Cricket: Stags opt for rugby venue to satisfy TV

Chris Lander.

Rugby ground Yarrow Stadium will take over from the picturesque Pukekura Park in New Plymouth for men's domestic cricket this summer.

Interim Central Districts chief executive Chris Lander, whose term has been extended six months until April next year, told the Hawke's Bay Cricket Association (HBCA) AGM in Napier on Wednesday night plans were under way to plant a drop-in wicket during November/December after Taranaki have finished their ITM Cup rugby campaign.

"A wicket from Pukekohe will be cut into four pieces before they are put into two articulated trucks to be dropped off at the park," Lander said in preparation of the Devon Hotel CD Stags' Georgie Pie Super Smash T20 campaign.

"That's great because it means the team can play five games in one city rather than travel up and down at different CD venues," he said of the Stags seven home matches, traditionally held in a scattered region.

Lander said the move was imperative because the postage-sized Pukekura Park didn't allow enough room or light for Sky TV to cover Friday/Saturday live games.

McLean Park was an option, he revealed, but the estimated $250,000 cost to create a drop-in wicket was a deterrent.

The new constitution and a newly elected seven board members will be ratified at Central Districts' annual meeting on November 8.

The meeting heard the Stags were close to signing a "high-profile" English professional with an announcement likely next week.

CD and Napier City Council are disappointed McLean Park has only one ODI this summer against Pakistan but the parties have scheduled talks to change that in following seasons.

"We're really hopeful of not just getting a good ODI but also a test match," Lander said.

The council was committed to upgrading facilities at McLean Park as well as the office space CD share with the Hawke's Bay Rugby Football Union.

He hailed the appointment of "good operator" Lance Hamilton as CD general manager in an important role to liaise between the CEO and the CD board.

CD also are appointing a marketing and communications manager to "be thrown into the deep end" of the T20 campaign from October 12.

Lander acknowledged CD was having difficulty building a rapport with its eight districts but expects a considerable change in some respects.

Its five directors will step down at the AGM on November 8 and seven appointed.

Under CD's new constitution that HBCA helped write, the term of the major association's president will now be three years and its patron five.

HBCA board chairman Derek Stirling lauded CD board chairman Blair Robinson's efforts to help unite its eight districts to serve to strengthen their voices, not just to the management of CD but also to New Zealand Cricket.

Said Lander: "I don't want to tell the districts how to suck eggs or anything like that but communication is important and CD has been lacking in that area.

"It won't be immediate in all areas but in some we will see the difference."