Cricket: Eden Park cricket test status at risk

By D.J.CAMERON

Eden Park in Auckland is in danger of losing its status as a test cricket ground next season.

A decision by the New Zealand Cricket board is expected tomorrow.

Criticism of the playing surface at Eden Park, and the small number of spectators who watched the Australian test there last summer, have weakened the park's status as the No 1 test venue in the country. This standing was built round 17 consecutive Eden Park tests from 1983-84 to 1999-2000, and 27 in the 28 seasons since 1971-72.

As the chairmen and chief executives of the six major associations gathered in Christchurch for an NZC briefing yesterday, much of the gossip was about the possibility of dropping Eden Park as a test ground. The comment became more excitable with the possibility that Wellington, already booked as the venue for the Boxing Day test against Zimbabwe, might also share the three Pakistan tests with Hamilton and Christchurch.

Auckland chief executive Linday Crocker said he was aware Eden Park's test future was at risk, but remained confident that new work at the park would have the ground ready next summer for a Pakistan test as well as one-day internationals against Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

He conceded that the park outfield, affected by construction work, and then the shadow cast by the new ASB Bank stand, was below top standard last summer. He was confident that new turf-culture expertise would lift the quality of the outfield and of the pitch block, re-layed after removal during the winter.

An attempt to have the Boxing Day test moved to the new Wellington stadium, capacity 35,000, away from the Basin Reserve (13,000) has been quickly defeated by strong Wellington Cricket traditionalist action.