University Oval

[IHaveNoLegs]

University Oval - Dunedin

While it is good to see international cricket back in dunedin it is a shame to see the university oval as a test venue, a ground that only hosts 3500 is far too small for test matches. it does seem like a pretty ground for domestic cricket but far too small for international cricket. the move from nz cricket to move from the big stadiums of eden park and ami stadium to the more suitable cricket venues such as seddon park is a good move but these groudnds really need to be able to hold 10,00+.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d9/UniversityOvalNZ.jpg
international test venue or just some random park?

Law 19.1 - The boundary of the field of play:
The playing area shall be a minimum of 150 yards (137.16 metres)
from boundary to boundary square of the pitch, with the shorter
of the two square boundaries being a minimum 65 yards (59.43
metres). The straight boundary at both ends of the pitch shall be a
minimum of 70 yards (64.00 metres). Distances shall be measured
from the centre of the pitch to be used.
the playing area of the university oval is significantly smaller than these requirements.

[Milan Luka]

Get your point. Its a beauty of a ground but dimensions are a bit small. Minimum 10k seater sounds good but you wouldnt get 10% of Dunedin going in such numbers. Better to have a small ground full to the brim rather than a large ground with a smattering of people trying to create atmosphere I reckon.

Carisbrook is a dump. University Oval is a huge improvement. I suppose NZC are testing the waters, and of course its been a while since Dunedin hosted a test.

Ive enjoyed watching the coverage and I think a big part of that is this ground.

[SYDNEY]

FANNY-TASTIC setting ... they must never build anything to block that view - it is unique and must stay that way.

[KLK]

Beautiful looking ground, and cricket-specific - so at least there is two ticks for NZ Cricket there.

Its embarressing watching (on TV) test cricket at the caverns of Eden Park and Lancaster when few turn up to watch the longer-version of the game in NZ. And thats why it has such a small capacity I guess - you build for what you expect to turn up.

If its any consolation (and it probably isn't) a quick search on wikipedia shows seating can be increased to a massive 6,000. But I too would have thought they would have followed Hamilton's lead and allowed for capacity of 10k.

Still, it looks a superb spot for wasting a day watching the willow chase the leather....

[Davee]

Beautiful. I'm sure they can up the capcity without destroying the views.

[jarbury]

I don't think it was sold out for any days though. I imagine if England or Australia was playing you might start having capacity issues though. Very pretty ground.

[Milan Luka]

Thats the thing but. If it was England or South Africa playing NZ Cricket wouldnt even bother playing the test at this ground. If it's used again- which I hope it will- it'll be a few seasons away and probably be Bangladesh or maybe Zimbabwe once Mugabe dies and the ban is lifted.

For instances the upcoming England tour has tests at really nice smallish capacity grounds; Seddon Park Hamilton, Basin Reserve Wellington and McLean Park Napier. So even if these grounds aren't full to capacity they will still generate an atmosphere and look good on tv.

As KLK said it looks bad to have an international on and the half decent crowd of 10000 gets lost in all the empty seats at somewhere like Eden Park.

[jarbury]

^^ Still don't see why there couldn't be a test on the Eden Park Outer Oval, or somewhere else in Auckland. Am I seriously going to have to drive to Hamilton to watch a bloody test match?

(And don't blame me for bad test crowds in Auckland. Went to a day of the Aussie match in 05, Windies match in '06 and quite a few others in earlier years.)

[Milan Luka]

Not blaming you yourself personally. Martin Devlin when he was on Radio Sport joked that the unemployment rate in the 70's was the best thing for NZ Cricket. Said because no one had jobs Eden Park was always full to the rafters. You got a few one dayers and maybe a stupid 20/20 games.

It probably has something to do with the fact AKL doesnt have a major stand alone cricket venue. That could be saved for another thread though. Cricket is odd when played on that rectangular ground, the fact its only about 43metres from the batters crease to the closest boundary.

