The ground was constructed by the Nelson Cricket Association following their move from
Trafalgar Park, at a cost of $3.8 million. The Oval is part of a wider sports complex which also offers
athletics,
association football,
field hockey and
softball facilities. The ground was first used by
Central Districts in a
Twenty20 match in the
2009–10 HRV Cup against
Canterbury. Three further Twenty20 matches were played there in that competition. The ground held its first
List A and
first-class matches in the
2011-12 Ford Trophy and the
2011-12 Plunket Shield. A single
Women's Twenty20 International was played there in December 2010 between
New Zealand Women and
Australia Women. The cricket oval was used as a base during the
2011 Rugby Union World Cup by the national teams of
Italy and
Australia. Saxton Oval was one of the venues for the
2015 Cricket World Cup. On 4 January 2014, Nelson hosted its first men's one day international match when West Indies played New Zealand. On 29 December 2017, Nelson hosted its first men's T20 international match when West Indies played New Zealand. ==International centuries==