India and Pakistan's impasse over future playing contact will not jeopardise the International Cricket Council's 10-year Test plan.

The plan's designer, outgoing New Zealand Cricket chief executive Christopher Doig, told CricInfo today that while the political tension between the two nations complicates the 10-year programme it was realised it could be one of the issues when the programme was drawn up.

"It was provided for in the original plans and I provided the ICC with a schedule of alternate countries to replace India and Pakistan.

"It's in the hands of the ICC," he said.

Doig finishes his five years in the position tomorrow.

He said he leaves with no regrets but admitted there were things he might have done differently.

The commercial side of the operation was pretty sound and would be for the next several years with long term revenue coming in from World Cup proceeds and other world initiatives.

"Our playing stock is not bad either. When Chris Cairns, Dion Nash and Daniel Vettori come back on stream the players will find others pushing them for the places. But we have options now that were not there before.

"Dion Nash's situation is quite positive. I am hugely more optimistic about Dion being back next summer than I was a month ago.

"It has been a difficult summer that we've had but the good thing is the way Daryl Tuffey, Chris Martin, James Franklin, Lou Vincent, Jacob Oram, Matthew Bell and Mark Richardson have come through. They are seven players who are now genuine internationals," he said.

New Zealand was much closer to having a base group of 25 players capable of playing international cricket that had been the aim of cricket manager John Reid.

The next chief executive of NZC would face two significant issues. One was the review of club, secondary schools and district cricket and another was the need to have a look at the domestic programme.

"Alec Astle is now working 100% on the club, secondary schools and district cricket needs and has had a meeting with John Graham and Dennis Currie, who chaired the review committees, and they were pleased with the progress.

"The domestic programme has to be completely looked at from the point of view of what, how and where the games should be fitted in.

"Two rounds of Shell Trophy have been a success this year but the Shell Cup is tired and needs a refocusing. The one-day game not only in New Zealand but around the world needs a rethink," he said.

The reawakening of Test match cricket around the world provided food for thought on how New Zealand was handling its Test cricket. Poor crowds and dual purpose stadiums have been a problem.

Auckland and Christchurch are important centres of the game but have not been supporting Test cricket and that needed to be addressed.

The Auckland issue, where Eden Park has failed to draw anything like reasonable crowds to a Test match for several years, is the subject of much discussion between NZC, Auckland Cricket and Eden Park authorities.

The development of a possible alternative venue for Test matches was one consideration.

But it was a fact that Test cricket in the large stadiums in New Zealand, which are better suited for rugby, was not the ideal situation.

However, taking Test cricket away from Auckland would deny one-third of the population the chance to see Test cricket. Some serious consideration had to be taken on the matter in the future.

Doig concluded by saying how much he had enjoyed working with NZC chairman Sir John Anderson who had made a huge impact on the New Zealand and international scene.

"New Zealanders don't know the extent to which he is revered in the game internationally. He is outstanding," Doig said.

© CricInfo