March hope for McLean Park cricket test

McLean Park in the first few days of the removal of its former turf last month. PHOTO/FILE

McLean Park in Napier may be a big hole in the ground just now but it could be celebrating the 40th anniversary of its first cricket test with an international over five days and five nights in less than 10 months' time.

Following the experiment with what's known as the "pink-ball game" at Auckland's Eden Park two months ago, New Zealand Cricket has revealed McLean Park is being considered as the venue for a five-day test match, floodlit at night, between New Zealand and England next March.

Also in the running are Mount Maunganui's Bay Oval and Hamilton's Seddon Park, McLean Park appearing to be the first choice if it gets the appropriate certificate of fitness after an oval rebuild which started less than four weeks ago, and which currently sees it cratered-down to almost half-a-metre with the first pipes laid in a new drainage system.

Following the installation of the drainage system a new sand base will be laid — truck by truck from South Wairarapa — and a new hybrid turf will be laid, expected to be completed in time for the Hawke's Bay Magpies to play national provincial championship rugby on the ground in September.

The makeover includes the use of lift-out and drop-in blocks in the centre of the park, so that an international pitch being curated at nearby Nelson Park can be used for international cricket.

A New Zealand Cricket spokesman said yesterday that no decision has been made as to whether a Bangladesh tour test would be a day-night affair, but if it is cities of the size of Napier, Mount Maunganui-Tauranga and Hamilton would be considered.

The international cricket schedule for the New Zealand summer isn't expected to be announced until at least sometime next month, and the spokesman said that if McLean Park were to be allocated a test there would have to be some assurance that it would be up to the international standard.

Following the rugby season, some "domestic" cricket is likely to be played at McLean Park in the early summer, as part of such competitions as the Plunket Shield, in which games are played over four days.

Napier became the first New Zealand centre outside of Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin to stage a five-day cricket test in February 1979, between New Zealand and Pakistan.

McLean Park thus became the 50th venue used for international test cricket worldwide. The raining-out of the third day was the birth of an image that the park was dogged by wet-weather, but little time was actually lost, a full day's play still being possible the next day, which had been scheduled as a rest day.

The park has been off the international schedule since February last year when a one-day test between New Zealand and Australia was abandoned without a ball being bowled after poor drainage on part of the ground led it being ruled unsafe for the match to go ahead.

The Napier City Council advanced plans for a complete rebuild of the oval and work started on April 9, but is still investigating the future of the lighting.