Sideline Sid Sports correspondent & historian www.sunlive.co.nz

World-wide cricket attention will focus on the Western Bay of Plenty this week, with the first day-night test between the New Zealand Black Caps and our original foes in England, at the Bay Oval.

Day-Night test matches bring a new dimension to the game - with the traditional breaks in play, readjusted to a the first tea break of 20 minutes followed by a supper pause in play of 40 minutes. However the biggest change in tradition has been the introduction of the pink ball which is supposedly easier to spot under lights.

A huge worldwide television audience, will view a ground that has undergone a remarkable transformation, from a wasteland to a well respected international cricket venue, in less than two decades.

The magnificent Western Bay of Plenty region will be showcased to the world via the huge numbers of television and streaming viewers.

Wind back the clock a century, where you find that Rotorua hosted the majority of international sporting teams visits to the province, as the seat of Bay of Plenty local government. The first international cricket visit to the Bay of Plenty, took place when a touring Australian team played a Rotorua selection at the Government Gardens, in April 1921.

It wasn't until December 1961, that Tauranga hosted an international cricket game, with the MCC playing a combined Bay of Plenty/Thames Valley XI at the Tauranga Domain. At the time of the MCC visit, Tauranga was far from the booming metropolis of today, with a population of around twenty thousand residents.

While a number a number of the MCC stars were rested, there was experience in spades with the likes of Douglas Padgett, who would go on to play 500 first class fixtures before retirement finally beckoned.

The visitors won the toss and elected to bat first on the inner ground at the Tauranga Domain. Opener Willie Watson led the way with a sparkling 114 runs, which included eleven 4's in the MMC total of 297/6 declared, in the two-day encounter.

Doug Padgett also made a more than useful contribution with 60 runs, while Bob Barber was given out for 34 by the uncommon decision of (batsman) hit wicket. Thames Valley's Terry Shaw, was the best of the combined sides bowlers taking three wickets at a cost of 87 runs.

The combined eleven were bowled out for 147 with the fourth ball of their 59th over. First Class all-rounder, Gren Alabaster, was the best of the home sides batting attack with a hard fought 35 runs. David Allen would have long remembered his visit to the Tauranga Domain, grabbing a highly sought after six wicket haul, returning 6/39.

The hosts were asked to follow on, and were removed for 129 in their second turn at bat, to hand the MCC an innings and 21 run victory. Bob Barber made up for his hit wicket dismissal, taking five wickets for 42 runs in the combined sides second innings.

In 1967, Fiji broke the drought of international team visits to the Western Bay of Plenty, in playing Bay of Plenty at the Tauranga Domain.

The development of Blake Park in the 1990's, attracted a Australian Under 23 Women's side to play their Kiwi counterparts and New Zealand A v Pakistan A, before the Bay Oval became a fledgling reality in 2005.

One can only shake their head in amazement, at the reality of a test venue that ranks amongst the best in the world, which was just a wilderness less than two decades ago.