Cricket: NZ international cricket season overhauled

10.30am

New Zealand Cricket today announced a revamped international season format which it hopes will get as many people as possible through the turnstiles during the holiday season.

The announcement confirmed that the Boxing Day test in Wellington, introduced in 1998, has been scrapped.

The capital will, however, host two tests next year - Sri Lanka on Wellington Anniversary weekend and Australia on March 18-22.

NZC chief executive Martin Snedden Snedden said the revamped schedule was designed to improve the quality of test match conditions while bringing the excitement of one day cricket to a greater number of New Zealanders during the holiday period.

The Sri Lanka series of five ODIs is scheduled to begin on Boxing Day with a one day match at Auckland. The other matches will be played at Napier (December 29), Queenstown (January 2), Christchurch (January 4) and Wellington (January 8).

Snedden said the change from previous years, when the December-January tours began with a test series, would allow a greater number of people to enjoy cricket during the peak period.

"Under the previous format, the only cricket played during the holiday period was the Boxing Day Test in Wellington," he said.

Snedden said the new format would allow test cricket to be played at a time when weather was likely to be more settled.

"While I understand that many Wellington cricket fans will be disappointed that the Boxing Day test will not take place this year, there will still be two Basin Reserve tests including a Sri Lanka test during the Wellington Anniversary weekend.

"The pre-Christmas tests have been a problem both because of weather interference and because in the hectic run up to Christmas, it is difficult for spectators to make time available to attend tests.

"The change will also allow State Shield one-day cricket to be played during the holiday period at a time when more people will be able to attend matches."

Australia's tour will begin with the first 20-over match between two International Cricket Council full member nations, under lights at Eden Park on February 17, followed by a five-match ODI series and a three match test series.

"Unfortunately Carisbrook will miss out on an ODI match against Australia.

"The venue authority had been offered a mid-week match but would not agree to a condition that rugby not be played on the ground for a period of five days before the ODI match.

"The lack of a drop-in pitch at the ground presents too much risk to NZC should rugby be played at the ground before an ODI.

"This issue highlights the ongoing difficulty of utilising dual purpose grounds once the Super 12 rugby series begins."

Snedden said the Eden Park Trust Board had relaxed conditions for tests to make the environment more user friendly.

Eden Park had agreed to relax restrictions relating to ground access, parking, security and food and beverage for tests.

"NZC will be working with other ground authorities in coming weeks to negotiate ground entry conditions which make test cricket more attractive to people by relaxing conditions so that a greater range of non-alcoholic beverages and food can be taken to matches by spectators," he said.

Schedule:



Sri Lanka to New Zealand 2004-05



DECEMBER 2004

21 - v Central Districts, New Plymouth

23 - v Northern Districts, Westpac Park, Hamilton

26 - 1st ODI Eden Park, Auckland

27 - Reserve day

29 - 2nd ODI, McLean Park, Napier

30 - Reserve day



JANUARY 2005

2 - 3rd ODI Queenstown Events Centre, Queenstown

4 - 4th ODI Jade Stadium, Christchurch

5 - Reserve day

8 - 5th ODI Westpac Stadium, Wellington

9 - Reserve day

10-12 - v Auckland, Eden Park outer oval, Auckland

15-19 - First test, Westpac Park, Hamilton

22-26 - Second test, Basin Reserve, Wellington.



Australia to New Zealand 2005



FEBRUARY

17 - Twenty20 international, Eden Park, Auckland

19 - 1st ODI Westpac Stadium, Wellington

20 - Reserve day

22 - 2nd ODI Jade Stadium, Christchurch

23 - Reserve day

26 - 3rd ODI Eden Park, Auckland

27 - Reserve day



MARCH

2 - 4th ODI Westpac Park, Hamilton

3 - Reserve day

5 - 5th ODI McLean Park, Napier

6 - Reserve day

10-14 - First test, Jade Stadium, Christchurch

18-22 - Second test, Basin Reserve, Wellington

26-30 - Third test, Eden Park, Auckland




- NZPA