Upgrade to McLean Park in Napier delayed, games reshuffled

UP TO STANDARD: The abandonment of an ODI against Australia at McLean Park in February highlighted a need for "urgent remedial" work at the grounds. PHOTO/FILE

It's not the summer hoped for at McLean Park, but users aren't letting the delayed redevelopment of its premier sports stadium dampen their spirits.

Last year the Napier City Council - which owns the park - confirmed the redevelopment of the playing area would not be done before winter 2018, about five months after the $2 million project was planned to start.

The upgrade has been proposed for several years, but became urgent after the one-day cricket international between New Zealand and Australia on February 3 was abandoned without a ball being bowled.

The work was to start immediately after the end of the Mitre 10 interprovincial rugby competition in October, but will now not begin until after the Super Rugby match between the Hurricanes and South Africa's Sharks on April 6.

Central Districts Cricket chief executive Pete de Wet said they had scheduled their cricket away from McLean Park for the first part of the season because they had believed the redevelopment would have been happening.

However because of the delay it still had its "warrant of fitness" for domestic cricket, and so could have been used.

Now Central Districts will have only one summer match there - the Central Stags v Northern Districts for the Ford Trophy on February 11, followed by three Plunket Shield games in March and April. There would also be games played from late December at nearby Nelson Park.

However he said they were "pretty sympathetic" to the council, because the delay had been out of their hands.

There was a 12-week window for the job in which possibly the least complicated part is the placement of the hybrid ready-turf after excavation, and arrival of about 7900 tonnes of sand - at least 280 truck-and-trailer loads.

However the delay had been caused by the sourcing of the sand, the difficult season in Auckland where the turf was being grown, and availability of the contractors.

The redevelopment work includes other drainage, and placing the drop-in blocks waiting at nearby Nelson Park, along with the machinery which will be used to transport them across Latham St each time the ground alternates between its primary uses for cricket and rugby.

Drainage issues meant three scheduled international cricket matches this summer were moved from McLean Park.

A March 1 one-dayer between New Zealand and South Africa was transferred to Hamilton, Napier withdrew from seeking to host games in the Under-19 Cricket World Cup in January and February, and a match between the Black Caps and England for February 28 will instead be played in Mount Maunganui.

Mr De Wet said they were disappointed the international games would not be in Napier, with international fixtures "a big deal for us".

"At the end of the day it's the long-term [condition] of the park we're concerned about. It's a short-term pain for a long-term gain."

Cricket is not the only sport affected - early games in Hawke's Bay's 2018 rugby campaign have been reshuffled.

Hawke's Bay Rugby Union spokesman Jay Campbell said the New Zealand Rugby Union draw makers had been asked for the Magpies' first two matches to be away games.

The scrapping of the major New Zealand and Australia one-day cricket international on February 3 came early evening after players and fans had waited several hours for the field to be ready to play after a period of rain, all hopes stifled by a patch which remained sodden in front of the concrete-and-steel Harris Stand.