NZC faces financial challenges after posting loss
Nearly seven years since a young tearaway fast bowler made his first-class cricket debut for Auckland, Lockie Ferguson is finally within touching distance of his first test cap.
The 28-year-old was confirmed today in the 15-man New Zealand squad for five tests against England and Australia, and is at evershortening odds to make his debut as soon as next Thursday in the England series opener at Mount Maunganui.
Captain and key batsman Kane Williamson was also passed fit for his first international since the August tests in Sri Lanka, after he sat out the Twenty20 series against England with a recurring right hip injury.
A largely predictable squad features five pace bowlers – Ferguson, Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner and Matt Henry – while legspinner Todd Astle and left-armer Mitchell Santner will fight out the one spinner’s berth in the XI.
Ever since the Cricket World Cup when Ferguson was one of New Zealand’s players of the tournament – his 21 wickets second only to Australia’s Mitchell Starc – it seemed a matter of time until the country’s fastest bowler was unleashed in test cricket.
His first-class record is impressive, and after snaring 4-23 against Wellington in the Plunket Shield last week he has 153 wickets at an average of 24.3.
The big question now is whether Williamson and coach Gary Stead shoulder-tap him at Bay Oval in what would be a mouth-watering fast bowling duel with England’s Jofra Archer who took 22 wickets from his four Ashes tests against Australia.
New Zealand Cricket is anticipating a ‘‘challenging’’ next financial year after returning another loss, $2.3 million below its forecast for 2018-19.
NZC’s annual report, presented at this week’s annual meeting in Auckland, revealed a $1.3m net loss for the past year after losses of $3.5m (2018) and $9.3m (2017). According to the report, NZC budgeted for a $1m profit in 2018-19.
A third successive deficit was forecast as recently as May,
With Boult and Southee the established new ball duo, Ferguson will have to unseat Wagner who’s been a strong test performer and bowled New Zealand to victory in his last test, taking 9-73 against Bangladesh in March.
Ferguson and Wagner may be given one test each against England, with Stead saying he largely due to the International Cricket Council rescheduling its back-ended annual payments of the US$128 million (NZ$199m) it pledged to NZC between 2016 and 2023.
That led to a stormy meeting in May between NZC and its six Major Associations (MAs), when they were asked to look at financial cuts and structural changes amid uncertainty over how much money they would receive from the national body this year.
NZC grants to its associations increased by around $800,000, to favoured a rotation policy with his five pacemen to keep them fresh over a gruelling five-test stretch.
The batting lineup plus allrounder Colin de Grandhomme is unchanged from the 1-1 series draw with Sri Lanka which saw New Zealand retain their world No 2 test ranking, with Tom $12.06m from $11.27m.
The annual report’s financial summary read: ‘‘The outlook for the 2020 financial year remains challenging, as NZC enters the final year of current broadcast arrangements and a number of commercial contracts.
‘‘The outlook to 2023 is positive, with revenue growth opportunities and with ICC distributions remaining strong as the cycle to 2023 is completed.’’
NZC’s broadcast rights deal with Sky – understood to be in the vicinity of $60m – expires at the end of this season after Spark
Blundell the backup batsman and gloveman.
Williamson’s fitness must be a concern, having played one innings in the past 12 weeks: 26 in 56 minutes for Northern Districts against Canterbury last month.
Spin is expected to play a minimal part in the two tests in Mount Maunganui and Hamilton, but it’s won the rights to home internationals and domestic cricket for the next six years with an offer NZC couldn’t refuse.
Sky chief executive Martin Stewart said last month it ‘‘got outbid by miles’’ by Spark.
NZC’s operating revenue was $59.15m in 2018-19, up from $52.89m the previous year. But its cash reserves were down to $14.2m, a drop of more than $5m from the previous year’s $19.97m.
At the annual meeting NZC welcomed two new directors while chairman Greg Barclay successfully stood for re-election. an intriguing race between Astle and Santner.
Astle has four tests to his name – all of them victories – and was the incumbent in the Bangladesh home series. Santner was player of the Twenty20 series but hasn’t nailed it yet in red ball cricket, playing the last of his 18 tests at Galle in August.
It means more bad luck for Will Somerville and Ajaz Patel who helped bowl the Black Caps to test victories in the United Arab Emirates and Sri Lanka but appear to be marked ‘overseas tests only’.
Two of the 15-man squad will be released on Wednesday to play the second round of Ford Trophy the following day.
Jackie Lloyd, with an extensive background in private and public organisations, and Kevin Malloy, prominent in the advertising and marketing industries, joined the eight-strong board, replacing outgoing directors Neil Craig and Ingrid Cronin-Knight.
Debbie Hockley was re-elected as president for a second threeyear term.
Three new life members were elected: former New Zealand test batswoman Judi McCarthy (nee Doull) and two members of the successful men’s team of the 1980s – John Bracewell and Jeff Crowe.