Rugby forces England out of Carisbrook and to light up in Christchurch

It looks as if England will be forced to change the venue of their three-day game against Otago - one of two scheduled warm-up matches for the Tests on their forthcoming tour of New Zealand.

England were to play the match on the Carisbrook ground in Dunedin between March 2nd and 4th. Not only will this be a vital part of the tourists' preparation for the first Test starting in Christchurch on March 13th, but it would have also been a focal point for the Otago Cricket Association's 125th anniversary celebrations.

However, the Carisbrook ground is owned by the Otago Rugby Union and it decided to hold a Super 12 rugby match on the evening of March 2nd. The rugby authority said that it would be fine for their cricketing counterparts to work around that fixture, but cricket would have had to make all the compromises.

This could have meant starting the match two days early, playing longer hours to allow a 3 o'clock finish on the Saturday, or start the game the day after the rugby.

According to a spokesman for Otago Cricket, these were not feasible alternatives and they are hopeful of being able to take the match to Queenstown - perhaps one of the most scenic cricket grounds in the world.

Meanwhile, it might be that England's experience of playing under floodlights during daylight hours in Bangalore will pay dividends when it comes to the Christchurch Test.

The Jade Stadium's chief executive, Bryn McGoldrick, has pointed out that shadows from a newly constructed rugby stand at the ground are likely to encroach onto the square by the early afternoon. To avoid a serious disruption to play, the floodlights can be used to "fill in" areas of shadow.