TARDIS lands on Wellington runway
A journey through time and space ended at Wellington Airport this morning when an iconic British blue police box touched down on the runway shortly after 1am.
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Double-headers, a Test series against England, the return of the Rose Bowl, and everything on free-to-air TV. These are some of the highlights of an exciting 2024-25 home international summer of cricket in Aotearoa New Zealand.
The programme starts with the BLACKCAPS’ much-anticipated three-Test series against England before Christmas, ends with the WHITE FERNS hosting Australia’s T20I side in late March, and in between includes visits from the Australia women’s ODI team, Sri Lanka men and women, and the Pakistan men’s side. Potentially 41 days of international cricket in eight different cities, all of which will be broadcast free-to-air and live on TV1, Duke, and TVNZ+.
The BLACKCAPS will fly to Pakistan in February for a tri-series against the hosts and South Africa before starting their ICC Champions Trophy campaign, ahead of returning home for five T20Is and three ODIs against Pakistan in March.
Demand for tickets for the Test matches against England in Christchurch, Wellington and Hamilton, respectively, has been strong, with NZC opting to announce venues for this specific series back in April to assist overseas fans make travel arrangements.
This increased interest in international cricket flows off the back of last season’s strong attendances, when seven of the eight pre-sold days to the Australia Test series sold out in advance, along with four out of five Pakistan T20Is, while the Australian men’s T20I series also drew big crowds.
With several short-form games being played around the country’s holiday hot spots in the New Year’s period, including Mt Maunganui and Nelson, and a Friday night T20I double-header at Eden Park in March, interest is expected to remain high.
The WHITE FERNS will play a three-match Rose Bowl ODI series against Australia at the Cello Basin Reserve in the week before Christmas, and will later host a multi-format tour by Sri Lanka in March, immediately before a three-game T20Is series against the No.1 ranked Australians.
Their last five T20Is will be played as double-headers alongside BLACKCAPS-Pakistan T20Is.
WellingtonNZ’s general manager events and experiences Heidi Morton says Wellington is looking forward to a cricket-filled summer.
“The Basin Reserve is synonymous with test cricket and is the perfect place for fans to enjoy a close-up experience of the game while Sky Stadium has hosted many nail-biting and exciting games.
“We know fans will be at both venues supporting the BLACKCAPS and WHITE FERNS as they work their magic against some great opposition. These games are just part of what is shaping up to be a summer full of great events that will also be a boost for our hospitality, accommodation and retail sectors.”
Tickets for all home internationals will go on sale in September and fans are encouraged to get in quickly to avoid disappointment, especially in terms of the three Tests.
Joining NZC’s Cricket Nation members’ club will allow subscribers to purchase tickets in a presale window before they’re opened up for public consumption.
NZC’s general manager of Marketing and Communications Stacey Geraghty says if the trend from last summer continues, fans might need to change their last-minute purchasing routine and buy tickets early.
“We saw some significant changes in the way people consumed international cricket last year,” says Stacey.
“Not only were the Tests and the bigger white ball fixtures selling out, but we were receiving more engagement from younger fans, those in the 16 to 34 age bracket.
“There was a buzz we hadn’t felt for a while and we’re feeling it again as we approach the 2024-25 summer. The extra exposure we’re receiving from having cricket broadcast live and free-to-air is making a genuine difference on the ground.”
The BLACKCAPS have a full schedule of cricket for the remainder of the year, with a one-off Test against Afghanistan in September, followed by two Tests against Sri Lanka. The team will return home for a short break in early October before heading to India for a three-Test series, followed by a six-match white-ball tour of Sri Lanka, before returning home for the in-bound England tour.
The WHITE FERNS also continue their busy winter schedule, with a three-game T20I series in Australia in mid-September, followed by the ICC T20 World Cup in Bangladesh (September to October) and finishing with a multi-format tour of India in the back-half of October.
Find out more about the summer cricket season in Wellington
Date published: 17 July 2024
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