Landmark innings: How the Singapore Cricket Club has been bowling over its members for almost 175 years

Stroll across Singapore’s historic Anderson Bridge, minutes away from the Central Business District, and the skyline gives way to something improbable: a vast, open stretch of grass. Known as the Padang (Malay for “field”), this ground has been at the heart of some of the country’s most significant events. It hosted post-Second World War victory parades, National Day marches and – since British colonisers set aside space in the 1830s to listen to the nostalgic thwack of leather on willow – cricket matches. 

The Singapore Cricket Club (SCC) was founded in 1852 by 28 members of the British mercantile community and military officers. Spectators watched on from the sidelines until a simple wooden pavilion was built as its clubhouse in the 1860s, followed by a larger structure in 1877 as membership grew. The preserved iron-structures and brick extensions of today’s clubhouse, built in 1884, contrast elegantly with the built-up skyline behind it.  

Within the club’s membership base – for which fees start from S$4,000 (€2,690) a year – are generations of the same families that made up the club’s earliest years. Today, nearly 5,000 Singaporeans and expats gather under the same colonial-era roof to play cricket or rugby – but also to discuss business deals while sipping a cool Tiger beer. “We protect a sense of belonging by engaging across age categories,” says club president Martin Goerojo, an avid sportsman and long-time member. “Junior, open and masters competitions are all interlaced with social events.”

After a match, players and members alike spill into the clubhouse to fraternise and feast on dishes of chicken congee, seared Hokkaido scallop and lobster risotto. Beyond the table, members mingle through games of chess or mahjong, or take part in wine tastings. The institution’s staff – from the car-park attendant to the barman in the underground Men’s Bar – make a point of recalling members by name. 

While the clubhouse itself is a listed building, the SCC is open to change. The Main Lounge, recently refurbished by local firm Studio HP, turned to the tones and textures of art deco for inspiration. Under the guidance of the practice’s founder, Rashi Tulshyan, dark reds and burgundies blend with the original wood panelling of the central bar. Hints of tropical modernism are referenced in the bespoke carpet, which features fan-shaped motifs inspired by the ubiquitous traveller’s palm. 

As the club prepares to celebrate its 175th anniversary next year, Goerojo reflects on what lies ahead. “The club has become an integral part of the surrounding ecosystem, and we are always asking ourselves how we can add value,” he says. “Ultimately, it is about being guardians of the Padang.” 
scc.org.sg