Victoria Park test cricket proposal revealed

Victoria Park cricket proposal.

A proposal is in place to turn Auckland’s Victoria Park into an international cricket venue, according to a report.

Dylan Cleaver from The Bounce reports that the group behind the pitch for the 55,000-seater Wynyard Point Stadium proposal also have plans to bring test cricket to the CBD.

While Eden Park, for now at least, remains a short-format host for international cricket, its compromised dimensions and concrete-jungle status make it unsuitable for tests. This is why Auckland last staged a test when the Black Caps defeated England by an innings and 48 runs in the day-night affair in 2018.

Colin Maiden Park has been identified as Auckland’s preferred test cricket venue. The first step is underway, with Auckland Cricket intent on moving away from Eden Park. Those plans include installing a Cravo training facility that features a retractable roof and greenhouse system to cultivate a variation of pitches at Colin Maiden.

Cleaver reports the Victoria Park proposal includes a capacity of up to 21,000 and offers a test venue on the doorstep of CBD workers and residents.

Last year, senior National MP Chris Bishop, in the early stages of assuming the Minister for Sport portfolio, was reluctant to wade into the Auckland stadium saga but as a self-confessed cricket tragic, he could not resist the urge to push the case for an exclusive test venue.

“I’ve followed the debates over the years going all the way back to Trevor Mallard’s ill-fated pitch for the waterfront stadium. I am keen on learning more about the issue. In due course I want to sit down with the relevant bodies in Auckland, including the council, and have a chat about that,” Bishop told the Herald.

“I’ve always liked the idea of a specific test cricket ground in Auckland. Test cricket in our biggest city tends to miss out these days because of the smaller audience and the five-day affair, you need the slightly more picturesque facilities.

“New Zealand Cricket seems much more interested in places like University Oval, the Basin, which I’m a huge fan of being a Wellingtonian, but it would be nice to see a dedicated test cricket venue in Auckland.

“That’s down the track, but there’s been proposals in the past and people are still keen on it so let’s have a look.”