New Zealand cricket's new 'Test romantic' chief executive Scott Weenink aims to keep red-ball games relevant

New Zealand cricket's new chief executive Scott Weenink is a 'Test cricket romantic' and will be looking to promote the same while ensuring that the Black Caps play revenue games as well. Weenink, 50, took over David White on August 30 and made the comments at his first press conference in Auckland.

"I'm a Test cricket romantic but also I see Test cricket as being key to keeping players playing for New Zealand," Weenink said. "I think if we didn't have Test cricket, it'd be much harder to keep them interested in that. They'd simply, you know, come back and play an ICC [event]. So absolutely, I'll be looking to try and promote Test cricket while balancing the fact that we do need to play the higher revenue parts of the game as well.

Speaking on being offered the role, Weenink said it was an 'honour' and that his key responsibility will be to maintain the relationship New Zealand cricket has with the community.

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"It was a great honour to be offered the position," he said. "I love sport and cricket in particular, and I also love the business of sport - so this seemed like an ideal role. There's a finely balanced, symbiotic relationship between community and high performance cricket in New Zealand and one of my key responsibilities is to ensure that's maintained and sustained into the future."

Weenink, a former first-class cricketer from Wellington, is also the head of New Zealand Cricket Players Association (NCPA). He will, however, be stepping down from the post of NCPA president.

Speaking on his appointment, NZ Cricket Board chairman Martin Snedden said, "Scott understands cricket. He understands its context in New Zealand; where it's come from, where it is now, and where it should be going." 

New Zealand are currently touring England for four T20Is and as many ODIs as well.

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