One of the longest-serving sponsors in New Zealand sport has ended its association with New Zealand Cricket.

Shell Oil, the sponsor of New Zealand's first-class cricket programme since the summer of 1975/76 has decided to concentrate on other aspects of its sponsorship programme.

New Zealand Cricket said today that it is in discussion with another sponsor but was not prepared to confirm or deny who that would be, but expected to be able to make an announcement in the near future.

NZC's marketing director Peter Dwan paid tribute to the longevity and enthusiastic support of domestic cricket by Shell.

"Shell has been with New Zealand Cricket for 25 years. They invested in first-class cricket when we were a fledging Test nation and they have seen many of the players they supported through that investment go on to perform great deeds for New Zealand.

"Glenn Turner, Geoff Howarth, John Wright, Richard Hadlee all served their apprenticeship in a domestic competition that was revitalised by the Shell sponsorship. Our own operations manager, John Reid, played his first season of first-class cricket that summer and remembers well the impact of Shell's involvement.

"Four years into its sponsorship Shell was quick to recognise the popularity of the new one-day version of the game and extended its involvement to the launch of the national one-day cricket competition which was to become known as the Shell Cup," Dwan said.

Dwan said NZC understood the change to Shell's philosophy which had resulted in its withdrawal from the sponsorship.

"For the past few years Shell has been refocusing its sponsorship portfolio to concentrate on sustainable environmental projects such as WWF, Earthwatch and Massey; and on a social agenda with their support of Barnardos, the Special Olympics, and Project K."

Peter Dwan said Shell's withdrawal from cricket had been signalled well in advance allowing the search for a replacement sponsor to be initiated.

"Typical of the partnership style that has developed over the years between New Zealand Cricket and Shell, we were given plenty of notice of Shell's withdrawal. This has allowed us to pursue a replacement sponsor.

"New Zealand Cricket is in advanced negotiations with another party for sponsorship of the domestic cricket competitions. Although a contract has yet to be signed, we are confident that this will be finalised in the near future," Dwan said.

At the time of the sponsorship starting there was much controversy about the loss of the traditional trophy for domestic cricket, the Plunket Shield, but such was Shell's input that its Trophy and Cup soon became an accepted part of the New Zealand scene.

© CricInfo