New Zealand Cricket board chairman Greg Barclay. Photo / Photosport
As New Zealand Cricket approaches one of the most significant moments in the history of the domestic Twenty20 game, one key figure is urging officials to proceed with caution and not make any rushed decisions.
Former chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Greg Barclay says New Zealand Cricket (NZC) must resist the temptation to jump at the shiniest object and instead work systematically through the proposals on the table.
Known as Project Bigger Smash, it’s understood there are four options are on the table, with the most topical being the NZ20, given the future of the current Super Smash is in doubt with no broadcast deal in place beyond next season.
While only a concept at this stage, the NZ20 is supported by all six of New Zealand’s Major Associations – Auckland, Northern Districts, Wellington, Central Districts, Canterbury and Otago – as well as the New Zealand Cricket Players Association, while a host of former and current players, including New Zealand test captain Tom Latham, backing the concept, with support from lawyer Don Mackinnon.
NZC chief executive Scott Weenink is in a different camp and would love to have Kiwi entries in Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL).
Speaking to Newstalk ZB’s D’Arcy Waldegrave, Barclay said the key is not urgency but discipline when making decisions which will change the landscape of the sport locally.
“They’ve got to do what they’ve proposed and that is work through each of the proposals, consider what’s best for cricket in New Zealand,” Barclay said. “It does have to involve New Zealand Cricket ... have a look at all of the options and make an informed decision in due course.
The NZ20 would theoretically operate in a January window. And although that would see it compete with the BBL and South Africa’s SA20, it would allow private investment into teams, with that money in particular used to attract overseas players to turn out for Kiwi teams.
Barclay is quick to emphasise that private investment is not inherently dangerous, but only if handled with absolute care.
“It’s making sure that whoever the investor is or the investor parties are that they’re the right parties with the the right intentions for New Zealand Cricket,” he said.
“We don’t want to fall into the hands of a group or the party of entities that would do anything to damage or run contrary to the interests of cricket in New Zealand.
“It must both protect and enhance the high performance opportunity for the players, [ensure] that it retains the very best players within New Zealand and doesn’t upset other competitions, to the extent that New Zealand Cricket’s relationships are harmed at all.”
But the other issue with adding the NZ20 to the picture is the already clogged ICC calendar, which Barclay describes as the “biggest existential issue” facing cricket.
“There’s too much cricket being played all around the world with a proliferation of leagues that we’ve got in front of us now with a jammed international programme,” he said.
“The ICC’s members jealously guard the ability to control their international calendar and programme, and self-interest always prevails.”
Barclay believes the current model is serving its purpose and helping develop the next generation of cricketers in the men’s and women’s game.
“Running it as a high-performance, elite programme has stood New Zealand Cricket, the Black Caps and the White Ferns in good stead,” he said.
They’ve consistently gone to the semis and finals of world events and performed well without having a commercialised, stand-alone ... T20 competition.
“The question is, do you need to do more for fan engagement and could you better commercialise the opportunity? And I think that it’s timely to have that conversation.
“If that’s happening, that’s a good outcome and at the end of the day, from a feasibility point of view, it will work or it won’t work if the right questions are asked and the right decisions are made.”
NZC has engaged the services of consultancy firm Deloitte to review the best options to take the sport forward with the findings expected to be released in early 2026.
Ben Francis is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers breaking sports news.