A meaningless sporting summer, it’s just not cricket – Editorial

Cricket fans have had too few opportunities to watch our best players this summer. Photo / Ian Cooper

Editorial

THREE KEY FACTS

• The Black Caps played just three home test matches this summer.
• New Zealand lost the final of the Champions Trophy to India in Dubai.
• The White Ferns lost every completed game to the Australian women.

If our inclement weather eases, the Black Caps are due to play Pakistan at Mount Maunganui’s Bay Oval today.

It is the third game of an ODI series and wider white ball tour that has been utterly meaningless.

While these are important matches for young players on the fringe of the international game, such as Mitch Hay and Ben Sears, not many aside from those in the middle of today’s game will be all too bothered by the result.

With our star men’s players involved in the Indian Premier League or resting at the moment, it is not just farmers grappling with the hardship of a drought this summer.

Cricket fans have had too few bat vs ball battles to enjoy on the banks of our ovals.

Frustrated fans have been overheard around barbecues and beaches, wondering what happened to our summer of cricket this season?

New Zealand Cricket may argue the Champions Trophy, and particularly the Black Caps making the final, was the highlight of this season.

However, for a Kiwi fan this was a difficult watch with unfavourable time zones for what is considered the least important ICC title, highlighted by several stars who gave this year’s version a miss.

It is also obvious to most supporters of the sport that the Champions Trophy tournament continues to exist so India and Pakistan have an excuse to play each other and capitalise on a billion-plus audience.

The Black Caps really haven’t played any meaningful games at home since England toured for three test matches in November and December.

The highlight for fans in this country since then has been the Australian women’s tour of New Zealand. They were competitive matches but we unfortunately lost every completed game of that series.

Fans of course had what feels like the annual Sri Lankan ODI and T20 tour to play the Black Caps. That was hardly a series to get excited for.

We are likely at the end of what has been a golden era for the sport in New Zealand.

Support for both the men’s and women’s teams has been at all-time highs.

We should do everything we can to keep the game exciting and in front of the next generation of talent.

Sky TV has reclaimed the rights to screen international cricket matches played in New Zealand in a six-year deal starting in late 2026.

TVNZ - the free-to-air operator - has the cricket rights for one more summer, before Sky’s new deal kicks in.

Some games may remain on free-to-air but it is possible the reach of the sport will shrink towards the end of this decade.

The Black Caps are excited for upcoming tours of England and Australia in 2026.

But that feels like a long time to wait, for now New Zealand cricket fans can try to look forward to a Black Caps winter tour of Zimbabwe.

Once again the White Ferns are doing the heavy lifting, with the Women’s Cricket World Cup in India later this year.

Let’s hope future summers of cricket are better than this one.

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