Give em enough rope

Most of you watching the Ford Trophy final last weekend will have noticed that the boundaries were rather short; which seemed strange given that Colin Maiden Park is actually a proper cricket ground.

The official reason given was that Auckland had home advantage and they wanted to recreate Eden Park #2 which was being used for hospitality during the NRL Nines.

Just before you fall for that, remember the opposition was Central Districts, whose home ground is Pukekura Park.

Anyway, that was not the reason at all.

When University Club who are responsible for running Colin Maiden Park were informed they were hosting the domestic 50 over final they checked with Auckland Cricket, and it went like this:

University Cricket Club to Auckland Cricket:  “Got the boundary rope?”

Auckland Cricket – “Sure thing”

And out comes the boundary rope, all the way from Melville Park.  The home of women’s cricket in Auckland.