NZ's on-field results bringing brawn to negotiating table

Black Caps captain Brendon McCullum in action against Australia at Eden Park. Photo / Brett Phibbs

What a curious situation New Zealand Cricket finds itself in.

After years of pleading for more test interaction with Australia, NZC are poised to flag a five-dayer in favour of three ODIs next summer. Who'd have thunk it. Talk about the worm turning and all that.

A personal preference would always place a test above short form cricket, but this calculator doesn't have to balance books.

NZC chief executive David White has a keen focus on the sums, as he should.

Three ODIs equals, potentially, 75,000 fans, if spread over, say, Eden Park, Wellington and Hamilton or Christchurch. That would surpass the monies from a third test at any venue bar, possibly, Auckland.

White insisted yesterday that no decision had been taken. Both countries have board meetings later this month, but expect it to happen.

With three tests in Australia before Christmas and two in New Zealand, plus the desire to build on the World Cup success and reinstitute the Chappell Hadlee series, it seems a foregone conclusion.

It wasn't so long ago no one seemed particularly interested in reviving the CH series. That's World Cup success for you.

Add in an expectation New Zealand will play Australia in as many as six of the next eight years in some form, and a bumper test package ahead, and the conclusion is inevitable.

Staying sweet with the Australians is another consideration although that hasn't counted for much down the years as the statistics bear out.

Three countries are visiting New Zealand next summer - Sri Lanka for tests and limited-overs matches around Christmas/New Year; Pakistan for short form internationals only; and Australia for a to-be-finalised schedule of at least two tests.

All that comes after New Zealand visit Zimbabwe and South Africa in July-August for a total of nine limited-overs matches, and make a trip to Australia for three tests.

Factor in that four countries are expected into New Zealand in the following two summers for possibly seven and five tests respectively and the picture becomes clearer. More cricket, especially tests, is coming to this country.

White is adamant New Zealand are becoming a more marketable team on the back of the exhilarating exploits of Brendon McCullum's men.

They are earning the right, on the strength of both their test results in the past 18 months and the way they are playing the game, to attract more attention in a sport where there are distinct big and small international tables.

Australia, India, England (not so much for on-field reasons) are at the big table along with South Africa (for on-field reasons); Sri Lanka, Pakistan, West Indies, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe are at the other one, with the shorter legs and the begging bowl.

New Zealand are about mid-jump, at least in playing terms. But the long game matters.

McCullum's men - and how much longer they can be called that is a conversation for another day - must press on. The best arguments are always made on the scoreboard.