Utilita Bowl, Southampton Pitch Report, Weather, and Records 2025

Utilita Bowl, Southampton Overview

Tucked away in West End, Hampshire, the Utilita Bowl affectionately called The Rose Bowl—is a vibrant hub for cricket and entertainment, serving as the home of Hampshire County Cricket Club since 2001. Renamed in 2024 through a partnership with Utilita Energy, this 25,000-seat stadium blends scenic charm with cutting-edge facilities, making it a beloved destination for sports fans and visitors. Spanning 181 acres, it’s more than a cricket ground—it’s a lifestyle venue hosting international matches, music gigs, and community events.
Beyond sport, the venue boasts the Hilton Southampton – Utilita Bowl, a 171-room hotel with pitch-view balconies, perfect for soaking in the action. The Boundary Lakes Golf Course offers a scenic 18-hole escape, while the eforea spa provides a serene retreat. Dining at BEEFY’S by Sir Ian Botham, named for its top-tier cuisine in 2023 and 2024, delivers a taste of British flair with stadium vistas. Sustainability is a priority, with over 1,000 solar panels powering the venue’s green ambitions.

Upcoming matches at Utilita Bowl 

In 2025, Utilita Bowl will host Southern Brave’s home games, starting with a doubleheader against Birmingham Phoenix on August 10, followed by matches against Northern Superchargers (August 13), Oval Invincibles (August 18), and Welsh Fire (August 28). Southern Brave, featuring stars like Laura Wolvaardt and Faf du Plessis, aims to replicate their 2024 success, with both teams eyeing the final at Lord’s on August 31. The stadium will also feature England’s international fixtures against the West Indies, South Africa, and India, plus six matches of the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
Here is the complete list of upcoming matches at Utilita Bowl in 2025:

Utilita Bowl Stadium Pitch Report

Unlike many English grounds, its surface is crafted to adapt to various formats like Tests, ODIs, T20s, and The Hundred, making it suitable for every format. The pitch’s loamy soil, enriched by Hampshire’s humid climate, offers a consistent bounce, which players find soothing, especially for the batters. Looking at the stats, most teams that won the toss and chose to bat first have higher chances of winning than vice versa in the shorter format like T20I and The Hundred. 
It’s not like the pitch only assists batters, but also rewards the bowlers with skills and strategy. As the Hundred 2025 progresses further, the pitch is ready to offer an electrifying contest between batters and bowlers, which enhances the fan experience with its lively atmosphere. 

Utilita Bowl Pitch Report: Batting or Bowling?

The stats show that Utilita Bowl favors the batting side the most than the bowling side due to its bouncy and slow pitch helps batters to hit the boundaries more effectively. When it comes to bowl first, the data has shown a winning dip in the graph. Mostly, the team captain chooses to bat first after winning the toss at this ground. 
As we mentioned above, bowling at the Utilita Bowl is tricky, and a bowler needs to develop some serious skills, especially in the T20I. However, in the second innings of the game, the pitch assists the bowlers more than the batters, which shows that its a somewhat balanced pitch with the slightest favoritism towards the batting side in the first innings when the pitch is fresh and new. 

Toss and Match Outcome Results (Batting first/chasing)

Here’s a look at the outcome of T20 International matches at Utilita Bowl, Southampton,  based on the decision taken at the toss:

The Hundred, Utilita Bowl Weather Forecast

The Utilita Bowl hosts the Hundred Southern Brave’s home matches for The Hundred 2025 in August. The general weather in Southampton in August is typically warm and settled, with average daytime temperatures ranging from 18 °C to 22°C (64°F to 72°F). Expect partly cloudy skies with sunny intervals, which is ideal for cricket, though occasional showers are possible due to the UK’s changeable summer climate. Humidity levels, often moderate, can enhance swing for bowlers, especially in evening games under Utilita Bowl’s lights. Examining the records, the data suggests a low chance of full washouts, as the venue’s advanced drainage system enables quick recovery from rain. Morning matches may see cooler starts around 15°C, warming up by afternoon. Evening games could bring light dew, potentially aiding batsmen.

