Fans will be welcomed to the Ambassador Cruise Line Ground for the first time as Essex host Surrey in the opening game of the 2025 season.
Balmy conditions are expected for the first game of the Rothesay County Championship what better fixture for it as two titans of the County Championship in recent years go head to head.
This game also sees the opening of the new Woodland Group Stand. A 300+ seater stand located between the Doug Insole Pavilion and Scrutton Bland Premier Suite that will be open to Essex Members and the general public.
Tickets are available on the gate for £22 or for the cheaper price of £16 for those who buy in advance.
Gates Opening Times:
Gates open from 10am on all four days via the Main Entrance on New Writtle Street or the Tees River Gate, which is closest to Chelmsford City Centre and the Bus/Train Stations.
Scheduled Hours of Play:
Toss (Day One): 10:30am
Morning Session: 11am-1pm
Afternoon Session: 1:40pm-3:40pm
Evening Session: 4:10pm-6pm
Close of Play: 6pm
Members Entry:
Rothesay County Championship cricket is part of the 2025 Membership and Members are required to scan cards on entry. All Members should have now received 2025 Membership cards and it’ll be necessary to scan an active 2025 Membership card to gain entry to the ground.
All complimentary and discounted tickets must be acquired in advance and cannot be claimed at the gate.
Matchday Purchases:
The Ambassador Cruise Line Ground is a cashless ground, which includes purchasing tickets and scorecards on the gates, plus food and drink purchases in the Doug Insole Pavilion and concourse areas.
Scorecards will be available for £1 on the Tees River Gate via contactless payment, however, cash purchases can be made in the Essex Cricket Store.
Accessibility:
Accessible Parking:
Accessible car parking spaces are located at The Ambassador Cruise Line Ground and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note that these cannot be pre-booked before visiting to provide an equal opportunity for all supporters.
Accessible Seating:
Accessible seating can be found in the Graham Gooch End of the ground and a wheelchair-accessible platform is located in Block One of the Tom Pearce Stand.
Carers can enter the ground on a companion ticket which is free of charge. This is upon the presentation in the Membership & Ticketing Office or on the gate with proof of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for people under 16 years old.
Accessible Facilities:
The accessible toilets located at the rear of the Doug Insole Pavilion have been refurbished for the 2025 season, while accessible toilet facilities are still available by Block 31.
We can also accept a Blue Badge and Access card.
Ahead of Your Visit:
In the event of adverse weather conditions on the day of the match, please keep up to date with the prospects of play via the Club’s X and Facebook channels.
Travel:
Parking:
• Spectators travelling by car will need to locate a public car park in the proximity of the ground as there is no parking available on-site at The Ambassador Cruise Line Ground.
• The High Chelmer multi-storey will be open across all four days. View opening hours and tariffs for city centre public car parks – here
• The Meteor Way car park is available for Members to book on Saturday 05 and Sunday 06 April but spaces are sold out for Friday 04 April. There are a very limited number of spaces available on days two and three at Meteor Way and we advise that Members pre-book for £2.50 as spaces aren’t guaranteed to be available on the day and the price of parking on the day will increase to £3.50. Meteor Way car park will close 30 minutes after the end of play.
Public Transport:
• Chelmsford Bus Station is situated on Duke Street, next to Chelmsford Train Station, with connections to all over the county. Alternatively, bus numbers 13, 46 and C1 shuttles, stop on New London Road, which is approximately a two-minute walk to the Ground, via New Writtle Street.
• Chelmsford Railway Station, managed by Greater Anglia, is about a 10-minute stroll from The Ambassador Cruise Line Ground. Direct train services depart regularly from Chelmsford to London, Stratford, Shenfield, Romford, Colchester, Ipswich and Norwich. Chelmsford is situated on the Liverpool Street to Norwich mainline.
Ground Entry:
• Spectators are able to enter the ground via the Main Gate located on New Writtle Street or through the Tees River Gate. Please note that all ticket collections will need to take place at the Main Gate.
• For the safety of everyone at the ground, there will be bag checks in operation and security present throughout the fixture.
• In the event of rain forecast on the day of the match, spectators can bring a small umbrella into the ground but metal spiked umbrellas are not permitted.
• The Doug Insole Pavilion is open for Members upon the presentation of a valid Membership card and accessible by entering the ground through the Main Gate.
