Cricket: Bay Oval misses out on international test match

Cricket. Black Caps versus England at the Bay Oval. 28 February 2018 Bay of Plenty Times Photograph by Andrew Warner.

Bay Oval officials hopes of staging an inaugural test next summer — possibly even a day-night fixture — have been dashed.

Instead the Mount Maunganui venue will have two ODIs against Sri Lanka in early January; two more against India, a women's international against the Indians and a four-day India A vs New Zealand A fixture, plus three 50-over matches against the same opponents.

It's a busy programme, but missing the big cherry on top.

New Zealand had been hoping to host its second day-night test to follow the win over England at Eden Park last season, but had it gone ahead if would have been at Hamilton's Seddon Park against Bangladesh.

Instead Bangladesh said they were not ready for a test under lights.

So what is the Bay Oval reaction — frustrated, disappointed, philosophical?

''All of the above,'' Bay Oval Trust general manager Kelvin Jones said today.

''We are disappointed. We've made no bones that we're a bunch of traditionalists and see ourselves as test cricket being the pinnacle of the game.

''With all things about the ground, we've kept that focus. We have a big outfield and hopefully a good wicket. But we accept that NZC don't quite see us in that space yet.''

It's worth noting the ground received an NZC Turf Management award last season for the best international short format pitch in the country.

The five tests at home next summer will be in Christchurch (two), Wellington's Basin Reserve (two) and Seddon Park.

New Zealand have used eight venues for their 208 home tests since 1929-30.
The most recent arrival on that roster was Christchurch's Hagley Oval, which made its debut on Boxing Day 2014 against Sri Lanka.

Others used have been Eden Park, Seddon Park, Napier's McLean Park, the Basin Reserve in Wellington, University Oval in Dunedin and the now defunct Carisbrook in Dunedin and Lancaster Park in Christchurch.

The drums had been beating that today's schedule release for the 2018-19 summer was to be Bay Oval's big step forward from limited-overs ground to test venue.

''We'd heard those signals that we were on the radar, but we shouldn't be too hard on ourselves. We've done really well,'' Jones said.

Bay Oval has hosted six Plunket Shield matches. One argument they have heard is that they need more first-class games to prove the ground's capability to run five-day cricket.
NZC chief operating officer Anthony Crummy made that point earlier today, adding that the national body rates Bay Oval as ''a key venue for us. It's certainly going to play a huge role''.

Jones has a determined streak to him. The development of the ground has been a ''labour of love'' for a small group of people in the region.

''Our attitude is we want to be the best venue in the country.

''We'll keep working toward that. If we do become that then they won't be able to say no to us,'' he said.