NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport / Cricket / Black Caps

David Leggat: McLean Park simply can't be trusted

NZ Herald
3 Feb, 2017 05:28 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

NZ Captain Kane Williamson and coach Mike Hesson inspect the wicket during a rain delay. International One Day Cricket. Photo / Photosport.co.nz

NZ Captain Kane Williamson and coach Mike Hesson inspect the wicket during a rain delay. International One Day Cricket. Photo / Photosport.co.nz

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

New Zealand Cricket should be looking at alternative options to host the fourth ODI against South Africa on March 1.

Napier's McLean Park simply can't be trusted to deliver after the embarrassment against Australia this week.

At the last point of checking no one can control the weather. Had it rained through Thursday that's just bad luck.

However NZC are now in a situation where rain the day before a match in Napier can send it into the bin. That's unacceptable.

Three ODIs in Napier in the last six have been washed out.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The second, against Pakistan a year ago, had no chance due to heavy rain.

However the first, against the West Indies, in 2013, ended with hours of sunshine on game day and little attempt to dry the outfield. It made no sense.

It left a feeling of anger from those who'd sat through the afternoon sunning themselves.

If the outfield is a bog call it off early; don't leave the faithful sitting about in the vain hope of something eventuating. It was similar yesterday.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The lack of communication rankled. Keeping the crowds informed is PR 101. They'd paid good money, taken a day off work, the kids were goggle-eyed, excited.

Playing smart alec rain themed music doesn't help the mood either.

The drainage ability of most of New Zealand's cricket grounds is good. McLean Park unfortunately is the worst of them, and this has been the case for some time.

No one could be surprised at how Thursday unfolded.

Discover more

Sport|cricket

Abandoned ODI perplexes crowd

02 Feb 04:00 PM
Black Caps

Neil Wagner fractures finger

02 Feb 05:03 PM
Black Caps

Ish Sodhi called into Black Caps squad

02 Feb 07:41 PM
Cricket

Radical overhaul looms for cricket

04 Feb 01:32 AM

Napier's civic bosses knew the score. Drainage must be improved and until that happens major international matches have to be taken away. There is a suggestion adjustments were made around 18 months ago to alleviate the problem. In which case, a demand for a refund should be made pronto.

It is a tough call for the people of the region, nevertheless Central Districts and ground owners Napier City Council need to get this blight sorted. They have a good pitch, a committed groundsman in Phil Stoyanoff, who was filmed head down around early afternoon on Thursday. He knew the score, too.

NZC would be reluctant to change the venue on March 1. But they should, at the least, be taking a serious view of this, exploring avenues. Imagine the outcry if things go pear-shaped again. And don't go thinking this is shouting at shadows.

Thursday was one of the three biggest days of the New Zealand cricket summer. Yes, South Africa's tour is the centrepiece and should be a cracking visit.

But Australia is a big deal. Eden Park turned into a staggering occasion last weekend; appetite was high for round two. And look what transpired.

NZC at least admitted things could have been handled better. There are regulations surrounding the time games can be called off. This was one where an early finish would not have helped, but would have put an end to the sitting, waiting and hoping.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Will fans be lost because of it? Probably. And that's why NZC should be fingering dates, cross checking ground availability. And please don't come back and say nowhere else was available due to domestic obligations. International trumps domestic every time.

If they stick with McLean Park, you'll bet there will be official fingers crossed nervously, not just for a fine game day, but fine weather for the two days beforehand. And that's just not how it should be.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Black Caps

Black Caps

'Best place I've been': Jamieson puts injury woes behind him

28 Jun 12:00 AM
Black Caps

T20 freelancers commit to Walter's first Black Caps squad for T20 tri-series

26 Jun 06:00 PM
Black Caps

NZ Cricket understands fan frustration over lack of home tests

26 Jun 12:00 AM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Black Caps

'Best place I've been': Jamieson puts injury woes behind him

'Best place I've been': Jamieson puts injury woes behind him

28 Jun 12:00 AM

The 30-year-old has his sights locked on the Black Caps' huge home summer.

T20 freelancers commit to Walter's first Black Caps squad for T20 tri-series

T20 freelancers commit to Walter's first Black Caps squad for T20 tri-series

26 Jun 06:00 PM
NZ Cricket understands fan frustration over lack of home tests

NZ Cricket understands fan frustration over lack of home tests

26 Jun 12:00 AM
Three tests, surplus of Twenty20s as Black Caps summer fixtures announced

Three tests, surplus of Twenty20s as Black Caps summer fixtures announced

24 Jun 06:00 PM
From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP