Black Caps relish Boxing Day test
DIEHARD New Zealand cricket fans can start planning their 2019 Christmas in Melbourne.
Thirty-two years since they last played Australia in a Boxing Day test, the Black Caps are set to return for one of world cricket’s iconic matches at the Melbourne Cricket Ground at the end of next year.
Cricket Australia (CA) and New Zealand Cricket (NZC) were tight-lipped, but Stuff understands they have locked in the fixture as part of the new test championship, which was ratified by the International Cricket Council board at last month’s meeting.
The ICC is expected to announce the schedule within weeks for the first cycle, starting in August next year, leading up to the inaugural final, most likely at Lord’s in London, in June, 2021.
A CA spokesman reiterated his line from earlier this year that a trans-Tasman Boxing Day test in 2019 was ‘‘still a possibility’’ while NZC chief executive David White wouldn’t confirm or deny when asked if he’d sealed the deal with his CA counterpart James Sutherland, at the ICC meeting in Kolkata.
‘‘The only thing I’ll say is, I don’t think New Zealand fans will be disappointed [with the Black Caps’ test championship schedule],’’ White said of a blockbuster 2019-20 summer when they could play Australia, India and England in tests within a few months.
News of New Zealand’s overdue test reappearance at the MCG will be welcomed by the team and fans baffled by how long they were snubbed for a match that rivals playing England at Lord’s as a career highlight.
Remarkably, captain Kane Williamson and senior pace bowling duo Tim Southee and Trent Boult weren’t even born when New Zealand last graced Melbourne for a Boxing Day test, when Australian No 11 batsman Mike Whitney defied the great fast bowler Sir Richard Hadlee in an epic draw in 1987.
England (eight times), India (six), West Indies (five), South Africa (five), Pakistan (four) and Sri Lanka (two) have all featured since then. India are Australia’s Boxing Day opponents this year.
Australia are ranked third in test cricket to New Zealand’s fourth, after the Black Caps briefly moved ahead of their rivals following their 1-0 series win over England last month. By the end of next year Australia will be back to full strength, with new coach Justin Langer saying Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft would all be welcomed back after their suspensions for ball tampering.
New Zealand will need to overcome a poor record across the Tasman. Since their 2-1 Hadlee-inspired series win in 1985, they won just one of their next 22 tests in Australia, in Hobart in 2011. The ghosts may also linger from their heavy 2015 World Cup defeat to Australia at the MCG before a packed house of 93,000.
White said the test championship schedule had the Black Caps playing three home and three away series against six different opponents in the first two years.
He would only confirm two tests in Sri Lanka in August next year as their first assignment, GETTY IMAGES alongside the Ashes series in England, which is the starting point for the new championship.
White previously confirmed India would tour New Zealand for two tests in early 2020, while England are also understood to be in line to visit that summer.
‘‘We’ve got really good content. We’re delighted,’’ White said.
Most of New Zealand’s series in the nine-team test championship will be two tests, which will carry the same number of points as a five-test series. The scoring system is yet to be finalised by the ICC, but it is likely every test will count for points, with the two ladder leaders to meet in the final at the end of each two-year cycle.
New Zealand’s next test isn’t until October-November when they’re scheduled to play three against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates. White confirmed five tests in the upcoming home season — two against Sri Lanka in December and three against Bangladesh in March — including a likely day-nighter at Mt Maunganui, Hamilton or Napier, before preparations ramp up for the ODI World Cup in England.