Great for Twenty20, but not as good for one-day internationals is Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi's asssessment of the new layout for cricket at the redeveloped Eden Park.
The pitch at the Auckland ground has been rotated 45 degrees clockwise, so that it runs parallel to where the halfway line of the rugby field would be.
The result is longish boundaries square of the wicket, but short ones down the ground.
The new configuration was used for the first time in the T20 match between New Zealand and Pakistan yesterday, when fans were treated the sight of snicks flying over the rope behind third man.
"I must say it's small," Afridi said.
"But the people who are coming for Twenty20 cricket, they want to see some big shots, so for Twenty20 I think it's a perfect ground."
But while Afridi didn't think the new layout made the arena of adequate standard for one-dayers, New Zealand skipper Ross Taylor had a different view.
Taylor believed bowlers would still get reward in ODIs if they bowled well and to a plan.
"Those boundaries square are some of the bigger ones in the world."
He also said the previous alignment made Eden Park a ground that favoured left-handed batsmen, whereas now things had probably been evened up.
