Cricket: Hamilton faces 3 years in wilderness

It could be three seasons before top cricket returns to Hamilton, with the top layers of the pitch block at Westpac Park to be dug up next week and relaid.

A New Zealand Cricket (NZC) report, commissioned after the World 11 debacle last month, found the waikari clay block laid last April had not settled properly.

As a result, all remaining games this season including the scheduled one-day international against Australia, were taken away from the ground.

Stadiums management chair Glenda Saunders said the top layers of the block would be taken off and compacted with a foot-roller before the layers were relaid and compacted.

"All the experts tell us this is the best way to do it," she said.

The rescue effort is being co-ordinated by NZC high-performance manager John Reid, working with groundsman Karl Johnson and Eden Park turf manager Mark Perham.

"The council wants to see it right and it will be right," Saunders said.

"I do say, though, it will be possibly two to three years before we get the big boys back to play international cricket."

Johnson said the method had been used at the Sydney Cricket Ground, though not in this country, to fast-track the density of a block.

The top layer of grass and another 25mm of clay will be removed before the roller, which has protrusions on it, goes to work.

Northern Districts chief executive David Cooper said the ground would be monitored over the winter and then club games, and possibly even school games, could be played at the park to determine the wicket's progress.

The New Zealand-World 11 match there last month was marred by a sub-standard, variable pitch which saw less than 180 runs scored by both sides.

- NZPA