Stadium saga hangs on annual test match

Specialist Multimedia Sports Journalist·Herald on Sunday·

14 Mar, 2015 04:00 PM3 mins to read

NZ Warriors fullback Sam Tomkins at Mt Smart Stadium.

The Warriors and speedway could be shifted from their 'spiritual homes' for the sake of five days of test cricket per year at Western Springs.

The controversial Auckland Stadiums strategy, which calls for the Warriors to move away from Mt Smart Stadium and speedway to shift to the Penrose venue, is predicated on Western Springs being redeveloped into a cricket oval.

But it now seems unlikely to be used for a cricket venue for up to 360 days of the year. When the Western Springs proposal was first mooted, it was projected that domestic cricket would also relocate to the new oval, with Plunket Shield, 50-over games and domestic Twenty20 matches also being staged at the new venue.

Those plans have now been shelved. It's partly due to capacity but mostly because Auckland Cricket have expressed a desire for their entire domestic programme to remain at Eden Park's No 2 ground.

"With the backing of New Zealand Cricket, we have publicly endorsed international test cricket being moved to Western Springs," said Auckland Cricket chief executive Mark Cameron. "It's an exciting concept. But at no stage have we endorsed or supported domestic cricket being relocated to Western Springs. We won't be moving from Eden Park. It's just not feasible."

Regional Facilities Auckland director of stadium management Paul Nisbet confirmed the set-up. "At the moment, cricket is staying put. They have indicated they won't be moving their domestic games. But our vision is for Western Springs as an events venue and the future is exciting for the ground."

Auckland's domestic cricket season runs to around 50 days per year, meaning there would be scheduling problems if cricket tried to fit in with the concerts and festivals like the Big Day Out, Taste and Pasifika. But the main issue is the lack of infrastructure, with the nets, practice facilities, offices and other facilities all at Eden Park.

A lot of the cricket-aligned facilities at Western Springs will be of a temporary nature, installed when a test is played. Work on the new terraced grandstand has been underway for more than six months and is expected to be completed this year.

News the ground could be used as a cricket venue for less than one week of the year won't find favour among those who currently oppose the strategy, as the cost benefit analysis might be difficult to stack up. The Warriors are vehemently opposed to the overall plan and have stated they will fight the council's plans to relocate them.

There's always a chance the proposed new venue could attract more test cricket, but it's a slim one. Auckland has hosted only seven test matches since 2000, and the Basin Reserve, Seddon Park, University Oval and the newly-developed Hagley Park in Christchurch will all be competing to host tests in the future.