Cricket: Central in money hunt after a record loss

Central Districts officials are to meet New Zealand Cricket staff tomorrow to look for ways out of the association's parlous financial position.

The Central Districts Cricket Association ran at a loss of $75,218 last season, the biggest in its 51-year history.

The chief executive, Blair Furlong, said the blowout could not be allowed to happen again.

The association was $22,000 down on budget on the one-day internationals against Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and four of five home Shell Cup games were washed out.

The Central Districts Charitable Trust has $420,000 in its coffers, and was aiming for $500,000. That money had not been used to balance the budgets in the past.

However, Furlong said the trust would not see Central Districts suffer financially."We will need more money and we will have to go out and find it."

He stressed that at association level it was difficult to generate earnings and sponsorship. The only real earner was international cricket and NZC already funded most of the six major associations' operations.

- NZPA