Queens Park's status as a first-class venue could be in jeopardy following issues with the drainage on the opening two days of Otago's Plunket Shield match against Auckland.
Otago Cricket Association chief executive Mike Coggan was unavailable for comment yesterday.
But Southland Cricket Association administrator Peter Downing told the Otago Daily Times he was concerned for the future of elite cricket at the venue.
Play was delayed by just under three hours on the opening day on Thursday despite fine weather.
Downing said about "95%" of the surface was dry enough but there was a patch at one end of the ground which was deemed too soft underfoot.
Rain in the lead-up to the game had left the area sodden. And with little breeze to speak of and trees shading the spot, the area was not drying.
The damp spot just happens to be at the duck-pond end which is a tad comical.
The game was able to get under way but only after it was agreed to close that area of the ground by bringing in the boundary rope.
Downing said it was not optimal to have first-class teams standing around waiting to play because of poor drainage.
It could make attracting first-class games to the venue difficult in the future.
More rain overnight on Thursday and morning rain yesterday resulted in a further delay. Play was unable to get under way until 3.30pm yesterday.
The Southland Cricket Association leases the ground from the Invercargill City Council.
The council upgraded the drainage in 2015 but the coverage did not extend to the troublesome patch by the duck pond.
SCA has approached the council about cutting down some of the trees in the area to help with drying and will continue to work with the council.
The ground has a New Zealand Cricket warrant of fitness.
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Comments
A soft spot on the ground? If that rule were applied consistently, no club cricket would ever take place.
So rather than cutting down trees, perhaps the players should just receive a little less molly-coddling.