TOP CLASS: Bay Oval is undergoing a $4 million upgrade in time for the new international season. PHOTO: File
TOP CLASS: Bay Oval is undergoing a $4 million upgrade in time for the new international season. PHOTO: File
Bay Oval's status as an international cricket venue will reach new levels this summer once world class lights are installed.
It has taken more than five years of unremitting determination to reach this stage by Bay Oval Trust general manager Kelvin Jones and his dedicated team.
That hard work haspaid off with Mount Maunganui's Bay Oval to host an unprecedented 11 international matches this coming cricket season, with more games likely once the White Ferns schedule is released.
"This means we will have the most internationals of any ground in the country by a long way," Jones said.
Under what he says will be "the only LED lights of any cricket ground in the world" the West Indies will play two Twenty20 internationals (January 1 and 3) and Pakistan one (January 28) against the Black Caps.
Jones says it has been years in the making but the funding approval to go ahead with installing lights happened more recently.
"We always thought the momentum would swing behind us on this and it undoubtedly has. We have got fantastic support from a real, wide cross section of the community in the usual funders but huge support from the corporate community as well.
"They have come on the journey to see this happen. We have shown the benefits of a private/public partnership that has been really well supported."
DRIVING FORCE: Bay Oval Trust general manager Kelvin Jones. PHOTO: File
The new lights are part of a $4 million upgrade of Bay Oval including increased seating capacity up to 12,000 and a new permanent state-of-the-art replay scoreboard.
The embankment extension has utilised soil and fill from the nearby Zespri project. The new capacity will easily overtake Hamilton's Seddon Park that can fit 10,500 with temporary seating.
"We will be the biggest cricket ground of our type in New Zealand and have the best lights and the biggest replay screen of any ground in the country bar none," Jones said.
Fitting in all the matches at Bay Oval is a logistical issue though.
"When you throw in that Bay of Plenty hold the Hawke Cup, so there will be at least one Hawke Cup challenge in there as well as the normal Bay of Plenty season to fit in, it certainly will be a challenge.
"We have been looking at some alternative venues for matches and bringing the number two oval up to a slightly higher standard that can deal with the additional trainings as well. The under-19s come here for an extended period of time and they expect to be on grass wickets for training.
"It is a lot of work but it is certainly worth it," Jones said.
