Molyneux Park safe, despite poor pitch
MOLYNEUX PARK will continue to be considered for future games despite reports labelling the pitch as unsuitable for twenty20 cricket.
Otago coach Rob Walter was critical of the surface following his side’s fivewicket loss to Northern Districts at the venue on Sunday.
The pitch was too slow and there was not enough bounce for it to be conducive to a good twenty20 game.
Walter felt it was disappointing for the 1800 people who showed up to watch.
Groundsman Gary Smith did not respond to an interview request at the conclusion of the game, but New Zealand Cricket head of turf management Ian McKendry accepts the surface was poor.
However, he said there were extenuating circumstances, and a planned renovation should see a marked improvement in the quality of pitches in the future.
‘‘Effectively what happened was the entire block, through a combination of factors, has lost its grass cover,’’ McKendry said.
‘‘The pitch that they played on was very similar to what you might find in India.
‘‘It was low and slow and it took a wee bit of turn, so New Zealand Cricket realise it was not conducive to T20 cricket.
‘‘We accept there was an issue with the quality of the surface there.
‘‘But moving forward, with the investment which has been made . . . and the improvements that they have made at the ground, there has been some good work done there to bring the venue back up to speed.
‘‘That’s encouraging for us.’’
Molyneux Park lost its New Zealand Cricket warrant of fitness following the 200809 season, and it was withdrawn again in 2011 when the pitch and facilities were not up to the required standard.
But McKendry said the venue was at no immediate risk of losing its warrant of fitness again.
The pitch block will be relaid before next season and it is hoped it will play in a similar fashion to the wickets at Queens Park and the Queenstown Events Centre.
‘‘They have good pace, bounce and carry and that is what we are looking at doing with the Molyneux Park block.
‘‘New Zealand Cricket is comfortable with what they have got planned to achieve that result and to make sure there is not a repeat of what happened [recently].’’