Otago Cricket is asking the council to help replace its ageing scoreboard so it can better compete with other grounds to attract international matches.
Chief executive Mike Coggan told councillors the scoreboard at the Logan Park ground, which was previously used at Carisbrook, was 17 years old and had issues with malfunctioning.
"It does not meet New Zealand Cricket or Otago Cricket standards to operate at either domestic or international cricket matches.
"It is quite frankly an embarrassment,'' Mr Coggan.
Installing a new video-capable scoreboard would cost between $103,000 and $105,000 and Otago Cricket pledged to source at least $20,000 of that.
Installing a new scoreboard, along with Otago Cricket's programme of increasing capacity and improving the outfield, would help make the ground more competitive when it came to attracting international matches.
"We will see, I believe, the Black Caps playing against the likes of South Africa, England and India in mid to late February and early March in the years to come.''
Hopefully it would be the end of "unwanted'' December fixtures which drew poor crowds.
"The grounds will be full and the economic benefit to our city will be significant.''
A key concern was keeping up with Christchurch's Hagley Park, which was now seen as the "benchmark international venue''.
"We simply can't afford to become a second-tier ... venue.''
Cr Aaron Hawkins said councillors could be forgiven for questioning the merits of Otago Cricket's request, given it had now given up on installing cricket lights.
Last year it said these lights were needed to attract international games for the city and this year it was saying a scoreboard was needed.
Mr Coggan said attracting international games was not dependent on having a new scoreboard, but it would help it compete with other grounds including Hagley Park.
He earlier accepted installing lights was not a good idea.
"In the end common sense prevailed and we shelved that project.''
