Queenstown resident Emma Chisholm this week launched a petition — "Bring Cricket Back to Queenstown Oval" — via change.org, calling on the Queenstown Lakes District Council and New Zealand Cricket (NZC) to once again use the Sir John Davies Oval to host, at least, a Black Caps ODI.
There were seven ODIs played there between 2003 and 2008, four of those held on New Year’s Eve, though the last, against the West Indies, was washed out after 36 overs due to drainage issues.
That same issue scuppered an ODI between the Black Caps and Pakistan in January, 2011, after four overs, while another against West Indies, in January, 2014, was delayed, but went ahead with limited overs.
The ground was subsequently deemed unsuitable for international matches by NZC so, in 2017, the QLDC spent $640,000 upgrading the playing surface.
But since then there has been just one international men’s game played, a Twenty20 game in April, 2023.
Ms Chisholm’s petition says there are concerns the council has not actively been putting forward Queenstown as a host venue — something neither Mayor Glyn Lewers nor longtime councillor and sports fan Craig Ferguson could clarify yesterday.
Mr Lewers was "unclear" and Mr Ferguson said he was "not across that one at all".
Council sport and recreation manager Simon Battrick could not be reached for comment, while NZC did not respond to inquiries by deadline.
Mr Lewers, who said he had not really turned his mind to the issue, believed one of the barriers was a lack of floodlights at the oval — "obviously, we won’t get floodlights with the airport next door".
However, daylight lasts until 10pm in summer and Queenstown has hosted nine ODIs in the past without floodlights.
Mr Lewers also said there was a "good chunk of change" required to host a match.
When asked if it would be a worthwhile investment, given the dearth of events in Queenstown, Mr Lewers said "if you looked at the economic [return on investment], you’d certainly make it back".
"But that’s the whole debate — is it council’s place to be doing that?
"We can look at it, but it’s how we juggle the money, that’s what it’ll come down to."
Mr Ferguson, however, believed there was more to it than just money.
Queenstown did not quite stack up in terms of facilities, noting those standards had to be met with a lot of top-class sports to be a contender.
"There’s a lot that counts against us, because we just haven’t got the infrastructure required for top-class sport."
Further, there was more venue competition across the South Island than there was 20 years ago — for example, Nelson’s Saxton Oval and Christchurch’s Hagley Oval, which was the South Island’s only cricket ground to have "broadcast-quality lighting", he said.
That aside, Mr Ferguson believed NZC was still keen on the resort.
"Everyone wants to be in Queenstown, everyone wants to play in Queenstown, but there’s a lot that has to go into it ... from my experience, we’ve got a bit against us to even hit the mark."
