Bring Back Queenstown Cricket

09/10/2025

9 Oct 2025 - 🏏 Campaign Update: Progress and Next Steps

Firstly, a huge thank you to everyone who’s signed, shared, and supported this petition — we’ve now reached over 530 signatures, with messages of support from across New Zealand and even overseas. Your voice is being heard!

Since launching, we’ve seen real momentum:

📻 RNZ interview raising national awareness

📰 Mountain Scene and Otago Daily Times coverage

🎙️ The Alternative Commentary Collective (The ACC) coverage

🏛️ Queenstown Lakes District Council has confirmed they have been actively putting Queenstown forward to New Zealand Cricket and that ongoing dialogue exists between both parties

This is positive progress — but there’s still more to understand and achieve.

I’ve now reached out to both QLDC and NZ Cricket to:

Arrange a meeting with Council to better understand Queenstown’s bidding process and the specific shortcomings or feedback NZC has provided, and
Request from NZC their formal statement and guidance on what’s required to host international cricket again — including the “must-haves” and “nice-to-haves” so we can identify the gap and focus on practical, cost-effective solutions.

This campaign’s purpose has always been to bring people together — not just to raise awareness, but to work constructively with everyone involved to find a way forward that benefits the community, the players, and cricket as a whole.

✨ Together, we can bring international cricket back to Queenstown’s John Davies Oval — and make sure it stays part of New Zealand’s Summer of Cricket for years to come.

Thank you again for being part of this journey. Please continue to share the petition link with friends, clubs, and fellow cricket lovers:

👉 https://chng.it/mFTpSsDzKf

Cheers,

Emma

18/09/2025

📢 When I launched this campaign, it was off the back of community whispers that Queenstown wasn’t being actively put forward for international cricket.

Today’s Mountain Scene makes it clear those whispers were wrong — Queenstown Lakes District Council has in fact been actively pitching Queenstown to New Zealand Cricket (NZC), and will again for the 2026/27 season.

Council’s Sport and Recreation Manager, Simon Battrick, confirmed they’ve “actively pitched for matches to be played at this venue” and “will be pitching again for the 2026/27 season.” He also acknowledged the challenges, noting that “several factors favour cricket-only venues over QEC, which remains a multi-use, year-round community venue.”

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) told RNZ’s Checkpoint that Queenstown is “a venue of great natural beauty.” However, they also explained:

“What complicates match allocations is the extra cost of scheduling games there, caused mainly by the shared nature of the QEC as it relates to player and match official facilities.”

NZC added: “We’ve discussed these issues with the QLDC and have made them aware of the challenges. We’re supportive of continuing dialogue to explore cost-effective solutions.”

🏏 Adding to this, Sir John Davies — whom the Oval is named after — said:
“International cricket is one of the things Queenstown should be aiming to get. With the airport it’s easy for teams to get in and out and play one-day cricket. It’s a shame it’s not attracting top-class cricket at the moment… It’s no good spending a hell of a lot of money and then finding they’re not interested in sending anyone here.”

👉 That’s why this campaign matters — the louder our community voice, the more weight solutions will carry. Together we can help ensure the right fixes are prioritised so Queenstown doesn’t miss out on hosting world-class cricket again.

✨ We’ve done it before — the 2023 T20 Black Caps v Sri Lanka under the Remarkables proved it’s possible. Let’s make sure we do it again.

📌 Mountain Scene article on page 3: https://digital.scene.co.nz/html5/default.aspx

🖊️ Please sign & share the petition — every single voice makes a difference: https://chng.it/mFTpSsDzKf

18/09/2025

🏏 Last week, following my RNZ interview, the Otago Daily Times ran a story on our campaign to bring international cricket back to Queenstown’s John Davies Oval ⛰️

This started as a grassroots petition and it’s quickly grown into a movement backed by the Queenstown Cricket Club, Queenstown NZ, Queenstown Business Chamber of Commerce and hundreds of passionate supporters.

👉 Read the ODT article: https://www.odt.co.nz/sport/cricket/local-starts-petition-queenstown-dropped-international-cricket-calendar-rnz

👉 Sign & share the petition: https://chng.it/mFTpSsDzKf

Momentum is growing every day — let’s keep pushing to bring cricket back to Queenstown! 🙌

Queenstown's John Davies Oval has become one of the world's iconic cricket venues, with picturesque mountains and a lake as a breathtaking backdrop...

12/09/2025

🎙️Big thank you to RNZ (Radio New Zealand’s) Checkpoint for shining a light on our campaign to bring international cricket back to Queenstown Oval! 🏏

I had the chance to share why this matters for our community — from inspiring local kids to boosting tourism and putting Queenstown back on the cricket map.

📻 Listen to the interview here: https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2019004017/local-mum-on-a-mission-to-bring-cricket-back-to-queenstown

In just 5 minutes we talked about:

✔️ The groundswell of local support
✔️ Why cricket matters to Queenstown kids & community
✔️ The next steps to identify what’s needed to host games again

🙌 Keep the momentum going:

✍️ Sign the petition ➡️ https://chng.it/mFTpSsDzKf

Together, let’s Bring Cricket back to Queenstown Oval! 🏏❤️

Bowled over by a lack of cricket in Queenstown this summer, a local mum is on a mission to the bring the game back to the town's oval. Queenstown's picturesque John Davies Oval has in past hosted several One Day Internationals. But this summer, it is a cricket drought. Local Emma Chisholm has launch...

