Plunket Shield

Plunket Shield
Countries  New Zealand
Administrator New Zealand Cricket
Format First-class cricket
First tournament 1906–07
Tournament format Round-robin
Number of teams 6
Current champion Auckland Aces

New Zealand has had a domestic first-class cricket championship since the 1906–07 season. It is now known as the Plunket Shield, reintroducing the name used in the early stages for the 2009–10 season.[1]

The competition was instigated in 1906 with the donation of a shield by William Plunket, 5th Baron Plunket, the Governor-General of New Zealand. In its early years, the competition was decided by a series of challenge matches between five provincial Cricket Association sides, Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury, Otago and, on just two occasions, Hawke's Bay. The first winner was Canterbury. From the 1921–22 season, these sides (minus Hawke's Bay, which lost first-class status) played each other in a single round-robin series of matches. Central Districts entered the competition in 1950-51, and Northern Districts in 1956-57.

Shell Trophy

Shell Oil became principal sponsor in 1974–75 and a new trophy was introduced. Games were played over three days during this period, with an over-limit on the first innings. In latter years the format was experimented with, introducing a shorter second round, various bonus points systems, and eventually a knockout final.

State Championship

The format and the principal sponsor were changed in 2001–02 season. State Insurance (more commonly just called 'State') replaced Shell Oil. The competitions were renamed to reflect the new sponsor's name, so despite the fact that New Zealand does not have political 'states', the correct name for the first class cricket competition was the 'State Championship'.

Between November and early April, each of the provincial teams play in a one round round-robin series of 4-day matches against every other team. With a target of 112 overs (6.5 hours) daily play, games are only marginally shorter than a typical test match (90 overs/day). Points are awarded based on the results of the matches, and after each team has played each other once, the two highest ranked teams play a 5-day final, in early April.

A limited 50 over competition known as the State Shield was run from late December to the end of January, culminating with a semifinal (2v3) and final (the semifinal winner against the top qualifier) early in February.

In 2006, a provincial Twenty20 competition was begun, and was played over one month during February and into early March each year. The top two sides qualified for that final. It was called the State Twenty20.

Plunket Shield reinstated

With State Insurance withdrawing from their sponsorship, the Plunket Shield was reinstated for the 2009–10 season. New Zealand Cricket has stated that the naming rights are no longer for sale and that the name Plunket Shield will remain.[2] The final has also been abolished, meaning that the champion of the competition will be determined by the points leader at the end of the double round robin.

Teams

Team Entered
competition
Most recent
win
Wins
(counted since 1921–22 season)
Auckland Aces (Auckland) 1906/07 2015/16 23
Wellington Firebirds (Wellington) 1906/07 2003/04 20
Canterbury Wizards (Canterbury) 1906/07 2014/15 18
Otago Volts (Otago/Southland) 1906/07 1987/88 13
Hawke's Bay (Hawke's Bay) 1914/15 - 1920/21 0
Central Districts Stags (Hawke's Bay/Taranaki/Manawatu/Nelson/Marlborough) 1950/51 2012/13 9
Northern Districts Knights (Northland/Bay of Plenty/Waikato/Gisborne) 1956/57 2011/12 8

Points system

Points are awarded at the conclusion of each match during the season. With no final, the team with the most points is declared the champion. The points system for the 2011/12 season is as follows

Winners

The early winners of the competition during its "challenge match" period to 1921–22 were:

Season Winner Runner-up
1921–22 Auckland Wellington
1922–23 Canterbury Wellington
1923–24 Wellington Auckland
1924–25 Otago Canterbury
1925–26 Wellington Auckland
1926–27 Auckland Wellington
1927–28 Wellington Canterbury
1928–29 Auckland Wellington
1929–30 Wellington Auckland
1930–31 Canterbury Auckland
1931–32 Wellington Canterbury
1932–33 Otago Canterbury
1933–34 Auckland Otago
1934–35 Canterbury Auckland
1935–36 Wellington Auckland
1936–37 Auckland Otago
1937–38 Auckland Otago
1938–39 Auckland Canterbury
1939–40 Auckland Canterbury
1940–45 (not contested due to World War II)
1945–46 Canterbury Auckland
1946–47 Auckland Wellington
1947–48 Otago Canterbury
1948–49 Canterbury Otago
1949–50 Wellington Canterbury
1950–51 Otago Central Districts
1951–52 Canterbury Auckland
1952–53 Otago Central Districts
1953–54 Central Districts Auckland
1954–55 Wellington Canterbury
1955–56 Canterbury Auckland
1956–57 Wellington Otago
1957–58 Otago Auckland
1958–59 Auckland Otago
1959–60 Canterbury Otago
1960–61 Wellington Canterbury
1961–62 Wellington Auckland
1962–63 Northern Districts Wellington
1963–64 Auckland Wellington
1964–65 Canterbury Central Districts
1965–66 Wellington Canterbury
1966–67 Central Districts Canterbury
1967–68 Central Districts Canterbury
1968–69 Auckland Canterbury
1969–70 Otago Central Districts
1970–71 Central Districts Wellington
1971–72 Otago Auckland
1972–73 Wellington Auckland
1973–74 Wellington Canterbury
1974–75 Otago Canterbury
1975–76 Canterbury Otago
1976–77 Otago Central Districts
1977–78 Auckland Canterbury
1978–79 Otago Central Districts
1979–80 Northern Districts Wellington
1980–81 Auckland Canterbury
1981–82 Wellington Northern Districts
1982–83 Wellington Central Districts
1983–84 Canterbury Central Districts
1984–85 Wellington Auckland
1985–86 Otago Auckland
1986–87 Central Districts Otago
1987–88 Otago Auckland
1988–89 Auckland Wellington
1989–90 Wellington Canterbury
1990–91 Auckland Canterbury
1991–92 Central Districts & Northern Districts
1992–93 Northern Districts Otago
1993–94 Canterbury Auckland
1994–95 Auckland Wellington
1995–96 Auckland Wellington
1996–97 Canterbury Otago
1997–98 Canterbury Northern Districts
1998–99 Central Districts Stags Otago Volts
1999–00 Northern Districts Knights Auckland Aces
2000–01 Wellington Firebirds Northern Districts Knights
2001–02 Auckland Aces Wellington Firebirds
2002–03 Auckland Aces Wellington Firebirds
2003–04 Wellington Firebirds Canterbury Wizards
2004–05 Auckland Aces Wellington Firebirds
2005–06 Central Districts Stags Wellington Firebirds
2006–07 Northern Districts Knights Canterbury Wizards
2007–08 Canterbury Wizards Wellington Firebirds
2008–09 Auckland Aces Central Districts Stags
2009–10 Northern Districts Knights Canterbury Wizards
2010–11 Canterbury Wizards Otago Volts
2011-12 Northern Districts Knights Central Districts Stags
2012-13 Central Districts Stags Otago Volts
2013-14 Canterbury Wizards Otago Volts
2014-15 Canterbury Wizards Auckland Aces
2015-16 Auckland Aces Canterbury Wizards

References

  1. "Plunket Shield returns as premier domestic first-class trophy". New Zealand Cricket. Retrieved 20 June 2010.
  2. "New Zealand bring back Plunket Shield". Cricinfo.com. 4 November 2009.
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