Test cricket hit for six

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Australia's much-anticipated tour to New Zealand this summer will be reduced from three tests to two so that the top players from both countries can scoot off and play Twenty20 cricket in the Indian Premier League.

The Dominion Post can reveal the latest nail in the coffin for test cricket after speaking to high-level sources on the condition of anonymity.

At breakfast yesterday three players Brendon McCullum, Jacob Oram and Ross Taylor were still to sign their New Zealand contracts because they were concerned at the prospect of having to stay home rather than make megabucks in the IPL.

But a crisis was averted after a draft copy of the schedule showed stumps will be pulled on March 31, effectively turning the traditional end-of-summer six-week tour into a furious month-long experience comprising just two tests.

The first test against Australia will be held at the Basin Reserve in Wellington from March 19-23 and the second in Hamilton from March 27-31.

After the last ball is bowled in Hamilton, the star players will high-tail it to India to play the final three weeks of the six-week IPL.

New Zealand Cricket chief executive Justin Vaughan cut a remarkably calm figure yesterday, despite another show of player power.

He felt it was a complex decision for someone such as McCullum, who loses US$350,000 through missing the opening three weeks of the IPL, not to mention the captaincy of Kolkata.

For all that, McCullum still earns US$350,000 for playing the following three weeks.

"It is not a decision I'd like to make myself," Vaughan said.

"It's huge decision for Brendon. You can try and take the long-term view, but he is sacrificing half a million bucks.

"I understand how difficult the decision is. As much as playing for your country is very important, half a million dollars secures a lot for your family. It's great news."

There was a bit of spin from the former international medium-pacer Vaughan yesterday.

Last summer the test series against India finished on April 6 but playing that deep is no longer seen as acceptable. A lot of stock is also being placed on Australia's workload regulations, which apparently require a 10-day break between the second and third tests of any series they are involved in.

Vaughan said it was difficult to spin the schedule around and give the tests priority and play the limited-overs fluff at the end because the one-day venues had rugby commitments and there was dew on the ground at night. He takes umbrage at suggestions that test cricket is being sacrificed yet again.

"This summer we have three home tests against Pakistan and tests against Bangladesh. We are not going to be short of test cricket, but I agree three tests against Aussie is what you aim for."

New Zealand is a victim of the compressed international schedule.

Trouble started when the International Cricket Council chose April 28 as the start date for the Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies. Then the IPL demanded it run its six-week competition beforehand, so the dates of March 12-April 25 were set aside.

Problem No 3 is Australia are hosting the West Indies until February 23 so all New Zealand was left to work with was March.

"This year we get the squeeze," Vaughan said. "Hopefully, it is a one-off aberration, we'd hate to see the IPL move into March on a regular basis."

- © Fairfax NZ News