Get the picnic basket ready because The Ford Trophy is coming to a town near you.
New Zealand’s national men’s one-day cricket competition kicks off this Saturday in Nelson, Invercargill and Christchurch, taking FREE top drawer entertainment right around the country.
From Invercargill to Whangārei, Auckland, Hamilton, New Plymouth, Wellington, Palmerston North, Mt Maunganui, Queenstown and Dunedin, this is a travelling cricket roadshow that's hugely accessible - a great way to spend time over the weekends or long weekends (with three matches on Waitangi Day, 6 February) chilling with mates and family at the country’s most beautiful grounds.
You might get to see BLACKCAPS in action for their team — and there will definitely be future BLACKCAPS because this is an important finishing school for our next generation of big-hitting and wicket-smashing stars.
The Central Stags won The Ford Trophy last year in style, and they’re kicking off at home at Nelson's stunning Saxton Oval in an exciting opening round clash with a strong Northern Districts line-up.
TIM PRINGLE RETURNS FOR ND | PHOTOSPORT
All games begin at 10.30am, with the toss at 10am and gates open, and the matches livestreamed/livescored as well on NZC YouTube and on the NZC app and at NZC.nz
Last year's runner-up Canterbury is at home in Christchurch to the Wellington Firebirds who will have quick bowler Adam Milne in their artillery, as well as highly watchable stars Ben Sears and Logan van Beek - at Hagley Oval.
LOGAN VAN BEEK | PHOTOSPORT
Jacob Duffy, Dean Foxcroft, a returning Hamish Rutherford fizzed up for his first game of the summer, and all the rest of the Otago Volts are meanwhile excited for their first game at Queen's Park, Invercargill in five years, against the Auckland Aces who won this title two years ago.
BLACKCAP DEAN FOXCROFT | PHOTOSPORT
This match also has the Ross Dykes Memorial Trophy on the line, a special contest between the two teams, while you might spot Auckland Blues rugby player and former NZ Under 19 cricketer Jock McKenzie in the Aces' camp, with the word that the uncapped player will run the drinks.
Super talented JOCK McKENZIE | PHOTOSPORT
Meanwhile Jock's brother Angus is in the injury-hit Canterbury squad, where debuts are guaranteed with three uncapped players named in the squad.
One-day cricket packs plenty of action, as GEORGE WORKER demonstrates | PHOTOSPORT
The Aces love The Ford Trophy: they've won it three times in the last six seasons, more than anyone else in recent times. Canterbury has 15 titles overall but the Aces will be closing in, if the Aucklanders can become the one-day kings this season.
WILL O'ROURKE AND CHAD BOWES HELPED WIN LAST YEAR'S ELIMINATOR | PHOTOSPORT
After a double round robin, and then a 2 v 3 Elimination playoff to join the top qualifier, the Grand Final will take place later in summer, on 24 February 2024.
The competition bookends the Dream11 Super Smash holiday season window, before the Plunket Shield red-ball championship rounds out the New Zealand Domestic season.
As we all saw at the recent ICC Men's World Cup in India, the one-day game is now a fast game full of the innovation, confidence and bravado of T20 that shows its influence in bold strokeplay and aggressive white-ball bowling.
The action never stops, but the 50-over format and power play rules also introduce more strategy, ebb and flow, and gripping fightbacks over the course of the game. Great watching!
BLACKCAP Dane Cleaver is captaining the Stags | PHOTOSPORT
ROUND ONE
10.30am
SATURDAY, 24 November 2023
At Saxton Oval, Nelson
CENTRAL STAGS
Dane Cleaver (c, w), Jack Boyle, Will Clark, Josh Clarkson, Liam Dudding, Jayden Lennox, Angus Schaw, Brad Schmulian, Bevan Small, Ben Smith, Blair Tickner, Ray Toole
versus
NORTHERN DISTRICTS
Jeet Raval (c), Joe Carter, Katene Clarke, Kristian Clarke, Henry Cooper, Matt Fisher, Brett Hampton, Zak Gibson, Scott Kuggeleijn, Tim Seifert (w), Tim Pringle, Joe Walker
•••
At Hagley Oval, Christchurch
CANTERBURY
Cole McConchie (c), Chad Bowes, Matt Boyle, Harry Chamberlain, Zak Foulkes, Mitch Hay (w), Dylan Hunter (uncapped), Bevon Jacobs (uncapped), Angus McKenzie, Will O'Rourke, Michael Rippon, Cam Paul (uncapped)
versus
WELLINGTON FIREBIRDS
Nick Kelly (c), Nick Greenwood (uncapped), Troy Johnson, Callum McLachlan, Adam Milne, Ollie Newton, Tim Robinson, Ben Sears, Gareth Severin (uncapped), Jesse Tashkoff (uncapped), Logan van Beek, Peter Younghusband
•••
At Queen's Park, Invercargill
OTAGO VOLTS
Dean Foxcroft (c), Matt Bacon, Max Chu, Jacob Duffy, Luke Georgeson, Llew Johnson, Ben Lockrose, Travis Muller, Thorn Parkes, Dale Phillips, Hamish Rutherford, Ollie White (uncapped)
versus
AUCKLAND ACES
Sean Solia (c), Finn Allen, Adi Ashok, Louis Delport, Danru Ferns, Cam Fletcher, Matt Gibson, Ryan Harrison, Jock McKenzie (uncapped), Robbie O'Donnell, Will O'Donnell, George Worker
The Ford Trophy: recent champions
2022/23 Stags (defeated Canterbury at McLean Park)
2021/22 Aces (defeated Stags in Queenstown)
2020/19 Canterbury (defeated ND in Christchurch)
2019/20 Aces (defeated Volts in Auckland)
2018/19 Firebirds (defeated Volts in Dunedin)
2017/18 Aces (defeated Stags at Pukekura Park)
2016/17 Canterbury (defeated Firebirds at Rangiora)
2015/16 Stags (defeated Canterbury at Pukekura Park)
2014/15 Stags (defeated Aces at Colin Maiden Park)
2013/14 Firebirds (defeated ND at Bay Oval)
2012/13 Aces (defeated Canterbury at Eden Park Outer Oval)
2011/12 Stags (defeated Aces at Pukekura Park)
2010/11 Aces (defeated Canterbury at QE II Park, Christchurch)
2009/10 ND (defeated Aces at Colin Maiden Park)
2008/09 ND (defeated Volts at Seddon Park)
