Editorial: Why historic Auckland venue is not a cricketing ‘Garden of Eden’

Opinion

Opinion:

Footage of the opening Blacks Caps v Australia test at the Basin Reserve again highlighted what a majestic cricketing venue the Wellington ground is.

The same thing will occur later this week when the test series moves to Christchurch, and Hagley Oval hosts the second clash.

Thousands of sporting fans reclining on grass embankments or soaking up the views of top-level cricket being played on an oval venue.

Since Hagley Oval was renovated, lovers of both the grounds have claimed their preference is New Zealand’s spiritual “Home of Cricket”.

The tag that both those grounds battle it out for is a world away from what Eden Park No 1 offers as a top-level cricket venue.

An aerial view of the ground shows the unique boundary line it provides to cricket; at places more resembling the shape of half a tennis court than a traditional round oval.

The lengths of the boundaries are also widely viewed as a bit of a joke; the square boundary is 68 metres, while the straight is just 55m and the smallest in the international arena.

Its continued hosting of international cricket is thanks to a legacy issue.

Chart-topper Pink is set to entertain tens of thousands of fans with gigs at Eden Park.

Under International Cricket Council (ICC) regulations, including boundary sizes, if Eden Park applied to become a first-time host now it would likely be rejected.

The suitability of the suburban ground – which is proving it is a quality concert venue, including hosting upcoming Pink gigs - to host top-level cricket was again in the spotlight as it hosted two T20 internationals between the transtasman arrivals late last month.

The latest critic to fire into it was Australian journalist Adam Hawse, who pointed at the ground’s size and said he “played in backyards with bigger boundaries than 55 metres”.

Eden Park's tiny boundaries are welcomed by power hitters such as Daryl Mitchell. Photo / Photosport

“This is kiddies’ cricket,” Hawse said on Sydney’s 2GB Radio.

“It’s the home of rugby union, the spiritual home, but it’s not really a cricket oval.”

During the 2015 Cricket World Cup, former Australian opening batsman Matthew Hayden also teed off at the venue, saying “the size of Eden Park is ridiculous. It shouldn’t be a cricket ground”.

Eden Park chief executive Nick Sautner was upbeat in responding to Hawse’s criticism, saying “Eden Park’s design guarantees an unmatched live cricket experience for fans at the ground or for those watching at home”.

“Grounds like the MCG rarely see sixes hit due to the sheer size of the playing field.”

Eden Park chief executive Nick Sautner says the ground provides a cricketing experience you don't get at the MCG. Photo / Jason Oxenham

He didn’t mention that some of those sixes came via regular top edges over the keeper; shots that on a regular ground would be snaffled in the outfield.

Eden Park has been the scene of famous Black Caps test wins for decades and Cricket World Cup heroics in 1992 and 2015.

Some of those test victories were before a series of redevelopments at the venue; at times when the boundary was more of a shape that you’d expect from a cricket oval.

Eden Park has played host to some famous moments in New Zealand cricket history, including Martin Crowe's century against Australia in the 1992 Cricket World Cup. Photo / Photosport

A year ago, plans for potential future Eden Park redevelopments were released.

But what so many cricket fans love to see is for Auckland to have a true cricket venue; one which would see test cricket played in the City of Sails for the first time in six years.