Regular test-playing roster all go Doig (22 April 1999)

22 April 1999

Regular test-playing roster all go Doig

The Christchurch Press

Two years of late nights and bouts of frustration are likely to be all worthwhile for Chris Doig and New Zealand Cricket with the imminent approval of a regular test-playing roster.

Doig has just returned from a meeting of the chief executives of all test-playing nations in Dubai confident he is just weeks away from the implementation of the plan he has sweated blood over.

"There are still one or two minor sticking points which I hope I can work through in the next few weeks. Then it should be all go," Doig said.

The benefits for New Zealand to have regular contact with all test-playing countries, meeting all at home and away during a five year period are enormous, Doig said.

"It means we can plan ahead with certainty over a 10-year period. And it guarantees we can get the big names here on a regular basis."

Doig believes the plan would be ready for approval by the end of the forthcoming World Cup in June in England, when all International Cricket Council countries will meet.

He said he still had to work around the insistence of India and Pakistan to play within a four-year period while South Africa and Australia wanted to maintain their back-to-back tour agreement.

"The only thing is each time we make a change it impacts on another schedule. But I'm confident we will get it sorted this time."

Although the schedules are causing Doig considerable frustration having prepared four, five, and six-year cycles, with and without test aspirant Bangladesh, he was determined to see it though, having come this far.

He said there was the possibility of a points ladder being used in conjunction with the five-year rotating cycle to find the best-performed country during that time.

"But I'll leave that for some other brain to work out."

Doig said the desire to have such a schedule took precedence over the proposed test match championship which is seeking to have all nations meeting during a two-month period.

"This is regarded as the more important objective."

Another flow-on effect of consistent contact between countries is a more standardised form of tour guarantees which have proved a sticking point in the past.

Meanwhile, Doig said the West Indies had verbally confirmed to visit here in December and January with the likelihood of two tests and five one-day internationals.

Source :: The Christchurch Press (https://www.press.co.nz/)