WELLINGTON: Christchurch’s Hagley Oval will get the first trial of its upgraded facilities ahead of next year’s World Cup with a Boxing Day Test match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka, the country’s cricket board said yesterday.
New Zealand’s second-largest city, still recovering from a devastating earthquake in February 2011, will host three pool matches for the February 14-March 29 World Cup, which is being co-hosted by Australia.
Hagley Park was only given approval by the Environment Court last August, after games had been allocated by World Cup organisers, and officials have been working to ensure the venue is ready for the Sri Lankan tour to test its developed facilities and match-day processes.
The venue will host the first of two Tests between New Zealand and Sri Lanka, starting on December 26.
It will be followed by ODI between the sides on January 11 as both teams finalise their preparations ahead of the World Cup.
They will face each other again at the ground in the World Cup opener a little over a month later on February 14.
“Bringing international cricket back to Christchurch was always a priority for NZC (New Zealand Cricket),” head of cricket Lindsay Crocker said in a statement.
“And we feel the Boxing Day Test was a good way to celebrate what will be a very special landmark.”
Crocker added that two Twenty20 internationals scheduled for Sri Lanka’s tour had been exchanged for additional one-dayers because of the World Cup.
REUTERS
