Cricket: Northern chief in rage at test snub

By RICHARD BOOCK

Northern Districts chief executive John Turkington has lambasted New Zealand Cricket over the allocation of this season's test matches.

The fiery Hamilton administrator is devastated that WestpacTrust Park has not been earmarked for a test against the touring England team this summer, despite costly upgrades and widespread praise for the venue.

NZC are not expected to release the season's itinerary until today, but Turkington pre-empted that announcement when he came out firing yesterday.

Describing the snub as a kick in the teeth, he said WestpacTrust had proved to be New Zealand's best test-match venue last season, particularly after the problems experienced with portable pitches at Eden Park and Jade Stadium.

"Where do NZC's priorities lie?" Turkington asked yesterday. "Surely the emphasis should be on producing the best possible conditions for our international cricketers to excel."

Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been spent upgrading WestpacTrust Park. The spectator capacity has been increased by 50 per cent, resource consent has been obtained for the installation of lights, and a number of other ground improvements have taken place.

Hamilton is expected to be given the first test against Bangladesh in December, but Turkington said a match against the international minnows was scant consolation, and predicted a crowd of about 200 "on a good day."

His reaction seems to indicate that NZC have resisted moves to schedule all five tests (two against Bangladesh and three against England) in the North Island as was first mooted, leaving Wellington the winner of the scramble for matches, and Hamilton the loser.

The three tests against England are expected to be allocated to Christchurch, Auckland and Wellington, and the two against Bangladesh to Hamilton and Wellington.

Turkington was incensed that NZC had overlooked Hamilton's status among New Zealand players and officials, and suggested the board had changed an initial plan at the 11th hour.

Northern had been led to understand that one of the English tests would be played in Hamilton, he said.

"Hotel bookings had been made by NZC and we had heard from English tour parties.

"It's reasonable to conclude that the NZC recommendation to Tuesday's board meeting was to allocate a test to Hamilton, but that the board members were of a different view. Maybe it's time there was representation on the board from outside the three main centres."

He said that at a recent conference of groundsmen in Rotorua, NZC operations manager John Reid suggested players would prefer to play all their home tests in Hamilton.

Turkington also produced a letter from a grateful Stephen Fleming after New Zealand demolished Pakistan at WestpacTrust Park last summer to square the series.

Fleming apparently wrote that "it is fantastic turning up at a venue that has pride in what it can offer" and that "in a country where dual purpose grounds dominate" it was refreshing to play on a park that "gives your sport its total focus."