No let-up in financial vigilance by NZC

Outstanding as New Zealand Cricket's financial returns for the last year may have been, there is no room to manoeuvre in the coming seasons. Strict financial planning and discipline is the order of the day at cricket headquarters.

The surplus of nearly $NZ21 million was due to the World Cup payout, which happens only once every four years, and to the sale of television rights, which are very dependent on the quality of the opposition New Zealand is playing.

This summer, the opposition sides will be Pakistan and South Africa, which should yield more-than-reasonable returns, given the markets involved. Next year, the early season tour involves Sri Lanka followed by Australia - another good year. Then, in 2005-06, Zimbabwe will tour early, and West Indies later. While the West Indies will be a tremendous draw, they tend not to be a big market for television rights, and that will be a crunch year for New Zealand Cricket's (NZC) finances.

The following year of 2006-07 promises to be an interesting one from a financial point of view. New Zealand are to host Bangladesh in the early part of the summer, before India tour in the lead-up to the World Cup in the West Indies. Given a fine summer, and after the disappointment of the Indian series last year, the chances are that it could be a boom year for NZC.

But, as ever, it is a case of ensuring that the structure is in place to make the most of the opportunity when it presents itself, a basic sporting aim but one that is doubly important for a country like New Zealand with limited resources.

NZC are set to release their four-year management plan called "Pushing the Boundaries". This is directed at ensuring that New Zealand "creates and maintains a competitive edge. The plan sets a clear direction for cricket in New Zealand as NZC seeks to become a dominant force in international cricket and to strengthen cricket participation and the quality of cricket infrastructure at home." The four-year plan is due for release within the next month.