Rose Bowl Bids For Test Status

The Rose Bowl, home of Hampshire county cricket club, is set for a £35m redevelopment with the aim of transforming the ground into a Test match venue.

The work will increase the temporary capacity to 23,600 – the second-largest for cricket in England – and the permanent capacity to 13,500.

A hotel will also be built at the 150-acre site in Southampton and the golf course is to be extended and upgraded.

Subject to planning permission, the work is set to start in late 2007 and be completed in 2009.

The ground has already hosted one-day international cricket but now hopes to push to get on the roster for Test match cricket which currently alternates between 7 venues.