ICC security manager (Australia and New Zealand) John Rhodes

It may not be obvious to Joe Public but security at New Zealand cricket grounds, especially around players, is going to be more intense this year.

In the International Cricket Council's response to the betting problems that have emerged over the last five years, five regional security chiefs have been employed, and the Australasian chief John Rhodes has been in New Zealand over the last week looking at international cricket venues.

As well as helping build a library of every international ground in the world, so that information can be available in the event of any problems at the click of a computer mouse, he has been familiarising himself with specific aspects of each ground.

Rhodes was appointed to the position on June 1 and came to it with a 25-year background in the New South Wales police and with the Sydney Organising Committee of the Olympic Games where he was responsible for the security overlay of the Olympic Village for 2000.

"My role is to ensure the effects of illegal gambling don't impact on the game ever again," he said.

Access to players, administrators, managers and ground staff will be severely restricted and an accreditation system will be in place by the time India come here to ensure that nobody without the proper passes will be getting access to players.

A security guard will be posted outside each dressing room door.

"I wanted to have a look at all the grounds, the standard of player dressing room areas and how to restrict players going there.

"I have recommended certain treatments so that access to players is strictly controlled and at the same time ensuring that the cricket integrity is maintained all the time," he said.

Rhodes said he had made the point around the country that matches were not a security event, they were sporting events and what he was trying to do was ensure that there was nothing to detract from players performing at their best.

Ground invasions had been topical in recent weeks at rugby in the Southern Hemisphere and had been discussed at each of the venues.

He thought better communication by way of signage and ground announcements about penalties for going onto the ground would go much of the way to alleviating the problem. The aim was to ensure that if there was a ground invasion that no-one got to a player or stopped play.

Rhodes thought the legislation was in place in New Zealand to deal with the issue but added that the pre-meditated violence that occurred in last week's New Zealand-South Africa rugby test in Durban had been a concern.

In his visit to New Zealand grounds, Rhodes said there had been a lot of support for the security moves and local councils had been jumping on board to co-operate as well as local officials responsible for match controls.

A communication process had been built and with all the information he has gathered, he will be able to pass that on to the Indian security chief who is responsible for India and Sri Lanka and who will be accompanying the Indian team on its tour here at Christmas-New Year.

New Zealand had some great character grounds like the Basin Reserve and WestpacTrust Park while to a former rugby player, Eden Park and Jade Stadium had also been of interest to him.

© CricInfo