Cricket: State final expands to be more of a test

The State Championship final will be played over five days this summer as New Zealand Cricket works to improve the game's status.

The competition will have eight rounds of four-day matches, including two rounds before Christmas, and will culminate with a five-day final.

NZC chief executive Martin Snedden said yesterday that adding another day to the final made it a better way to determine the winner of the competition.

"The purpose is to try to provide a final that is above the level of domestic cricket and which will more closely replicate a test match."


The final is to be played between April 3 and 7, after New Zealand's home tests against Australia.

"It enables the two finalists to regroup and players carrying niggling injuries to recover," Snedden said.

"It will also enable ground staff at the final venue to prepare the best possible playing surface and it might open up an opportunity for some Black Caps to participate."

The final three rounds of the State Championship will coincide with the three tests between New Zealand and Australia.

This will ensure fringe international players are involved in first-class cricket should they not be required for international duty.

The competition schedule has a re-match of last season's final when defending champions Wellington face Canterbury in Christchurch from December 7 to 10.

The first match begins a day earlier when Northern Districts host Auckland at Hamilton.

In the other first-round clash, Central Districts travel to Queenstown to play Otago.

The State Shield one-day programme has been timed to give players every chance to gain selection in the Black Caps squad for the five-match one-day series against Australia beginning on February 19 next year.

And the Christmas-New Year break has been targeted in the State Shield programme, which has matches on December 27, January 1 and January 3 - all public holidays.

In the 10-round State Shield competition, defending champions Central Districts play Auckland in Palmerston North on December 27.

That day Otago face Canterbury in Alexandra and Wellington host Northern Districts.

February 12 has been set down for the final.

The State League women's competition has matches almost every day from December 27 to January 9, with a week separating the second half of the competition, which finishes on January 23.

The final is scheduled for January 29.

Snedden said the planned New Zealand A home series against South Africa A and then India A would not go ahead as neither prospective visitor was able to tour.

- NZPA