Otago Cricket is hoping for a big crowd and the players are eyeing up a big payday as the one-day competition final looms.
Otago qualified for the Ford Trophy final after a tight win over Auckland in Invercargill on Saturday. With Wellington failing to get a result from its game against Northern Districts, Otago went top of the table and straight through to Saturday's final, which will be played at the University of Otago Oval.
Otago Cricket Association chief executive Mike Coggan said it was great for the sport and the association to host the final and he hoped a good crowd would get along to the game.
Despite all the rain in Dunedin in the past few weeks, the ground would be in good condition and he was confident the weather would be fine.
There is a reserve day on Sunday but Coggan wants the match to be played on Saturday.
There had been free entry to all the one-day games in Dunedin so far this year but there would be an entry fee for the final - $10 for an adult and $5 for children. He said children who came along in their club gear would get in free.
Coggan was hoping for a crowd of upwards of 2000 and said it would be good for the public to leave the chores for a day and support Otago.
He was extremely proud of the way the team had performed and played to get through to the final.
"The coaches are outstanding and have worked very hard. It has taken a wee while to understand and learn the New Zealand environment. But all the players we have here want to be part of the Otago group,'' Coggan said.
"We now have a really connected group who just totally look out for each other.''
The side had made a rough start to the Ford Trophy but had come good when it mattered and it was great for the side to host the final.
The last time the side hosted a one-day final was in the 2006-07 season when it had a forgetable match against Auckland. It was dismissed for just over 100 and Auckland won the game in a canter.
The Oval has hosted a twenty20 final in the 2012-13 season.
Coggan said finals did not come around often so people should make the most of it.
There is prize money at stake as $45,000 will go to the successful team and $15,000 to the side which loses the final.
Under the latest agreement between New Zealand Cricket and the players association, all prize money goes to the players. They may decide to share it with the coaching staff but Coggan said there had been no discussion on the subject yet as the focus was on playing the game.
The Otago Cricket Association was talking to clubs to get views on whether to postpone club cricket on Saturday to enable more to watch the final.
There would have to be full support for a postponement. A lot of cricket has been missed in the past few weeks because of the weather.
