Boxing Day Test back on NZ home schedule

WELLINGTON: New Zealand will play Sri Lanka in a Boxing Day Test match in Christchurch in one of the highlights of a heavy home cricket schedule for the 2018-19 southern summer during which the Black Caps also host India and Bangladesh.

But a projected day-night Test against Bangladesh which would have been the second pink ball Test in New Zealand after last season’s pioneering match against England at Eden Park is off the schedule after a change of heart by the Bangladesh cricket board officials.

India remain the headline act of a summer containing 40 days of international cricket, but will not play a Test. Instead, they will meet New Zealand in five One-day Internationals and three Twenty20 Internationals in the lead up to the World Cup in England.

Sri Lanka will play two Tests and three One-day Internationals in December and January, before the India tour, and Bangladesh will round out the summer with three Tests and three One-day Internationals in February and March.

The decision to award the Boxing Day Test to Christchurch suggests New Zealand Cricket sees the South Island town’s Hagley Oval as New Zealand’s premier cricket venue, ahead of Eden Park which hosted a World Cup semi-final in 2015 and is the sport’s traditional home.

Eden Park will host only two Twenty20 Internationals this summer, against Sri Lanka on Jan 11 and India on Feb 8 as New Zealand Cricket moves gradually towards an alternative cricket venue in Auckland. The 60,000-seat stadium is in a residential area and subject to restrictions around night-time events.

Hagley Park and Wellington’s Basin Reserve will each hold two of the five Tests New Zealand will play at home next season and Hamilton’s Seddon Park will host the other.

Bangladesh considered playing a day-night Test at Hamilton from Feb 28 but has now rejected the proposal, citing insufficient preparation.

“We were hopeful we would get it across the line but ultimately Bangladesh thought they weren’t prepared enough for it,” NZC chief operating officer Anthony Crummy said. “They haven’t played a day-night Test, nor have they had a lot of preparation in their own first class cricket. We respect that decision and I’m sure day-night cricket will continue.”

The Boxing Day Test returns to the domestic schedule for the first time in several years, having been replaced recently by a One-day International on Dec 26.

Schedule:

Sri Lanka:

Dec 15-19: First Test (Wellington).

Dec 26-30: Second Test (Christchurch).

Jan 3: First ODI (Mount Maunganui)

Jan 5: Second ODI (Mount Maunganui).

Jan 8: Third ODI (Nelson).

Jan 11: One-off T20 International (Auckland).

India:

Jan 23: First ODI (Napier).

Jan 26: Second ODI (Mount Maunganui).

Jan 28: Third ODI (Mount Maunganui).