England cricketers headed to Bay Oval

Drilling the first foundation pile for the new Bay Oval floodlights. Photo: Supplied.

Tauranga has scored a major sporting coup at the expense of Napier.

The Bay Oval will be hosting a marquee game, a day-night ODI against England on Wednesday February 28.

'We found out yesterday and it was confirmed today,” says Kelvin Green, general manager at the Bay Oval Cricket Trust.

'It's very exciting to be hosting a top tier nation like England. So three 20/20s against Pakistan and the West Indies and now England. It's great.”

Tauranga's stroke of good luck is Napier's misfortune.

Delays in re-turfing Napier's McLean Park have forced the relocation of the Black Caps second one-day international against England to Mount Maunganui. McLean Park had on-going problems with the outfield drainage, but it was hoped the venue would be ready for the upcoming international summer.

However the volatile weather conditions hadn't allowed specialised grass to be grown, and the council hadn't been able to access the 7600 tonnes of special grade sand needed to lay the carpet in time."This is not the outcome we wanted or were expecting," Napier City Council chief executive Wayne Jack.

Developments at Bay Oval, including a bigger embankment, mean an increased capacity of 11,000. 'So we are probably bigger than Napier now,” says Kelvin Green.

And the floodlights should be up and ready to go on December 1. 'They are currently under construction in the USA” says Kelvin. So the venue will be well prepared for the ODI late February.

'Exciting for bay Oval and Tauranga,” says Kelvin. 'Very much so.”

Earlier:

The Black Caps' second ODI against England in February will now be played in Mount Maunganui.

Delays in re-turfing Napier's McLean Park have force the relocation of the Black Caps second one-day international against England to Mount Maunganui.

The ODI at Bay Oval will remain a day-night match on February 28.

More soon.

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1 comment

Excellent!

Posted on 20-09-2017 20:49 | By morepork

And congratulations to those responsible for getting it here.


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