New Zealand's preparations for their Test series against England have been severely disrupted by the inclement weather caused by Cyclone Gabrielle. With the first Test scheduled to start on Thursday in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand Cricket has reported that five players and three support staff have not yet made it to the venue due to travel disruption.
Matt Henry is yet to join the squad as he is waiting for the birth of his first child in Christchurch, while Tom Blundell is still with his family in Wellington following the birth of his second child. Blair Tickner and Will Young are travelling by car from Napier, while Henry Nicholls' original flight was cancelled, and he is now due to arrive on Tuesday from Christchurch.
The Black Caps' training session was moved forward on Monday and was held indoors in the Bay Oval Indoor Grass Training Facility due to the weather conditions. Although both teams were able to manage a full net session on grass thanks to the venue's marquee, it is uncertain whether the same facilities will remain usable in the coming days, given the storm is expected to intensify.
The 2022-23 cricket season in New Zealand has already been disrupted by severe floods and landslides, with Auckland being hit the hardest. The region has faced devastating floods and associated landslides, as well as record rainfall around the North Island, resulting in a huge amount of disruption to the cricket schedule.
Apart from the games that have been abandoned, 12 have ended in no results, while 30 other games have been impacted by the rain, according to a report in the website stuff.co.nz. This has left the cricket administrators in New Zealand with a significant headache as they try to reschedule the games while also accommodating the international commitments of the players.
The weather conditions have caused a significant problem for New Zealand's selectors, who are already grappling with injuries to key players such as Kane Williamson, BJ Watling and Tim Southee. The unavailability of some of the squad members due to the travel disruption has left them with a difficult task of fielding a competitive team for the first Test.
While the weather conditions in New Zealand are beyond the control of the cricket authorities, it is imperative that they find a way to reschedule the games that have been impacted by the inclement weather. This is essential for the growth of the sport in the country and to ensure that the fans are not left disappointed.