The Antigua Recreation Ground was brought out of international retirement to host the hastily-arranged third Test between West Indies and England following the abandoned second Test at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

The ARG, as it is locally known, previously hosted an international match in February 2007 - a World Cup warm-up between Bangladesh and Canada. Its previous Test was in June 2006, between West Indies and India.

England have never won a Test at the ARG and have harrowing memories of playing there, largely due in the last 15 years to the batting exploits of Brian Lara.

Lara set a Test record 375 there against England in April 1994 and went 25 better versus the same opponents in April 2004, recapturing the record from Australia’s Matthew Hayden.

Overall England have lost and drawn three Tests at the ARG. The first of these matches was the ground’s Test debut in March 1981, a match marked by a hundred from Antigua's most famous son, Viv Richards.

The stadium, in St John’s, became famous for it’s two-tier party stand and the eye-catching local fan ‘Gravy’. It is also notable for being overlooked by St John's Catholic cathedral and the local prison where for years the warden was Malcom Richards, father of Viv.

The 2007 World Cup, for which the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound was constructed, seemed to mark the end of international cricket at the ARG. However, it has been given a new lease of life.

Test records
Highest score: Brian Lara, 400* v England, April 2004
Best bowling: Jermaine Lawson, 7-78 v Australia, May 2003

ODI records
Highest score: Desmond Haynes, 148 v Australia, February 1978
Best bowling: Jerome Taylor, 4-24 v Zimbabwe, April 2006