of their players in an attempt to stop the West Indies. 1462 runs were scored and only 17 wickets fell, despite Lara being dismissed for just four.

The ground is also home to the highest successful run chase in cricket history, as the West Indies chased down 418 to defeat Australia by three wickets. This achievement was largely thanks to a 214-run fourth-wicket stand between Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan. It was over 15 years ago that the West Indies set this record, and it still stands today.

Another record the ground held was for the quickest century in Test cricket. In 1986 Viv Richards raced to his hundred in just 56 deliveries, once more against England. Richards ended up declaring when he was on 110, presumably because he felt batting on would be sadistic.

England nearly exorcised their demons in Antigua in 2009 when they set the West Indies a target of 503 to win. But despite a bowling attack that included James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Andrew Flintoff, Stephen Harmison and Graeme Swann, the West Indies clung on by a single wicket, finishing the game at 9/370.

This would prove to be the last Test the "Feather bed" would host, having seen record after record broken in its 30 years of hosting international cricket.