• Members are not required to pre-book a match ticket and can enter by scanning their Membership card on the gate. If you require a replacement card, please get in contact with the Membership & Ticketing Office before the fixture to arrange a replacement or this may cause delays on entry for you and other spectators.
• Entry to this fixture is included in 2025 Membership and encourage Members to arrive in plenty of time to secure your seat. All seating for Championship games is Unallocated and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
• There will be an open ground for this match allowing spectators to walk around the whole concourse area at The Ambassador Cruise Line Ground with access to the Club Store and other facilities.
Members will still have access to dedicated Members’ seating areas which will be located in the Doug Insole Pavilion and Tom Pearce Upper & Lower Stands. All other seating areas in the ground will be available for Members and general public.
General Public Seating:
• Supporters who have purchased tickets can enter the ground by scanning the QR on your tickets that has been sent to you via email following your purchase. If you choose to print out your ticket, please ensure that the match details (including name and seat details) are included as per the image below. Make sure you have your match ticket available on your phone or printed out so it is easily accessible for ticket scanning on arrival. Please do not take a ‘screen grab’ of your QR code as that will not be read by the scanners.
• Ticket holders can sit in all areas of the ground for this match, except for the Doug Insole Pavilion and Tom Pearce Upper & Lower stands.
Around the Ground:
• Spectators are welcome to enter the pitch during the lunch & tea breaks when instructed over PA or by a member of the Club’s stewarding team. Please follow the guidance to the specific areas permitted to enter and please respect the playing surface. We encourage spectators to play on the outfield but please use softballs.
• Spectators are permitted to walk around the full concourse area with better access to the Club Store and other facilities.
Members will still have exclusive access to dedicated Members’ seating areas, which are located in the Doug Insole Pavilion and Tom Pearce Upper & Lower Stands. All other seating areas in the ground will be available for both Members and general public.
Please note that seating for Rothesay County Championship fixtures is unallocated so will be available on a first come, first served basis.
• Spectators are permitted to move behind the Doug Insole Pavilion but please respect the players’ area and walkway.
• A faith and reflection room is available for all spectators who wish to use this facility. It is open for the duration of the match and located within the Graham Gooch Cricket Centre.
• The Membership & Ticketing Office and Club Store will be open for spectators for the duration of your visit.
• The Peter Edwards Museum & Library is located on-site adjacent to the Essex Cricket Store and will be open for the duration of the game.
Visit during the match to view the exhibition on the career of Nasser Hussain and entry is free of charge.
• If you experience any anti-social or discriminatory behaviour during your visit to The Cloud County Ground then, please contact your nearest steward. Alternatively, you can email [email protected] or text ‘CROWD’ including your stand and issue to 60066.
• Free Wi-Fi is available at The Ambassador Cruise Line Ground for every matchday giving supporters the opportunity to access the internet and the Club’s live stream online. Simply logon to ‘EC-Public’ from your seat to access.
Food & Drink:
• At the Doug Insole Pavilion, you can enjoy a diverse selection of hot and cold beverages from the bar, along with a variety of snacks for purchase.
• Anne’s Pantry will be offering a choice of home-cooked meals, cakes/snacks, and drinks from their refreshment kiosks located in the Graham Gooch End and Sir Alastair Cook End.
They will be serving a range of meals suitable for all dietary requirements including vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free and gluten-free, as well as children’s portions.
• Other refreshment kiosks include bar areas located at either end of the ground in County Corner and Spinners Bar, serving drinks and snacks.
• Spectators can bring food and drink into the ground for this fixture but please ensure all bags can be stored underneath your seat. A limit of four cans of beer/lager or one bottle of wine per person is in place for this fixture and there is strictly no glass or sharp objects permitted into the ground.
Leaving the Ground:
At the conclusion of the day’s play, we ask spectators to leave the ground in a safe and patient manner. Stewards will be on hand to help direct you safely out of the ground.
We hope you have an enjoyable visit to The Ambassador Cruise Line Ground and further information regarding the match, including squad announcements and a full match preview will be available on www.essexcricket.org.uk ahead of the match.
Get in touch with us by email if you have any further questions at [email protected] or via the Club’s official Twitter and Facebook channels.
Watch The Action On the Move
Our live stream will be available to watch over the four days with multi-angled ball tracking, replays and commentary courtesy of BBC Essex. Head to the Essex Cricket Matchzone to watch the action live ahead of the toss on Day One, plus view an interactive scorecard, stats and individual match clips.
