New Zealand-Australia Needs to Become Regular Fixture on Both Sides of Tasman

There has been a feeling amongst New Zealand cricket fans that their team has been disrespected by their neighbours across the Tasman. Despite their success in recent years, they have received little credit from Australia. So often it feels the call has come across the Tasman, "You haven't done it against Australia."

It is a call that has left New Zealanders frustrated, with a "well why won't you play us?" sort of response.

That the two nations are so close in proximity, yet have played so little cricket against one another in recent years, seems wrong. In past eras, there have been some great contests between the two rivals, but a lack of interest in recent years has seen the Australians look elsewhere for competition.

It has been suggested that this is financially motivated, that New Zealand is not a big enough draw card for viewers. There is the argument that New Zealand's lack of form prior to 2012 made them an unworthy opponent. Then, of course, there is the fact that their summers coincide, meaning they are often both hosting home series at the same time.

Perhaps the last point holds validity. The prior two should not be used as arguments, however. While money no doubt comes into the equation, it should not be at the expense of the game itself. As for New Zealand's run of poor form, that is nothing new.

New Zealand's player base is such that they are an up-and-down nation in cricket, capable of inconsistently putting out a strong team. Every strong New Zealand team has been preceded by a weaker one, primarily made up of the same players while they were being blooded.

To not schedule a tour based on their current form shows either a lack of respect or pure ignorance to cricketing history.

However, there is hope that this will now change.

The two nations met twice during the latest Cricket World Cup, each winning on their home grounds. Quality can no longer be used as an argument.

Australia, as strong as they are at home, have been vulnerable at away venues in recent years. They have lost three of their past four away Test series, including a recent drubbing by Pakistan—the same Pakistan team New Zealand drew with 1-1.

If they were to play a Test series against New Zealand in New Zealand, would they really be any better? Would their batsmen handle the two modern-day sultans of swing, Trent Boult and Tim Southee, in an environment where the ball will swing, and with a red ball that moves better than a white one?

Or would the Australian bowlers really cause the same problems for the likes of Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Brendon McCullum and BJ Watling when time is not an issue and those men can play their natural games?

It is hard to know. The last time Australia were in New Zealand was the 2009/10 season, and the time before that was in 2004/05. Even at home, Australia only played their neighbours three times in this time period, all of which were two Test series that seemed to be seen as warm-up series for the Australians.

Five series—four of which were only two Tests—in 10 years does not seem like many. In that time, Australia has played England in six series, each being five Tests long. While the Ashes has plenty of history, cricket needs to be about more than just two teams, and in terms of quality, scheduling England on such a regular basis could hardly be justified at the moment.

In ODIs, the last time the two countries met outside of an ICC tournament was in the 2009/10 season, where Australia won an away series 3-2. Hardly one-sided and certainly based off that result, it is hard to understand why their neighbours have not had another crack at them in the past five years.

The last time the two teams met in a series in Australia, in 2008/09, the series was drawn 2-2.

There is a hope that after a strong showing at the World Cup the Australians will afford their neighbours more respect. While a two-match Test series is scheduled for the end of the year in Australia, it still has the feeling of being a warm-up series, being pencilled in for before Christmas. 

A Boxing Day Test at the MCG is what New Zealand fans would love to see. Not only would it be a great spectacle, it would provide their players with valuable experience of playing in the world's most imposing arena.

This might still be a way off, but as reported by Stuff, a return of the Chappell-Hadlee series that provided many thrills throughout the mid-late 2000s is looking likely. It is not a Test series, but it is a start, and at least they are moving in the right direction.