Australia's Aaron Finch and Black Caps captain Kane Williamson at McLean Park in 2017. Photo / NZME
Australia's Aaron Finch and Black Caps captain Kane Williamson at McLean Park in 2017. Photo / NZME
All three T20 international matches between the Black Caps and Australia will be played in Napier.
New Zealand Cricket announced the huge shake-up to its upcoming schedule, which is aimed at mitigating risks for the Black Caps and White Ferns as well as international sides visiting the country.
Two ofAustralia's three T20 matches against the Black Caps in March were originally to have been played in Wellington and one in Napier.
All three will now be played at Napier's McLean Park, subject to MIQ availability, and are scheduled for March 17, 18 and 20.
If the region is "red" according to Covid traffic light levels, crowd numbers will be heavily restricted for the series in Napier. It is understood just a few hundred would be able to attend.
If the region is at "orange" up to 10,000 people can pack into the ground and watch the games.
Meanwhile, the White Ferns matches against India originally scheduled for McLean Park on February 9 and 11 have now been moved to Queenstown.
Other draw changes include the Black Caps test series against South Africa, which will only be played in Christchurch, and the Black Caps series against the Netherlands, to be played in Tauranga and Hamilton.
NZ Cricket chief executive David White said the intent was to play all matches on the dates, and at the times, previously scheduled.
NZ Cricket is exploring the concept of allowing multiple pods, each of no more than 100 spectators, in venues in accordance with Government guidelines.
White said the venue changes were just one part of a contingency plan designed to safeguard the health of all participants, and to reduce the chance of matches or series being jeopardised by an outbreak.
"These risk mitigations are based on avoiding known Covid-19 hotspots, and include limiting air travel, limiting accommodation transfers and, essentially, operating in safer environments," said White.
"We know the more domestic flights we have, and the more movement there is between hotels, the greater the chance of a match or even a series being put at risk."
Napier City Council event manager Kevin Murphy said since the new turf went in at McLean Park about four years ago, opportunities with New Zealand Cricket had been growing.
Kevin Murphy says opportunities for international cricket at McLean Park have been growing. Photo / NZME
He said generally Napier got two or three games a year between the Blackcaps and White Ferns but to get an entire series was extraordinary.
"We were pleased to get allocated one T20 game [against Australia] and now, with these changes, to lose the women's games is a shame but to be given the opportunity to host three Australian T20s is huge," he said.
"It is going to be dictated by what the borders and MIQ is doing at that time of the year, so we hold our breath and hope that the opportunity will actually come to host the games.
"There is a lot of water to go under the bridge yet."
He said NZ Cricket would be in charge of ticketing, but a number of factors restricted crowds under red including only 100 people being able to enter each entry point of the ground.
"We don't know when these games will be on sale yet as it is still too early to tell."
Hawke's Bay Cricket CEO Craig Findlay said it was a great result for the region, and hopefully crowds could attend.
"If we only have 400 or 500 people allowed in, it makes a big difference compared to a big packed crowd," he said.
"Let's hope that the [crowds] can come but that is well out of our control."
He said when Napier hosted matches during the 2015 Cricket World Cup the number of children joining the game across the region increased significantly.
"Having the best teams in the world here in Hawke's Bay and playing, it gives that buzz and means people want to play the sport," he said.
"[This series] gives people the opportunity to watch the world champions and the Black Caps - the two finalists from the recent T20 World Cup."
He said Hawke's Bay players in the Black Caps T20 mix included Blair Tickner and Doug Bracewell.
NZ Cricket is expected to make an announcement soon around what will happen for those who have already bought a ticket to the March 20 match in Napier.
