The location of the new outdoor practice net facility Photograph © CricInfo

New Zealand Cricket's High Performance Centre is entering another phase of its development at Lincoln University, a move that will enhance its status as the finest cricket resource of its type in the world.

Already the home of the Cricket Academy, the HPC is expanding to incorporate a third first-class ground, a new outdoor practice facility and a new soil and pitch research area.

The complex is enhancing its status as the development and scientific home of the game in New Zealand.

The director of the Cricket Academy, Dayle Hadlee said the complex will become the annual home for one of New Zealand's age group tournaments each year and this year will be the base for the ICC Under-19 World Cup being staged in January and February.

This follows the outstanding success of the hosting of the CricInfo Women's World Cup last summer.

The new, and as yet unnamed, ground is to be ready in time for the tournament, as will the new practice facility which is situated just off the centrepiece of the HPC, the Bert Sutcliffe Oval.

While the relationship with Lincoln University started out as venue for the Cricket Academy, it has developed far beyond that to the point where the Academy is only one level of five for player education.

The HPC is the home for the CLEAR Black Caps and White Ferns, for New Zealand A players, the Academy and New Zealand Cricket's specialist squads.

It is also the base for coach and umpire education and for resource development.

The HPC also has among its resources, the original indoor centre, its accommodation units (the Hadlee-Watt pavilions), the three grounds and the pavilion on the Sutcliffe Oval.

The HPC has also become a centre for regular cricket and this year's programme leading into the new summer is an example of the use being made of the complex.

From October 1, the playing programme is impressive. The Otago side will play a four-day game against the Academy from October 2-5. On October 7, the Central Districts team will arrive for a two-day camp before a four-day game against the Academy, starting on October 9.

On October 12 the Commonwealth Bank Cricket Academy of Australia will arrive for two three-day games, October 15-17 and October 19-21, and four One-Day Internationals against their New Zealand counterparts on October 23, 24, 26 and 27.

No sooner will the Australians depart than Auckland will arrive for a four-day game from October 30-November 2.

Then the Queensland Pura Cup side will arrive for a four-day game from November 5-8.

© CricInfo