New Zealand Cricket (NZC) chief executive Scott Weenink resigned on Friday, bringing an end to a turbulent tenure marked by a prolonged and increasingly bitter dispute over the future of T20 cricket in the country. Weenink, a businessman and former Wellington first-class cricketer, stepped down after just over two years in the role, with fundamental differences emerging between him, the players, and New Zealand’s six member associations.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!At the heart of the disagreement was a proposed franchise-based T20 competition, tentatively named NZ20, which is envisioned as a replacement for the existing domestic Super Smash. The proposed league would seek foreign investment and ownership, potentially involving Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises, and aims to attract top overseas players to New Zealand.
Players and member associations have strongly backed the NZ20 concept, viewing it as a necessary evolution for the game in the country. New Zealand remains the only ICC full-member nation without a dedicated franchise T20 league, and stakeholders believe the new competition would strengthen the domestic structure, boost player earnings, and raise the overall standard of cricket.Weenink, however, was believed to favour an alternative model, including the possibility of a New Zealand-based franchise entering Australia’s Big Bash League. This difference in strategic vision ultimately proved irreconcilable.
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“After careful consideration, it has become clear that I hold a different view from several member associations… on the future priorities for NZC,” Weenink said in a statement. “Given these differences, I believe it is in the best interests of the organisation that new leadership takes NZC forward from here.”Support for NZ20 from the playing group has been vocal. Test captain Tom Latham publicly endorsed the proposal last week, calling it “a great initiative” and highlighting the benefits of hosting international players to lift standards across the game. White-ball captain Mitchell Santner has also backed the new competition.Weenink will officially conclude his tenure as NZC chief executive on January 30, with the debate over NZ20 now expected to accelerate under new leadership.
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