on a Sunday. ``We haven't had a
weekend game here for some
time and this time it'll be kicking
off the tour, too,'' he said, adding
the last time a cricket
international played here was
the test match against
Zimbabwe three summers ago.
Lately, McLean Park has hosted
predominantly mid-week ODIs.
``What we need to do is have
people get out here to watch the
game if we still want to remain a
major venue for hosting
international matches.''
White said they had considered
McLean Park for test matches but
its prominence as one of four
venues with permanent
floodlights, including Eden Park
(Auckland), Westpac Trust
Stadium (Wellington) and Seddon
Park (Hamilton) prevailed.
Christchurch was also a day-
night venue but has
been out of the
equation since the
fatal earthquake on
February 22, 2011.
Hamilton,
Auckland and
Wellington will host
two India matches.
Seddon Park will
host two ODIs while
Eden Park and the
Cake Tin will stage a
test and an ODI
against India who are
the ICC Cricket World Cup
champions.
A two-day warm-up game
will be played in Whangarei
before the tests.
The Indian tour will come on
the heels of three tests, five ODIs
and two Twenty20s against the
West Indies in a New Zealand
calendar that offers cricket
lovers 37 days of international
action at home.
White has also stressed the
importance of New Zealand co-
hosting the 2015 ICC
World Cup, saying it
was vital the Black
Caps played on venues
leading up to it.
The Kiwis will host a
qualifying nation in
Napier, yet to be
named.
``The Indians are the
world's best so when
we host the first game
all the world's eyes will
be on Hawke's Bay so
that'll be fantastic,''
Henderson said, confident
McLean Park would stage tests
again after the 2015 World Cup.
White said while it was
disappointing not to be able to
take India to the South Island,
there were two ODIs and a test
there in the West Indies tour as
well as 2015 World Cup action.
Schedule of the ANZ International Series:
1st ODI: Sunday, January 19, McLean Park, Napier.
2nd ODI: Wednesday, January 22, Seddon Park, Hamilton.
3rd ODI: Saturday, January 25, Eden Park, Auckland.
4th ODI: Tuesday, January 28, Seddon Park, Hamilton.
5th ODI: Friday, January 31, Westpac Stadium, Wellington.
Two-dayer warm up:Sunday, Feb 2-3, Cobham Oval, Whangarei.
1st test: Thursday, Feb 6-10, Eden Park, Auckland.
2nd test: Friday, Feb 14-18, Hawkins Basin Reserve, Wellington.