For domestic cricket Canterbury use the Village Green out at QE2 stadium and it is a great little ground. Watched a couple days of Canterbury versus Auckland a few weeks ago. The crowd seemed to go between 30 to about 200. Sorry couldn't find any shots of it. There are alot of great smaller grounds in the country. Have never seen a match at the Eden Park outer oval but do like Pukekura Park in New Plymouth and Molyneux Park in Alexandra.

[jarbury]

Eden Park Outer Oval is a really nice little ground. Not sure about its capacity though, as there's only a couple of really little stands - and it would feel REALLY WEIRD having an international next to the main ground but not on it. Colin Maiden Reserve out in Glen Eden is quite nice. Auckland have played a few domestic games out there. It'll be interesting where domestic matches are played if the Eden Park redevelopment knocks out the Outer Oval.

[Milan Luka]

I would expect the North Shore to put up their hand. Is their anything in Albany that could do the trick? I wouldn't be surprised if they had a new ground ready to go or at least in the planning. Last time I was in Albany (about 8 years ago) all there was was the stadium a service station and a few dairy farms.

[IHaveNoLegs]

hopefully when auckland cricket is kicked out of eden park they can get a nice ground like in hamilton and hopfully christchurch gets its act together, qe2 village green is not a good long term option, however there is alot of space to make a nice cricket ground or better yet rip up the athletics track at the qe2 stadium and turn that into a cricket stadium with decnt dimensions, something not seen in nz. i still feel a better ground has to be found in dunedin, the university ovals capacity should be alright for most domestic games and tests against crountries like bangladesh and zimbabwe but its dimensions do the game a real injustice; its shameful watching edges and blocks go for 4s and 6s.

[Davee]

hopfully christchurch gets its act together, qe2 village green is not a good long term option, however there is alot of space to make a nice cricket ground or better yet rip up the athletics track at the qe2 stadium and turn that into a cricket stadium with decnt dimensions, something not seen in nz.

The newly appointed head of Canterbury Cricket has said his priority is to establish a new international cricket oval in Christchurch. There has been talk of establishing a newly designed ground somewhere in southwest CHC....

[SYDNEY]

I would expect the North Shore to put up their hand. Is their anything in Albany that could do the trick? I wouldn't be surprised if they had a new ground ready to go or at least in the planning. Last time I was in Albany (about 8 years ago) all there was was the stadium a service station and a few dairy farms.

Land is running out fast .... just refer to the Albany thread in the Auckland section ;) you won't recognise it.

[KLK]

If it was England or South Africa playing NZ Cricket wouldnt even bother playing the test at this ground. If it's used again- which I hope it will- it'll be a few seasons away and probably be Bangladesh or maybe Zimbabwe.

Well, thats about to be put to the...er, test.

Just been announced - NZ will play the Windies in a test there 11-15 December.

Has there been any upgrade, additional seating etc added following its first few trial games?

[UglyBob]

Good to see the ground's been allocated one of the West Indies tests.
As I understand it, development plans are still around, of which a part is to extend the boundaries of the Oval ... However, the former Dunedin Public Art Gallery building immediately adjacent to the Oval was registered as an Historic Place in an attempt to prevent its demolition or removal. Echoes of the current Carisbrook registration attempts ...

[UglyBob]

Expansion still on agenda ...

