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Losing Jade Stadium as a cricket-playing venue saddens Auckland Cricket's chief executive, Lindsay Crocker.

He said the ground was more of a cricket-specific venue than Eden Park, which retains its dual purpose status. Cricket is likely to relinquish its use of Jade Stadium and look elsewhere for Christchurch headquarters.

Crocker said although Eden Park has a deed which gave cricket first use of the ground until April 15 each year, compromises had to be struck.

``We sit down and work things through with Auckland rugby for the good of the park and sport. It's a partnership.''

Crocker said he would be sorry to see cricket leave what was Lancaster Park in his first-class playing days for Northern Districts during the 1980s.

``The quality of the wickets was very good and the climate is suitable for playing the game from November to March.

``I don't know about all the political and money manoeuverings but from a purely playing viewpoint it will be quite a loss.'' Crocker also believes if New Zealand continues playing the game in the aggressive manner it did against England, bigger crowds will return to the five-day game.

``This might be just a cricket boffin talking but the sort of games we have seen in England with runs being scored and wickets falling is likely to bring people back to the sport.''

If test cricket undergoes a revival then grounds like Hamilton, with its capacity of 6000 to 8000, would not be able to stage such games, he said.

Meanwhile, Auckland Cricket has appointed its player development director Tony Sail, as coach for next season, replacing David Trist.

It is a one-season appointment only.

Crocker said all the leading candidates for the job are locked into contracts for the coming season but he hoped to name a coach for the 2000-2001 season ``within the next month or two.''

New Zealand Cricket's director of coaching development, John Howell, has been seconded to Auckland to cover player development for Sail while the Shell series is under way.