An underwhelming home summer awaits New Zealand cricket fans.
An even more underwhelming summer awaits those in the South hoping to get along to games.
The Black Caps and White Ferns will play a solitary twenty20 international in each of Dunedin and Queenstown.
The Black Caps will round out their summer with those games, against Sri Lanka, at Easter weekend — yes, Easter cricket.
Dunedin hosts the first T20 on Wednesday, April 5, before the series is concluded in Queenstown on the Saturday.
The White Ferns face a Bangladesh team they thrashed at last summer’s World Cup in twenty20s on Sunday, December 4 and Wednesday, December 7, in Dunedin and Queenstown respectively.
A two-test series for the Black Caps, against England in February, is the bright spot in the draw.
The first of those will be a day-night match, at the Bay Oval, followed by a regular test at the Basin Reserve.
They will also play Sri Lanka in two tests in early March.
It will be the third summer in a row the Black Caps have played just four home tests — and two years after winning the World Test Championship, they will have played just eight tests in New Zealand.
They will head to the sub-continent for a make-up tour with Pakistan and a few white-ball games against India in the middle of it all.
That means the Black Caps will not play in New Zealand in either December or January, and the first home test will not start until February 16.
A twenty20 tri-series with Pakistan and Bangladesh will be played at Hagley Oval in October, consisting of a double round robin, followed by a final.
That will act as a build-up to the T20 World Cup in Australia.
A white-ball series against India follows in late November — five of the six matches in the North Island, plus one in Christchurch.
England will arrive for its two tests only, before Sri Lanka’s full tour in all three formats in March and April.
The White Ferns, after the success and popularity of last summer’s home World Cup, barely feature on the schedule.
Three one-day internationals and three T20s against Bangladesh are the only games they will play on home soil.
They will depart for South Africa, and their own T20 World Cup in January.
NZC chief executive David White felt the summer held promise for both the White Ferns and Black Caps.
"Last summer’s ICC Women’s World Cup did so much to promote the game, and it will be great to see the White Ferns in action right around the country," he said in a statement.
"And to have India, England and Sri Lanka touring here, on top of visits from Pakistan and Bangladesh, means cricket fans can look forward to a summer of top-quality cricket."
White confirmed ticket prices at all Black Caps and White Ferns games would remain the same as last year’s discounted levels.
They will go on sale to the general public this morning.
"We recognise the challenges of the current environment – and our priority is to make international cricket as accessible as possible.
"After the previous seasons’ restrictions from Covid, we want to ensure our venues and fixtures remain affordable and welcoming."
New Zealand Cricket
Home schedule
- Oct 7-14: Black Caps v Bangladesh/Pakistan (T20)
- Nov 18-30: Black Caps v India (ODI, T20)
- Dec 2-18: White Ferns v Bangladesh (ODI, T20)
- Feb 16-28: Black Caps v England (two tests)
- Mar 9-Apr 8: Black Caps v Sri Lanka (two tests, ODI, T20)
