Easts unhappy with choice of venue for final

BY SAM WORTHINGTON

Eastern suburbs are up in arms at the prospect of having to play Wellington's club cricket final on enemy soil.

Easts, the eight-time defending Pearce Cup champions, are leading the competition and will play fierce rivals Karori in the April 2-4 final.

The final has been pencilled in for Karori Park, leaving Easts captain Lance Dry scratching his head.

"The point we've made to Cricket Wellington is it should be fair," Dry said.

"Every Pearce Cup final to date has been at a neutral venue because that's what's fair. To award a team home advantage is irrational and illogical. What if we finish first and we have to play at the home of the team that's second?

"That just defies logic. Any sportsman worth their salt knows how important home advantage is."

Cricket Wellington development manager Peter Clinton said premier venue the Basin Reserve was unavailable because of a balloon festival, leaving Karori as the best quality option.

"We approached the venue allocation on the basis that the clubs wanted to play on the best-performing wickets," Clinton said.

"And the issue of neutrality of venue was not a primary consideration. If Kilbirnie 1 was the best-performing deck in the region, then Kilbirnie 1 would be lined up to host the final."

Meanwhile, Easts have lost the services of import Danny Evans and experienced batsman Phil Parker, while Firebirds opener Josh Brodie has a broken hand, resulting in Dry raising the prospect of sending out an SOS to the Auckland-based Paul Hitchcock.

"We'll have to see how Paul Hitchcock's placed. He's an ex-Easts man and a Wellington Firebird, we might have to get him down from Auckland."

Dry said playing Hitchcock in the final was within their rights.

"The rules state that you have to have played three games to be eligible for a final unless you're a representative player. Which obviously Paul is and Wellington got him down to play for them, so the precedent was set by them."

- © Fairfax NZ News