Opinion: Bay Oval a boon for the region

New Zealand captain Kaylum Boshier, left, and keeper Max Chu appeal for the wicket of Kimani Melius at Bay Oval on Saturday. Photo/File

The ICC U19 Cricket World Cup is in town, and it's putting our city on the map.

As reported this week, the event is being broadcast to a global audience. Bay Oval has six pool games and the all-important final and is hosting many of the World Cup's high-profile teams - India, Australia, South Africa, West Indies and New Zealand.

Six other venues will be in use to cater for the 16 teams competing across 48 matches in the 12th edition of the tournament and third on New Zealand soil after 2002 and 2010.

Locals who attend the matches get the opportunity to see the international stars of future in action. Past alumni include current international captains Steve Smith (Australia), Virat Kohli (India), Kane Williamson (New Zealand) and Sarfraz Ahmed (Pakistan).

Tauranga also benefits from the international interest in the event, which garnered even more attention this week when the West Indies under-19 team were criticised from all sides after using a technicality to dismiss a South African batsman at the World Cup game at the Bay Oval.

As reported this week, images of the Oval under lights and picturesque shots around Mount Maunganui and Tauranga are going out to an estimated captive audience of 1.3 billion viewers globally.

That number alone - provided by organisers of the ICC Under 19 Cricket World Cup 2018 - shows the impact of this tournament on the city.

More than $950,000 will also be spent in Tauranga - $605,998 on accommodation - by teams, match officials, broadcasters, the International Cricket Council and the tournament's Local Organising Committee.

Across New Zealand, the total spend by this group will be $6.7 million, with a little over 10,000 room nights booked.

Credit for this must go to the Bay Oval Trust, which this year took the final step in making the Bay Oval a world-class facility by installing new LED lights.

That investment is not only paying off for local cricket community but the wider Bay economy as well.