New Zealand: Test ground comes through rugby fixture unscathed (1 March 1999)

1 March 1999

New Zealand: Test ground comes through rugby fixture unscathed

The Christchurch Press

Ground officials believe Jade Stadium will be in near-perfect order for next week's cricket test, following Friday night's Super 12 rugby match on the ground.

Despite the pounding of rugby boots, mauls, rucks, and scrums during the Crusaders-Chiefs match, the ground has suffered little damage.

"We were worried about the rain early on Friday but, as it turned out, it's come through very well, and I am very impressed," Jade Stadium general manager Campbell Prentice said yesterday.

The New Zealand-South Africa cricket test starts at the ground on Thursday week.

Ground staff had been repairing divots and scuff marks over the past couple of days, as well as the ground churned up by the Crusader horses in the pre-match entertainment.

"The horses were a calculated risk. They haven't caused too much damage. They were carefully designed to go outside the normal boundary for the cricket anyway," Prentice said.

The cricket test pitch was protected by an astro-turf mat during the rugby match, and Prentice said it did its job perfectly.

"I'm very pleased with it all. I hope we have proved some of the doubters wrong."

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