Four-day first-class cricket could be coming to Alexandra.
At a Vincent Community Board meeting yesterday, up to $26,200 was committed to the maintenance of Molyneux Stadium, largely to attract a four-day cricket match. It now hosts 20/20 and one-day games.
Central Otago District Council parks and recreation manager Mat Begg said the council was approached by Otago Cricket which wanted to play one of five four-day games in Alexandra, either in November next year or March 2018.
November was attractive to the Otago team as Alexandra had some of the best weather in Otago and Southland at that time, he said.
The money would fund an additional trained staff member for four months, to be available for the preparation of the ground and for the duration of the match, which was required by New Zealand Cricket.
Board member Russell Garbutt said he was concerned New Zealand Cricket had not given a formal commitment to hold a match in the town.
Otago Cricket operations manager Tim O'Sullivan said the organisation would promote the idea to New Zealand cricket ''as hard as it could''.
Mr Begg said the draft match schedule would be released next March, so if Alexandra was not on it, not all of the money would be required.
Board member Brian Fitzgerald said the funding was a ''no-brainer'' and just another way of upgrading the stadium for future use.
Other upgrades are being considered, including a changing room upgrade, estimated to cost around $100,000.
Also on the cards are a new $56,000 sight screen, which Otago Community Cricket proposed funding, and a new $100,000 scoreboard, which Otago Cricket and Otago Country Cricket are investigating.
The board also supported a grant application to funding agencies for up to $37,000 for new stadium covers.
