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

• Won: 12 points
• Lost: 0 points
• Draw: 0 points
• Tie: 6 points
• One-innings match won (match that started with 10 hours or less playing time remaining): 6 points
• One-innings match tie: 3 points
• Abandoned (without a ball bowled) / No result (drawn one-innings match): 2 points
• Batting points: First Innings only up to 110 overs – first point at 250 runs, second point at 300 runs, third point at 350 runs, fourth point at 400 runs
• Bowling points: First Innings only up to 110 overs – first point at 3 wickets, second point at 5 wickets, third point at 7 wickets, fourth point at 9 wickets

Winners

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

• 1906–07 – Canterbury
• 1907–08 – Auckland
• 1908–09 – Auckland
• 1909–10 – Auckland
• 1910–11 – Canterbury
• 1911–12 – Auckland
• 1912–13 – Canterbury
• 1913–14 – Canterbury
• 1914–15 – Canterbury
• 1915–18 – no competition due to World War I
• 1918–19 – Wellington (Dec 1918 to Jan 1919) and Canterbury (from Jan 1919)
• 1919–20 – Auckland
• 1920–21 – Wellington

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 Stags	Otago Volts
1999–00	Northern Knights	Auckland Aces
2000–01	Wellington Firebirds	Northern 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 Stags	Wellington Firebirds
2006–07	Northern Knights	Canterbury Wizards
2007–08	Canterbury Wizards	Wellington Firebirds
2008–09	Auckland Aces	Central Stags
2009–10	Northern Knights	Canterbury Wizards
2010–11	Canterbury Wizards	Otago Volts
2011-12	Northern Knights	Central Stags
2012-13	Central Stags	Otago Volts
2013-14	Canterbury Wizards	Otago Volts
2014-15	Canterbury Wizards	Auckland Aces
2015-16	Auckland Aces	Canterbury
2016–17

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.