The issue of whether a New Zealand Maori, and a New Zealand Islands, team take part in regional tournaments was an issue for New Zealand Cricket. Kennedy, an Australian who works out of the ACB headquarters in Melbourne, said the Pacific offered a prime area for development because of the cricket culture that exists already and the spaces that were available in which to play the game. One of the most productive areas for development was Papua New Guinea. They have truckloads of players and a real cricket culture. They receive Australian television and get all the cricket, and the players are naturally talented.
Japan is our target for the next affiliate members in our region.
What Kennedy did ask for from the delegates attending the three-day meeting from each of New Zealand's major associations was to consider entering into a partnership with one of the emerging countries in the same way that Auckland has done with Samoa and Tonga. Victoria has links with Japan and South Korea and New South Wales is linked to Fiji and Vanuatu. This was a way of providing any old playing kit, advice or experience to those countries and whatever was offered was bound to be appreciated by those countries, he said. Kennedy said the establishment of practice nets in Samoa and Tonga, the first such facilities, and the development of a ground and practice facilities in Fiji had made a big difference to those countries and would make a difference in the future.