As Boxing Day Tests are gaining limelight in the long format of cricket, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) chief executive David White has claimed that they are pushing for a Melbourne Boxing Day Test against Australia.
White claimed that there are more important things than money and the success of New Zealand's Boxing Day Test was measurable in other ways. He added that an ODI series or Twenty20 matches at bigger venues would have brought in more money to NZC's coffers but the feel-good factor around test cricket was huge.
The preference has been for limited overs games over the holiday period, as the World Cup approaches near, and Tests to be played at the end of summer and even early autumn when the weather is more stable, Stuff.co.nz reported.
More than 16,000 people turned up for Christchurch's first Test in eight years, which included a sell out of nearly 8,000 on day one. But, White said that it was followed by tens of thousands more and with precious other sport on in the holiday period, the Test galvanised sport fans.
He claimed that ODIs and T20 in the short term are best in terms of more revenue but there are more important things than money. He added that it's about what's best for cricket and they have an open mind.
White said it was too early to guarantee future Boxing Day fixtures but the Future Tours Programme (FTP) did allow flexibility.
Though the FTP is all but sorted, White is still hoping that New Zealand could appear in its first Melbourne Boxing Day test since 1987.
He said that he cannot divulge what's in the FTP but added that the harsh reality is that Australia's want for Boxing Day is the most attractive teams and the most competitive teams.
White said that the New Zealand's on-field performances are making them more attractive and they would absolutely be pushing for a Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.
