NEW Zealand Cricket is negotiating with Australia to replace a Test with three one-day internationals during next year’s home series.
The teams are scheduled to play three Tests in Australia in November and a further three in New Zealand in February under the ICC’s Future Tours program.
NZC chief executive David White says a proposal to reduce the second series to two Tests is being discussed, making way for three ODIs leading into the World Twenty20 tournament in India.
White said adding a three-match Chappell-Hadlee ODI series would generate enormous interest in the wake of the World Cup final between the trans-Tasman rivals.
The Kiwis and the Aussies want to keep the World Cup final rivalry bubling along. He said Cricket Australia is “very receptive” to the idea.
New Zealand pace bowler Mitchell McClenaghan, a limited overs specialist at international level, was torn over his support for the change.
“Obviously from a one-day point of view, I’d love to be able to play a series against Aussie but I do think the Test guys deserve longer series against the big teams in the world, to really prove themselves,” he said.
Commentators have called for longer Test series for the fourth-ranked Black Caps in the wake of their compelling 1-1 draw in the two-Test series in England.
New Zealand have become accustomed to one or two-Test series over the last five years.
Fifteen of their last 21 series have comprised either one or two Tests. The others have comprised three.
They are unbeaten in their last seven Test series.
