The domestic T20 problem that’s stumping New Zealand Cricket

Sunday, 7 December 2025

ANALYSIS: It began as an open-minded examination of how New Zealand Cricket could improve its domestic shop window.

It has developed into a pitched battle involving the organisation’s leader, the governing board, the country’s Major Associations (MA) and Black Caps past and previous players.

Such is the importance now attached to the future of the domestic Twenty20 competition that a former New Zealand player has described it as “a once in a generation decision”.

It comes at a time when NZ Cricket boss Scott Weenink is reportedly under pressure to keep his job, with the chief executive seemingly at odds with the MAs over which direction to turn.

The brouhaha has reached a level where NZC’s board felt it necessary to send a letter to the ICC, effectively saying “nothing to see here, all under control”.

As David Byrne once inquired on a personal level, well, how did we get here?

What’s involved

‘Project Bigger Smash’ has consultants Deloitte considering four options for the men’s and women’s T20 competition here.

The options are entering a New Zealand team in Australia's Big Bash competitions, reforming/privatising the Super Smash, privatising/reforming the Super Smash, keeping the status quo, or establishing a new product with significant ownership/financial input from overseas.

It’s the latter option which has hit the headlines, with an ‘NZ20’ establishment committee pushing hard to be viewed as the best solution.

The committee is chaired by leading sports lawyer Don Mackinnon, and comprises two members of the NZC board in Bill Birnie and Anna Campbell, two major association board chairs in David Howman and Brendon Gibson, a couple of advisers from finance and marketing backgrounds, along with NZ Cricket Players Association chair Ross Verry.

Former Black Caps skipper and coach of Indian Premier League franchise Chennai Super Kings, Stephen Fleming, had also been linked as a backer of the competition, and Mackinnon confirmed the former Black Caps captain had indeed been consulted closely “for all his wisdom and expertise”.

Why it matters

The Super Smash is now two decades old and no longer has the impact it once did.

The teams representing the Major Associations used to be able to attract international players of the stature of David Warner and Tillakaratne Dilshan for stints, but the rise of the IPL and other T20 competitions overseas has attracted big names and fan attention elsewhere.

“Now our most exciting T20 players are in the BBL - Finn Allen, Tim Seifert, Adam Milne,” said a former Major Association administrator.

“A bigger league would keep not just the top players here but the fringe internationals here - at the moment Scott Kuggeleijn is playing T20s in Nepal.”

Said Mackinnon: “The game at Super Smash level is clearly struggling to engage the public. It loses its broadcasting partner [TVNZ] next year, and I think everyone accepts the domestic game, particularly at T20 level, needs a shot in the arm.”

Weenink said the future of the Super Smash held “significant financial, governance and high-performance implications”.

Cricket Australia is currently pondering a report which recommended an injection of capital, selling up to 49 per cent of Big Bash League teams to private investors such as Indian Premier League owners, tech moguls and local buyers, the Sydney Morning Herald has reported.

Cricket Australia chair Mike Baird said it risked losing its best players to overseas franchise T20 leagues while also failing to attract star names to its domestic competition.

The NZ20 proposal appears to have the backing of some big names here.

Black Caps white-ball captain Mitch Santner told The Cricketers' Network podcast it could be a great opportunity.

“We’ve seen it kind of work around the world already… we're kind of the last country,” Santner said.

“It's a really exciting opportunity, especially for domestic players… you still have Ford Trophy, Plunket Shield, and then you've got a franchise league where you can show your skills against some of the best - obviously our domestic players and you get some good overseas and a lot of people watching.

“I think it's a great opportunity if we can kind of get it going and it sounds very promising so hopefully we can get it all go ahead.”

Black Caps batter Daryl Mitchell said it needed to happen.

“We as a playing group are really excited about the opportunity of NZ20. We think the growth that it will bring here in the game in this country would be amazing,” Mitchell said.

“To think that we are probably the only major test playing nation that doesn't have a franchise tournament is something that needs to happen. It needs to continue to help grow the game not only for us international players but for domestic players and for the next generation of Kiwis that want to play cricket.”

Mitchell believed world-class players would sell out grounds.

Mackinnon said the international game is “awash with cash, and a lot of those people are really keen to own a team, or own a league, get involved with a reputable brand.”

A matter of timing

This season’s men’s and women’s Super Smash will run from Boxing Day til January 31.

A new competition would be eyeing a four-week window in January, but that would still face competition from the BBL, and T20 franchise tournaments in South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.

Problems abound

Weenink will be wary of giving away the keys to the car to someone outside the family, only to later find it wrapped around a power pole and having to be responsible for the damage that occurred.

Should NZC opt for private/overseas investment - with the competing franchises being independent of the six Major Associations - it would require some changes to the memorandum of understanding and contracts involving the country’s leading players, and there could be disagreements over whether all Black Caps would be required to be available for selection for a new competition.

NZC has been dealing with the need to be more flexible over Black Caps contracts in recent seasons, to accommodate the influence of the IPL and other franchise T20 competitions on the leading NZ players and the money on offer.

However, it’s understood the relationship between NZC and the NZ Cricket Players Association (NZCPA) under Weenink’s reign is not what it was under former CEO David White, with a clash over players’ image rights earlier this year.

“Trust needs to be built up,” said a former Black Cap, believing NZC had lost control of the narrative of the issues.

The ex-international saw how there could be problems of alignment, with the NZ20 committee having MA chairmen on board.

“And it’s a bit like Silver Lake and NZ Rugby - when you give up who you are, how do you provide a return on investment without carving things up?”

The player pointed out how corporate dollars in sport have dried up, making broadcast deals and a proposed investment become even more important.

“It’s really a once in a generation decision.”

A group of retired Black Caps, including former test captains Mark Burgess and John Parker, have signed an open letter outlining their concerns over the NZ20 proposal.

But a former veteran domestic player said all the current players were keen on the NZ20 proposal.

“Super Smash is not paying its way,” he said.

“The new competition would be Indian-owned, but run by Kiwis. The Major Associations will get a payout, and they need money.

“There’s no point in entering the BBL. We often seem to be too late to these things, so we need to get our heads around any worry over loss of power.”