New Zealand first-class cricket championship

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

Contents

Plunket Shield

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. Two other teams, Central Districts and Northern Districts, entered in the 1950s.

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 2008-09 22
Wellington Firebirds (Wellington) 1906–07 2003-04 20
Canterbury Wizards (Canterbury) 1906–07 2010-11 16
Otago Volts (Otago/Southland) 1906–07 1987-88 13
Central Districts Stags (Hawke's Bay/Taranaki/Manawatu/Nelson/Marlborough) 1950–51 2005-06 8
Northern Districts Knights (Northland/Bay of Plenty/Waikato/Gisborne) 1956–57 2009-10 7

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
1922–23 Canterbury
1923–24 Wellington
1924–25 Otago
1925–26 Wellington
1926–27 Auckland
1927–28 Wellington
1928–29 Auckland
1929–30 Wellington
1930–31 Canterbury
1931–32 Wellington
1932–33 Otago
1933–34 Auckland
1934–35 Canterbury
1935–36 Wellington
1936–37 Auckland
1937–38 Auckland
1938–39 Auckland
1939–40 Auckland
1940–45 (not contested due to World War II)
1945–46 Canterbury
1946–47 Auckland
1947–48 Otago
1948–49 Canterbury
1949–50 Wellington
1950–51 Otago
1951–52 Canterbury
1952–53 Otago
1953–54 Central Districts
1954–55 Wellington
1955–56 Canterbury
1956–57 Wellington
1957–58 Otago
1958–59 Auckland
1959–60 Canterbury
1960–61 Wellington
1961–62 Wellington
1962–63 Northern Districts
1963–64 Auckland
1964–65 Canterbury
1965–66 Wellington
1966–67 Central Districts
1967–68 Central Districts
1968–69 Auckland
1969–70 Otago
1970–71 Central Districts
1971–72 Otago
1972–73 Wellington
1973–74 Wellington
1974–75 Otago
1975–76 Canterbury
1976–77 Otago
1977–78 Auckland
1978–79 Otago
1979–80 Northern Districts
1980–81 Auckland
1981–82 Wellington
1982–83 Wellington
1983–84 Canterbury
1984–85 Wellington
1985–86 Otago
1986–87 Central Districts
1987–88 Otago
1988–89 Auckland
1989–90 Wellington
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 Central Districts Stags
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

See also

References