9 Feb 2022

Black Caps T20 series against Australia abandoned

12:47 pm on 9 February 2022

New Zealand Cricket has called off the Australian men's brief T20 tour here next month.

Australia was due to play three T20s against the Black Caps in Napier but New Zealand Cricket has been unable to obtain places in MIQ for the players.

Daryl Mitchell (R) of the New Zealand BlackCaps celebrates with team mate Devon Conway after hitting a boundary during the ICC Men's T20 World Cup semifinal between New Zealand and England at Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi, UAE on Wednesday 10th November 2021.

Photo: David Gray/Photosport Ltd 2021

NZC chief executive David White said the move to call off the tour was inevitable given the border restrictions.

"At the time we scheduled the visit there was a lot of hope that the trans-Tasman border would be open for those who met the right criteria," he said.

"However, the advent of Omicron has, unfortunately, changed everything at the border, and has made it impossible for us to continue with the series.

With the loss of the matches in Hawke's Bay, one of the Black Caps T20 matches against the Netherlands which was due to be played in Tauranga will now be moved to Napier's McLean Park.

The Black Caps play South Africa in a two test series starting in Christchurch next week.

-RNZ