Otago is going to struggle to attract and retain emerging players unless it can offer better outdoor training facilities, New Zealand Cricket Players Association chief executive Heath Mills says.
Mills said Otago would remain an option for players hoping to get more game time or to rejuvenate their careers. But for the next tier of players, who were still trying to break into provincial teams, there was very little incentive to shift to Dunedin.
``The over-riding driver for a young professional cricketer is they want to go somewhere where they know they can get better and improve their game.
``To do that they need two things. They need specialist coaching resources and they need facilities.
``If Otago wants to attract players to the region, or indeed wants to retain its young players, it needs to ensure the players are getting good quality coaching and have good facilities to train at.
``If you go to a major association and you are not in the [game-day] 12, then what they are looking for is who is going to be helping me, who is going to be coaching me and where am I going to be training while the team is away.
``The key component is what is below that first-class side, and that is what will attract young players and that is what will retain young players.''
Otago Cricket Association chief executive Mike Coggan acknowledged the problem, when contacted for a response.
``He is pretty much spot on,'' Coggan said.
``Currently we know that we don't have optimal outdoor training facilities and it is something we've been discussing with New Zealand Cricket for the last few months.''
Otago has access to 12 outdoor pitches in Dunedin and ``that is not even close to the number needed''.
``Our aim, before next summer ... would be to get an additional 12 to go alongside the 12 that we've got.
``It is something we've probably known about for a while but we haven't really pushed the envelope. We've just accepted that is what we've got and we will make do.
``But it is clearly not going to suffice in terms of our aspirations to go and win a Plunket Shield anytime soon.''
However, Coggan is confident the province has quality coaches operating beneath the first-class level. He pointed to Otago's win at the national under-19 tournament late last year.
That side was coached by Adam Miles and Mark Bracewell. Former Black Cap and Otago batsman Craig Cumming and former Otago seamer Warren McSkimming have also been drafted in to do some coaching from time to time, so there was coaching depth in the region, Coggan said.
Mills was keen to point out he had received very positive feedback from the players about the Volts coaching staff. Despite a disappointing season in terms of results, the players had been impressed by what head coach Rob Walter and assistant Anton Roux had brought to the environment.
``As an organisation we are really happy with what we see happening around the Otago team. I think the board has done a good job getting that structure in place and I think it will take some time to get results.
``The issue to focus on now is what is happening below that team,'' he said.
``Otago will always have an attraction for a player who is not getting a go elsewhere. That has been true for a long time but there has been a change in that we now have three competitions.
``It is a very congested programme and what is happening is the depth of the team is more important. You might have 15 contracted players but if you lose three of four throughout the year, then you are relying heavily on players numbered 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20.
``That is where you want the best young players in the country to be spread across the country.
``The general feedback we are getting is young players are not seeing Otago as a destination.''
