Cricket: Clubs hit by collapse of online app

Club and junior cricketers could be affected by the collapse of online app company CricHQ. Photo / George Novak

Cricket clubs around the country are facing a chaotic start to the season in the wake of the international online cricket app CricHQ going into receivership.

The business, whose shareholders have included former New Zealand captains Stephen Fleming and Brendon McCullum, was launched in 2010 as a cricket scoring platform which branched out to provide administration support, scoreboard and statistics and management assistance to clubs worldwide.

Many New Zealand clubs use the system for organising registrations, doing live scoring and provide information on player statistics and team competitions.

New Zealand Cricket said today it is in a holding pattern until it can talk to receivers Brendan Gibson and Neale Jackson from Korda Mentha.

CricHQ has made no mention of the receivership on its website.

But with cricket either just having got under way around the country, or about to, it's bad news for clubs who have bought into the system.

'We're not sure what it means short and medium term and we're seeking with urgency discussions with the appointed receivers to discuss the situation," NZC spokesman Richard Boock said today.

NZC sent out a short message to all registered cricketers in the country last night saying: "We are acutely aware of the importance of the CricHQ system to the management and delivery of cricket, and we will continue to seek, with urgency, discussions with the appointed receiver to clarify the situation."

New Zealand's six major associations, district associations, women's, junior and club cricket are all supplied the system. Essentially it is an aid for amateur and community cricket with professional organisations generally having their own systems in place.

"It has widespread uses and applications throughout the community game in New Zealand," Boock added.

There is no financial hit for organisations.

However one example of how clubs could be hit is if they use CricHQ for keeping season registrations, they might have an issue over who has, or has not, paid subscriptions unless they have a backup mechanism.

In December, former Saatchi & Saatchi executive Kevin Roberts joined the CricHQ board as chairman. last year CricHQ was reportedly looking to raise US$10 million ($13.7m) from investors and the company put a pre-money valuation on CricHQ of $US77m.

It was the third time the company had raised capital in its six-year history after initially raising $8m from private investors before raising a further $10m last year in a round led by Singapore-based Tembusu Partners.

Money from the last capital raise was to be used to help develop its smartphone apps and boost staff numbers.

The National Business Review reported the company was considering expanding into football with the money raised in the coming period used to develop relationships with broadcasters, a new fantasy league feature, payment processing and e-commerce abilities.

CricHQ has more than 100 staff with around 30 in Wellington and most of the rest based in India.

Auckland Cricket use the system for competition administration and live scoring in its premier competitions.

"It is significant and is going to cause some issues depending on how its been adapted in different areas," chief executive Iain Laxon said today.