New Zealand Cricket is keeping a close eye on the situation regarding Fiji's right to participate in the Pacifica cricket tournament in Auckland next month.

The week-long tournament, aimed at helping the development of cricket around the Pacific rim, is being organised by the International Cricket Council and jointly hosted by New Zealand Cricket and Auckland Cricket.

Teams from Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, the Cook Islands, Tonga, Samoa, New Caledonia, Fiji and New Zealand Maori will take part in the tournament.

NZC sought a decision from the New Zealand Government about likely Fijian participation in the tournament and a Fijian side was allowed to compete on the basis that the prohibition of representative sporting teams does not cover international tournaments of this kind.

However, in recent days a row has broken out between New Zealand and Australian rugby interests over the decision of the Australians not to allow a Fijian Sevens side to compete in a world championship tournament in Brisbane.

The tournament which was part of the World Sevens series has been taken away from Brisbane by the International Rugby Board.

New Zealand rugby officials believe the Australian stance put the joint hosting of the 2003 Rugby World Cup in jeopardy. Australian rugby officials have denied that.

NZC administration manager Tim Murdoch said he was keeping in constant contact with the ICC's regional development officer in Australia, Matthew Kennedy, and ICC development manager Andrew Eade in London.

Murdoch said he was not aware of any objections from the other participating teams about playing alongside Fiji.

© CricInfo