10/09/2025

📰 Another big spotlight in Mountain Scene!

Otago Cricket Association’s Russell Mawhinney says what we already know: John Davies Oval is an iconic venue — but upgrades are needed to get back on NZ Cricket’s list.

The good news? Our Bring Cricket Back to Queenstown Oval 🏏 petition is already galvanising support, with 500+ signatures and growing fast.

Backing is also coming from Queenstown NZ, the Queenstown Business Chamber of Commerce, and Queenstown Cricket Club 🙌

Media support from the legends at The Alternative Commentary Collective and the Otago Daily Times.

This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to bring Black Caps and White Ferns games back to Queenstown. But we need the community behind it to make the case strong.

📌 Read the article: https://digital.scene.co.nz/html5/default

🖊️ Sign the petition: https://chng.it/mFTpSsDzKf

👉 Please share this post with your networks — together we can make cricket in Queenstown a reality again!

09/09/2025

🏏 Queenstown cricket vibes don’t get better than this! The Remarkables, the Oval, the atmosphere — world-class on every level.

Who else wants to see international cricket back here? 🙌

👉 Sign & share the petition today: https://chng.it/mFTpSsDzKf

Let’s keep the runs coming and smash 500 signatures this week! 🔥

📸 Nick Young Photos



The Alternative Commentary Collective
Queenstown Cricket Club
BeigeBrigade
Queenstown NZ
Otago Daily Times
Mountain Scene
Queenstown Airport
Bring Back Queenstown Cricket

04/09/2025

Who wouldn’t want to see cricket back in Queenstown?! 🏏⛰️☀️

Crowds, mountains, summer vibes — there’s nowhere else in the world like it. 🙌✈️

Let’s make it happen. ✍️

👉 Sign & share the petition: https://chng.it/mFTpSsDzKf

Together we can bring international cricket back to the most scenic oval in the world! 💪

📸 Nick Young Photos

The Alternative Commentary Collective
Otago Daily Times
Queenstown Cricket Club
BeigeBrigade
Mountain Scene
100% Pure New Zealand
Queenstown NZ
Stuff
nzherald.co.nz
Queenstown Business Chamber of Commerce

01/09/2025

How epic is this shot by Nick Young Photos — cricket & planes only in Queenstown! 🏏✈️ ⛰️

This was during the Black Caps v Sri Lanka T20 in 2023 at John Davies Oval.

Let’s bring more of this magic back 🖤✨

👉 Sign & share petition: https://chng.it/mFTpSsDzKf



The Alternative Commentary Collective Queenstown Cricket Club Queenstown Airport Air New Zealand Otago Daily Times Queenstown NZ 100% Pure New Zealand Queenstown Business Chamber of Commerce BeigeBrigade Mountain Scene Stuff nzherald.co.nz

30/08/2025

📣🏏 Campaign Update 🎤

Over 400 signatures and climbing — thanks to everyone who’s signed, shared, and donated so far 🙌

From grassroots locals to the legends at (🎙️400k+ followers) and support from

scene

and even councillors and election nominations — momentum is growing fast. 🖤

👉 Read the full campaign petition update + watch hilarious video starring local Queenstown dad Kenny:

https://chng.it/p6QBm7yrzG

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DN9ER6fE5NK/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

👉 Sign & share the petition: https://chng.it/mFTpSsDzKf

Together, let’s bring cricket back to Queenstown Oval ⛰️🏏

30/08/2025

🚨 Campaign Update 🎙️

What started as a local communtiy campaign petition is now gaining incredible support — from grassroots clubs to national media 🏏🙌

✅ Over 400 signatures and growing fast
✅ Backed by The Alternative Commentary Collective (400k+ followers)
✅ Queenstown Cricket Club have thrown their support at us
✅ Queenstown Business Chamber of Commerce have supported
✅ Featured front page of the Mountain Scene
✅ Otago Daily Times article
✅ Positive feedback from more than 12 councillors and election candidates

This is proof that momentum is building. Together, we can bring international cricket back to Queenstown’s John Davies Oval ⛰️🏏

👉 Sign & share the petition: https://chng.it/mFTpSsDzKf

Thank you all for the support — every share, signature, and conversation gets us closer! 🙌

Read the full campaign petition update below: 👇

A huge thank you to everyone who has signed the petition so far — and to those who’ve donated to help spread the word 🖤 Your support is powering this movement. 🙌 We’ve now passed 400 signatures and momentum is building every day. Please keep sharing the petition, posting it to your socia...

30/08/2025

🙌 Big thanks to The Alternative Commentary Collective for backing our grassroots campaign — momentum is growing by the day! 🏏🔥

Shoutout to local dad Kenny for starring in the commentary 🎙️ — next time we’ll have the full Queenstown Dads XI out there! 💪😂

👉