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Bay Oval Mount Maunganui



Bay Oval (also known as Blake Park) is a cricket ground in Mount Maunganui, Tauranga, New Zealand.[1] In June 2019, New Zealand Cricket confirmed that the Bay Oval would host its first ever Test match in November 2019, becoming the ninth test venue in the country.[2]

First known as Blake Park,[3] it held its first List A match in 1987/88 Shell Cup when Northern Districts played Central Districts. During the 1980s and 90s, large holiday crowds flocked to the ground to watch one-day matches,[4] with the ground playing host to a total of 26 List A matches between 1987/88 and 2001/02 seasons.[5] Northern Districts Women played two matches there in the 2004/05 State League.[6]

The Bay of Plenty Cricket Association later constructed a new cricket oval at Blake Park, the Bay Oval, which held its first senior match in the 2008–09 State Twenty20 with Northern Districts playing Otago. A further Twenty20 match was held there during that competition, while the following season three matches in that format were played in the 2009–10 HRV Cup, while two were held in the 2010–11 HRV Cup.[7]

Four Twenty20 matches were held there in the 2011–12 HRV Cup, along with two 2011-12 Ford Trophy matches. Northern Districts Women are scheduled to play a match there in December 2011 in the Action Cricket Cup. The Bay Oval is also permitted to host first-class cricket.[4]

Bay Oval hosted its first ODI on January 28, 2014 between Canada and Netherlands as part of the 2014 Cricket World Cup Qualifier.

In October 2014, the ground hosted the first two ODIs of the home series against South Africa, but was not used for the 2015 Cricket World Cup.



One thing New Zealand has is picturesque cricket grounds Christchurch, Mount Maunganui, Hamilton all fantastic venues