Aussie test facing chop for ODIs

New Zealand Cricket is poised to replace a home test against Australia this summer with three Chappell-Hadlee one-day internationals in a bid to continue riding the World Cup wave.

Australia are scheduled under the International Cricket Council’s Future Tours Programme to play three tests in New Zealand in February, before the World Twenty20 tournament in India, but NZC chief executive David White confirmed discussions were well advanced to change that.

It would mean yet another two-test series for the Black Caps but White felt a potential World Cup final rematch on home soil, and a revival of an annual Chappell-Hadlee Trophy series was compelling.

‘‘It’s an interesting debate. We want three-match test series where possible and there’s been a lot of valid discussion about that over the last week [after the drawn two-test series in England],’’ White said.

‘‘But on the back of the success of Cricket World Cup, and bearing in mind we would have played three test matches in Australia [in November], it would be very appealing to have three Chappell-Hadlee ODIs in New Zealand.’’

White said nothing had been agreed and it was still under discussion, but it is understood NZC’s draft proposal for the home summer has two tests and three ODIs against Australia pencilled in.

Cricket Australia were ‘‘very receptive’’ to the idea, White said, and it was part of positive discussions around more regular contact between the transTasman rivals.

The Chappell-Hadlee Trophy, taking in the names of two famous cricketing families, was first contested in 2004 but the most recent series was in 2010 when Australia won 3-2 in New Zealand. Since then the sides have completed just three ODIs, all at World Cups. The Black Caps hold the trophy after it was put on the line for the onewicket thriller before a 40,000 sellout in Auckland in February, before Australia won a onesided final in Melbourne.

White was confident the new FTP, which is now negotiated between individual countries over an eight-year period, would include more regular contact with Australia.

‘‘I’m confident that in most of those eight years we’ll have Chappell-Hadlee series, home and away.’’

Also on the table is the controversial day-night test in Australia in November. It looked to be dead in the water when Cricket Players Association boss Heath Mills revealed last month that 17 of NZC’s 20 con- tracted players opposed daynight test cricket in a survey.

Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland is strongly pushing the inaugural day-night test with a pink ball, which is likely to be in Adelaide. It received further backing when the ICC cricket committee recommended test-playing nations look at holding five-day matches under floodlights to attract more spectators.

White said the Black Caps players were more receptive. ‘‘We’ve made it very clear that we’re not prepared to go ahead unless the players support the concept. I’ve had some good discussions with the players over the last week and the concept is definitely not dead.’’

The players’ concerns were over the quality and visibility of the pink ball and NZC had provided information from trials held in Australian domestic cricket. Mills said last month that the players didn’t like the ‘‘gimmicky’’ aspect in a big three-test series against their major rivals.

But it seems NZC are keen to push ahead, and White said it could open doors for home daynight tests against India to fit into its time zone. There’s also a strong bond with powerhouse Australia to be cultivated.

‘‘They’re one of the top teams in the world and it would be great for us if we could play them more.’’