Doig excited by changes for club, schools and districts cricket

Lower levels of New Zealand cricket will make a huge leap forward if recommendations on the future of club, schools and districts cricket by a high-powered committee are accepted.

A report on the findings of three groups, which looked into the future of the three levels below first-class cricket, as part of the on-going initiatives of the original Hood Report into New Zealand Cricket, will be presented to the NZC board at its September 15 meeting.

NZC chief executive Christopher Doig said the results of the committee work were, "hugely exciting."

"It will leapfrog these areas of the game in New Zealand ahead.

"If we can find the resources, and it is all about money, it will be significant.

"I'm impressed with what has been promulgated and it will make a huge difference to the sport," he said.

Revolutionary ideas were not part of the results but a greenfields approach had been taken where thinking was not constrained and every aspect was looked at.

"We have the germ of an exciting future for cricket," he said.

Members of the final committee which will present its report to the board of NZC, and to the six major associations, were: John Hood (chairman), Denis Currie (club convenor), John Graham (schools), Iain Gallaway (districts), Sir John Anderson, Martin Snedden and Doig.

Meanwhile, Doig said the decision to play a Test match against Pakistan on a portable pitch at Jade Stadium next year had caused no problems winning acceptance from the International Cricket Council.

"It wasn't all that difficult at all. We had to go through the appropriate channels but it was approved back in June.

"ICC members were actively interested in how the pitch had worked and it was interesting that Australian captain Steve Waugh said the portable pitch used recently at the Colonial Stadium in Melbourne was one of the best he had played on for years.

"The concept doesn't have the same relevance to all countries, mainly those that have multi-use of their facilities," he said.

The portable pitch technology developed in Christchurch was similar to that used by a rival company in Melbourne, and both companies are in the running to provide a similar pitch at Eden Park in Auckland.