Beige Brigade Media Release: "Dearth of Auckland Test Match Facilities Embarrassing"

The dearth of Test cricket facilities in the City of Sails has resulted in the Beige Brigade taking desperate measures to get Aucklanders to the cricket this summer, with the Brigade providing buses to Hamilton's Seddon Park for the second test between New Zealand and South Africa tomorrow.

Beige Brigade co-founder Mike Lane said the lack of facilities in the country’s biggest city was shameful. “It’s embarrassing to think that Auckland hasn’t got the current facilities to be able to host a Test match. It bewilders us. The only option for Auckland cricket fans is to take the risk and travel south of the Bombay Hills to Hamilton in order to get a glimpse of some live Test cricket action.”

Auckland is rumoured to have one Test match next season against England (the current number 1 ranked test team in the world) that is set to be played at Eden Par. If it goes ahead, this will end a Test match drought that has extended to more than 2,000 days, since the last match back in March 2006. “In our view, Eden Park is not a Test venue with any regard for the punters and supporters. It is a rugby ground and a damn good one for oval ball activities. But the last thing people want to do is sit in an uncomfortable seat watching Test cricket surrounded by 38,000 empty grey and blue plastic seats. That is not what Test cricket is about.”

Lane said Seddon Park, the Basin Reserve and the University Oval in Dunedin had shown that Kiwis want to watch leather on willow in genuine cricket grounds: “We’re screaming out for somewhere to kick back on a grass embankment, and roll the arm over on the outfield at lunch. Cricket fans don’t want a vast, multi-purpose, cold stadium to wallow in.”

Rumours abound that Eden Park Outer Oval and Colin Maiden Park are being groomed as potential dedicated Test cricket venues for Auckland. The Beige Brigade has another idea, according to Mr Lane.

“Auckland needs something special to hang its floppy cricketing hat on - it needs to be central, it needs to be iconic, and it needs to be intimate. Why not Victoria Park? Yes it's a public space and there maybe issues with the council to sort out, but it all worked out OK at the Basin. A capacity of 5000 and you will have a crackerjack environment down at Victoria Park – who wouldn't enjoy strolling down after work and having a beer on the grassy banks as we watch Chris Martin lope in?”

-ends-

© Scoop Media