Dunedin’s ‘carnival’ test match praised
DUNEDIN Venues Management Ltd (DVML) and New Zealand Cricket have dubbed the New ZealandSouth Africa cricket test a success.
That was despite rain washing out the final day yesterday, quibbles over what some said was heavyhanded security and a policy banning prams at the event.
The test ended in a draw yesterday after rain that had soaked the North Island for the last few days finally arrived in the South.
DVML chief executive Terry Davies said almost 10,000 people attended the four days of test cricket, 2000 more than expected.
Last year DVML, which is owned by the Dunedin City
Council, took over the hosting of international cricket at University Oval from Otago Cricket, with Mr Davies saying then he wanted to change how test cricket was experienced, developing ‘‘a carnival with a more party
and social feel’’.
It was the first time the organisation had hosted a cricket test.
He declined to say whether DVML made a profit on the event, but said the test had showcased the city and built confidence with New Zealand Cricket for future events.
DVML needed to drive economic impact and promote ‘‘pride of city’’.
To have 10,000 people turn up to watch the test and have Dunedin ‘‘beamed into millions of homes’’ was publicity that could not be bought, Mr Davies said.
‘‘Any city around the world would love to showcase themselves like that.’’
Making a profit was ‘‘not anything to do with it’’.
‘‘We run it as we’re securing an event for the city.’’
He said he was ‘‘very happy’’ with the event, despite the rain.
‘‘The wicket played well, the game was positioned well today — it could have been an interesting finish if the weather had not turned.
‘‘We’re really happy and I think New Zealand Cricket are delighted.’’
For the future, Dunedin had oneday internationals against Pakistan and England next year, and ‘‘we’re in this for the long play’’.
New Zealand Cricket chief operation officer Anthony Crummy said the event ‘‘was a great success’’. Given a full day was lost, and that day would have been a ‘‘compelling’’ final day, the crowd figure would have had a few thousand added to it.
Asked about the future, he said the event had ticked the boxes for what New Zealand Cricket required.
Mr Crummy also responded to criticisms of the event. Dunedin city councillor Aaron Hawkins has criticised a policy that meant he was unable to take his child’s pram into the oval.
Mr Crummy said the rule banning prams was ‘‘standard policy’’ across venues but ‘‘we’re going to have a look at it, though, in terms of whether there’s a way we can accommodate prams in certain areas or what changes we can [make].’’
‘‘It is a valid point; we understand it’s frustrating for some fans.’’
However, it could be ‘‘tricky’’ if there was a full house, both for people with prams and other spectators.
‘‘We don’t want different rules for different days because that’s not ideal, either . . .
‘‘We’ll have a look at that in the offseason, for sure.’’
Cr Hawkins responded last night that was a ‘‘positive’’ move.
‘‘That’s heartening to know they’re going to review that.’’
There was also criticism of what some said were heavyhanded security tactics, which one Otago Daily Times reader said meant zero tolerance for intoxication and some people being unfairly removed.
Mr Crummy said on the first day of the test there were more than 30 evictions. Some of the patrons were clearly intoxicated and ‘‘some of the behaviour was quite unsavoury’’.
There had even been an assault on a security guard, something he said made both the International Cricket Council and the teams, ‘‘uneasy’’.
‘‘Everyone was really quite concerned about that, and that meant we had to step things up a little bit.’’
That meant for the sake of a few highrisk individuals, the rest of the event came under the same watch.
However, it was ‘‘a small incident’’ in what was, overall, a successful event.