New Zealand clear hurdle to move away from Eden Park

NZC is keen to move its cricket away from Eden Park, but Auckland Cricket isn't

Reuters

08-Jun-2018

A general view of Eden Park, and its short boundaries, New Zealand v Australia, 1st ODI, Auckland, January 30, 2017

International cricket's potential move away from Eden Park in Auckland came a step closer on Friday with the decision by speedway promoters to leave to Western Springs in 2020.

The Western Springs venue, close to Auckland's zoo and the site of numerous outdoor music concerts, had been earlier identified by the Auckland Council as a preferred permanent site for international cricket in New Zealand's largest city.

Auckland Cricket happy to stay at Eden Park

NZC is keen to move its cricket away from Eden Park, but Auckland Cricket isn't.
"Our position has been, and still is, that we are happy with what we have at Eden Park in terms of facility provision and the financial benefit we gain from being here," AC chief executive Iain Laxon told New Zealand Herald. "The current proposal from the RFA unfortunately does not meet what our requirements would be at another ground. If we were to seriously consider going somewhere else, then the very minimum is the replication of what we've got here.
"We need a wicket block and that's one speed bump in terms of what they currently have on the table."
Laxon said there was no compulsion for AC to move anywhere. "They've got their priorities what they want to do about a stadium for international cricket and we've been clear with Eden Park provides for us. We will try and align as best we can. But we could be going in slightly divergent directions."

That decision was backed by New Zealand Cricket (NZC), who has become hamstrung by the redefined configuration of Eden Park into a mainly rectangular venue for rugby and the restrictions on the number of events it can hold.

"There's been a stand-off between Regional Facilities Auckland and speedway for such a long time and I want to give credit to speedway for saying, 'look, it's time for us to move to a new home'," Auckland Mayor Phil Goff told New Zealand's TV3 on Friday in confirming the agreement for speedway to leave.

"It does free up the potential of Western Springs for further development, and of course New Zealand Cricket's really interested in that ... but that's a little way down the track yet."

Speedway, which runs dirt track motorsports events, is expected to move to a new venue closer to Auckland's airport in the south of the city in late 2020, with Western Springs to be redeveloped into a cricket oval capable of holding between 15,000 and 20,000 spectators.

Eden Park has hosted international cricket since 1930 and been the venue of a number of famous New Zealand wins, including the 2015 World Cup semi-final against South Africa.

NZC, however, has been investigating leaving the venue for a number of years after its redevelopment for the 2011 Rugby World Cup, which reduced the size of the playing area and produced short boundaries that would not meet the ICC's prescribed standards.

While it has remained a preferred venue for limited-overs matches due to its capacity of about 50,000, it has hosted just three Tests since 2006, including New Zealand's first day-night Test against England earlier this year.

There are also restrictions on the number of events that can be held at night as it is surrounded by residential neighbours.

New Zealand Eden Park