Bigger ground needed: Dykes
ODT 18 September 2008

EXPANDING the University Oval is critical to the future of the test venue, Otago Cricket Association chief executive Ross Dykes said at the body’s annual meeting last night.
The University Oval hosted a test between New Zealand and Bangladesh in January this year and will host a test against the West Indies in December.
But Dykes said the association could not afford to be complacent, and shortly after the meeting he told the Otago Daily Times the venue might struggle to attract test matches unless it was expanded.
‘‘If we want the ultimate test venue we have to expand its capacity,’’ he said.
Dykes said while New Zealand Cricket had not put any pressure on the association to increase the dimensions of the venue, ‘‘they are wanting to see a time-frame as to when things can happen’’.
The ground can be extended if the former Dunedin Art Gallery, where the professional arm of Otago rugby has set up office, is removed or partly removed.
Both the OCA and the Dunedin City Council have expressed a desire to have the building removed, but it remains a stumbling block.
The historic building was part of the South Seas exhibition in 1925.
Black Caps captain Daniel Vettori inadvertently waded into the debate earlier this year when he described the length of the boundaries as ‘‘farcical’’ after his side’s nine-wicket demolition of Bangladesh.
But the real powerbroker appears to be Sky Television.
‘‘Sky are very anxious to get the media centre moved back’’ and the ground expanded, because it has a blind spot, Dykes said.
The broadcaster has much clout when it comes to the scheduling of internationals. Money from broadcasting rights provides much of the funding for the game at the elite level.

[UglyBob]

Extract from Sunday Star Times article indicating timeframe for ground expansion ...

Dunedin pitch battles continue
Sunday Star Times | Sunday, 14 December 2008

Otago Cricket Association chief executive Ross Dykes said the plan was for the pitch to be dug up and replaced when the ground is expanded, hopefully within a year.

The council-owned ground is constrained by the old Otago art gallery on its northern side and negotiations are underway about either relocating, or partially removing the art gallery.

That would allow the ground to be made bigger, with new embankments which would take the capacity from 3500 to around 6000. At the same time the wicket block would be dug up, replaced and moved to keep it central with enlarged boundaries.

[Blah]

That oval is simply not up to test cricket standard. The drainage is shocking.

[UglyBob]

Yes well according to the New Zealand Herald that's the case; Ross Dykes refutes that allegation in today's Otago Daily Times citing three days of signficant rain during the week as the issue not ground drainage.

[Blah]

Yes well according to the New Zealand Herald that's the case; Ross Dykes refutes that allegation in today's Otago Daily Times citing three days of signficant rain during the week as the issue not ground drainage.

Funny that in the Brisbane test the venue there had a massive freak storm with huge rainfall the night before, and yet the next day they started on time...

[UglyBob]

Funny that in the Brisbane test the venue there had a massive freak storm with huge rainfall the night before, and yet the next day they started on time...

Fair enough, I'm not qualified to discuss the drainage merits of the GABBA vs the University Oval. Although to be fair Dykes in his comments does seem to shoot himself in the foot when he states the Oval is built on reclaimed land and this affects the drainage...


Criticism of University Oval rejected
ODT Mon, 15 Dec 2008


Otago Cricket Association chief executive Ross Dykes has rejected a published commentary which suggested the University Oval was "hopelessly ill-prepared to host test cricket".

Herald on Sunday columnist Dylan Cleaver compared the venue to a club ground and said international cricket should not be played there until it "invests in a decent drainage system".

Heavy rain on Thursday night and showers on Friday meant the second day was abandoned without a ball being bowled. The ground was left sodden and play did not resume on Saturday until 2.45pm.

However, Mr Dykes rejected Mr Cleaver's claims the drainage was inadequate.

"The article you are referring to was insulting. Insulting to the city of Dunedin, insulting to the University Oval, insulting to the ground staff," he said.

"We had a huge amount of rainfall and I think we probably did everything we could."

Mr Dykes said the ground staff spent "considerable time" on Friday and Saturday morning soaking up the moisture, and a helicopter hovered over the outfield for an hour and a-half to help dry the surface.

"It has to be appreciated that this ground is the old Pelichet Bay, so it is reclaimed land. When you get that amount of rainfall, you get to a point where you can clear off the surface moisture but by trying to get more out you only end up dragging more up."

When play did resume, the patient crowd had to put up with a further 10-minute delay while the ground staff swept up the cat litter spread on the dampest areas to help soak up the excess moisture.

[IHaveNoLegs]

not just cat litter budget cat litter:ohno:

[Blah]

Dykes sounds like a precious cry baby to be honest. Get over the insult Dykes, and fix the drainage. Watching a cricket game taking place in freezing temps on a club cricket groound did not look good for NZ.