Hawke Cup

The Hawke Cup is a cricket competition for New Zealand's District Associations. Apart from 1910/11, 1912/13 and 2000/01 the competition has always been on a challenge basis. To win the Hawke Cup the challenger must beat the holder on their home ground. Teams from New Zealand's four "main centres", Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin have not usually competed for the Hawke Cup, although they did participate in the latter half of the 1990s. They were excluded again from the 2000/01 season. Since then, the team from Hamilton, the city at the centre of New Zealand's fourth largest urban area, has been the strongest team in the competition.

Origin

The Plunket Shield for New Zealand's major cricket associations was inaugurated in 1907. In 1910 Lord Hawke donated a challenge cup for competition among the minor associations.^[1] The first match, in December 1910, resulted in a victory to Manawatu over Wairarapa. The first holders, decided in the final match of the 1910-11 season, were Southland.

Title holders, 1910-11 to 1999-2000

Note: The title can change hands more than once during a season. In 1927-28, for example, Wanganui took the title from Taranaki in the first match, held it for three matches, then lost it in the fifth match to Manawatu, who retained it in the last match of the season.

From 1985-86 to 1994-95 the competition was called the U-Bix Cup; from 1995-96 to 1997-98 it was the Fuji Xerox Cup; in 1998-99 it was the National District Championship.

Recent history

Records

Current players can only play a maximum of 4 Hawke Cup Challenge matches a season, and that is only for members of the team holding the Hawke Cup and defeating every challenger (first defence within their own zone and defeating the winners of the other three zones). Historically there have only been between 2 and 6 Hawke Cup Challenge matches every year for the holders, so it has been difficult for players to build much of a record unless they have been part of a strong team and have had a lengthy career.

Nevertheless, 18 players have scored more than 1000 runs and 8 players have taken more than 90 wickets.

The only current player who has more than 1000 runs is G.G. Robinson of Hamilton. (April 2008)

Current Structure

There are 4 regional zones in the Hawke Cup.

After a round robin within each zone, the winners of each zone get a Hawke Cup Challenge as part of the challenge series against the current holders on a rotational basis. For example 2010/11 holders North Otago played the winner of their own zone (Otago Country) in the first challenge (or the second place team should they win their own zone) followed by challenges by the winners of zone 3, 2 and 1. The team with the Hawke Cup at the end of the challenge series holds it for the winter. Hawke Cup games are played over 3 days. To win the Hawke Cup a challenger must beat the holder outright or win on the first innings on the holder's home ground.

Team of the Century

In January 2011, to mark 100 years of Hawke Cup cricket, a "Team of the Century" was named. Selection was based on the player’s outstanding performances in the Hawke Cup and also on their contribution to their district while playing. In batting order:^[2]

• Mike Wright (wk) – Bay of Plenty
• Roger Pierce – Nelson
• Robert Anderson – Southland, Northland and Manawatu
• Richard Hoskin – Southland
• Brian Dunning – Northland
• Ian Leggat – Nelson and Hawke's Bay
• Barry Hampton – Nelson
• Dave Spence – Nelson
• Gren Alabaster (captain) – Southland
• Alistar Jordan – Taranaki
• Russell Merrin – North Canterbury
• Norman Gallichan (12th man) – Manawatu

Former teams

These teams have played in the Hawke Cup in the past:

• North Harbour
• Auckland-Waitakere
• Auckland-Manukau
• Thames Valley
• Midlands
• Rangitikei
• Southern Hawke's Bay
• Hutt Valley
• Wellington City
• Dunedin Metropolitan

References

External links

A scoreboard of almost every Hawke Cup Challenge game ever played