Iconic T20I Matches Played at Utilita Bowl 

Utilita Bowl has hosted many iconic matches from Tests to T20Is and other shorter format leagues and tournaments like The Hundred. Speaking of 20I, Utilita is still a new T20I host, with only 13 matches so far. There is a list below of some memorable matches organized by the famous Rose Bowl, including T20I and the Hundred. 

Country’s First T20I: England vs. Australia (2005)

On June 13, 2005, England crushed Australia by 100 runs in the first-ever T20I at Utilita Bowl, Southampton. England posted 179/8, powered by Kevin Pietersen’s 34, while Australia crumbled to 79, with Jon Lewis taking 4/24, making it one of the lowest totals scored at this ground. This historic match marked England’s dominance in the Ashes summer. This was the first T20I ever played in England, setting the stage for the format’s rise, with a temporary 15,000-capacity crowd roaring for England’s historical triumph over Australia.

The Revenge: Australia vs. England (2013)

On August 29, 2013, Australia’s Aaron Finch smashed a record-breaking 156 off 63 balls, with 14 sixes, leading Australia to 248/6 in a T20I at Utilita Bowl. England managed 209/6, losing by 39 runs despite Joe Root’s 90*. Finch’s blitz set a then-world record for the highest T20I individual score. With his impressive knock of an unbeaten 156, Finch became one of the top run scorers at the Utilita.

Record-breaking Crowd: Southern Brave vs. Birmingham Phoenix (2024)

On August 17, 2024, at Utilita Bowl, the Southern Brave men’s team scored 169/2, with James Vince’s 90* steering them against Birmingham Phoenix’s 152/8. Brave won by 17 runs, showcasing their home strength. This is the first Hundred match with a record-breaking crowd at Utilita Bowl, with over 15,000 fans, boosted by post-match entertainment, highlighting the tournament’s growing appeal. The women’s game saw Southern Brave’s 104 defended successfully, underlining the pitch’s balance.

Close-Contests: Southern Brave vs. Trent Rockets (2024)

On August 10, 2024, the Southern Brave men’s team posted 126/6 at Utilita Bowl, with Kieron Pollard’s late blitz proving key. Trent Rockets fell for 124, losing by 2 runs in a nail-biter. The match showcased Utilita Bowl’s pitch, which favored bowlers, as spinners and pacers exploited early seam, making it a low-scoring thriller, unlike typical Hundred high-scoring matches, captivating fans with its close contest and tight finish.

Utilita Bowl T20I matches Stats & Records

Here's a look at all the key and important T20 International match records at the Utilita Bowl, Southampton, over the years. 

Team Records at Utilita Bowl  

Highest and Lowest Totals at Utilita Bowl 

Surprisingly, both the highest and lowest T20I totals at Utilita Bowl are named to Team Australia, which recorded this feat against the home side team England. In 2005, Australia scored their lowest T20 total of 79 for all out against the England at Rose Bowl. In 2013, Australia took revenge, scoring 248 runs for 6 wickets against England and won the match.  

Most Successful Teams at Utilita Bowl  

It is obvious that England’s domination is greater than other teams. The home side, England is the most successful team at the Utilita Bowl in T20I,  having played 13 matches and winning 7 of them with a winning percentage of 53.84. Australia and Sri Lanka are right behind with 3 and 2 wins consecutively, sitting in the second and third positions.

Most runs by a player at Utilita Bowl  

Aussie retired batter Aaron Finch scored the most runs at Utilita Bowl in the T20 International. He is also the highest run scorer at Utilita Bowl, accumulating 281 runs in just 4 matches with a high score of 156 and an average of 70.25.

Most Centuries by a player at Utilita Bowl 

 Australian batter Aaron Finch has scored the most centuries in T20Is at Utilita Bowl, formerly known as Rose Bowl, in Southampton. He bagged one century of 156 runs in 2013. He scored 281 runs from 4 innings with an average of 70.25 at Utilita Bowl in T20I cricket.  

Most wickets by a player at Utilita Bowl  

Adil Rashid is the bowler who has taken the most T20I wickets at Utilita Bowl, Southampton with 9 wickets in 8 matches at an average of 21.66 including his 3/21 best bowling figure.