Get the picnic basket ready because The Ford Trophy is coming to a town near you and earlier than usual this season!
New Zealand’s national men’s one-day cricket competition kicks off Wednesday this week and, with an extra two rounds this season, we’ve got more chances than ever to check out this great-value entertainment for ourselves.
From Invercargill to Whangarei and Auckland, Hamilton, New Plymouth, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch, Lincoln and Dunedin in between, it’s a great way to spend time chilling with mates and family.
At many venues it will even be FREE admission to go see hard-fought, quality one-day cricket played at the country’s most beautiful grounds!
Firebirds captain Hamish Bennett is excited about that! PHOTOSPORT
You might get to see recent BLACKCAPS in action for the team — and there will definitely be future BLACKCAPS, for this is an important finishing school for our next generation of big-hitting and wicket-smashing stars.
Two teams have dominated The Ford Trophy over the past decade and they’re both at home in an exciting opening round this Wednesday.
A proud moment last summer for Aces captain Craig Cachopa. PHOTOSPORT
Defending champions the Auckland Aces will be trying to hit Northern Districts out of the park at Eden Park Outer Oval, with the Mobil station across Sandringham road always seeming to attract a few sixes! And it will be FREE entry to see the Central Stags open their white-ball summer at Nelson’s stunning Saxton Oval, against the recharged Otago Volts.
Josh Clarkson is one of four Nelson Stags at Saxton Oval. PHOTOSPORT
The Aces won the title in 2010/11 and 2012/13 as well as last season and, with 11 championship wins since the dawn of the format in early 1970s, they are closing the gap on Canterbury who hold the New Zealand record with 14.
Canterbury’s most recent victory was two seasons ago, when they were ecstatic to beat the Wellington Firebirds in the Grand Final at Rangiora — it broke a long title drought for the red and blacks.
Canterbury had made the Grand Final the previous summer, too, only to lose to the Central Stags at Pukekura Park that year. The Stags became back-to-back champs and have won three trophies in the last 10 years.
One-day cricket packs plenty of action. PHOTOSPORT
Grand Finalists for three of the past four years, that record would make you think they’ll be one of the teams to beat again this year, but there are a couple of big questions for pundits to ponder.
First, losing at home in Taranaki last summer to the Aces was another painful blow for the Stags after having lost the Burger King Super Smash Grand Final to the Knights last season as well. If the team can bash their way into another Grand Final this summer, they will be very eager to put those bad memories behind them and show they can step up under pressure.
Secondly, 2018/19 is a totally clean slate. All the teams start again, and none more so than the Stags who have a new-look side and a debut captain in Doug Bracewell, after 2015/16 title-winning captain Will Young elected to step down to focus on his batting.
New captain Doug Bracewell's experience will be vital. PHOTOSPORT
Like regular Stags stars Tom Bruce, George Worker, Blair Tickner, Ajaz Patel and even coach Heinrich Malan, Young is currently away representing New Zealand A in the United Arab Emirates.
With a home New Zealand A Series to follow here in New Zealand next month, against India A, it’s likely to impact a few sides with their regular match-winners away — and that means great opportunities for the next wave of players to make a real name for themselves, as we’ve seen already in the first two rounds of Plunket Shield this summer.
The one-day game has really evolved in New Zealand over the past few years, with the innovation and bravado of T20 showing 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!
And for the players, there are plenty of carrots with a $60,000 prize pool at stake in this summer's Ford Trophy Grand Final, $45,000 going to the winner and $15,000 to the runner-up. You know which side you'd rather be on!
ROUND ONE
11am WEDNESDAY 24 OCTOBER 2018
Auckland Aces v Northern Districts
Eden Park Outer Oval, Auckland
ADMISSION: Gold coin donation at the gate
AUCKLAND ACES Craig Cachopa (captain), Finn Allen, Michael Barry, Graeme Beghin, Jamie Brown, Danru Ferns, Ben Horne (w), Mitchell McClenaghan, Matt McEwan, Robbie O’Donnell, Sean Solia, Will Somerville
NORTHERN DISTRICTS Dean Brownlie (captain), Peter Bocock, Trent Boult, Henry Cooper, Anton Devcich, Daniel Flynn, Zak Gibson, Brett Hampton, Nick Kelly, Daryl Mitchell, Brett Randell, Neil Wagner
Wellington Firebirds v Canterbury
Basin Reserve, Wellington
FREE admission!
CANTERBURY Cole McConchie (captain), Chad Bowes, Andrew Ellis, Cameron Fletcher (w), Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Stephen Murdoch, Henry Nicholls, Fraser Sheat, Henry Shipley, Will Williams, Theo van Woerkom
Central Stags v Otago Volts
Saxton Oval, Nelson
FREE admission!
CENTRAL STAGS Doug Bracewell (captain), Ma’ara Ave, Kieran Noema-Barnett, Josh Clarkson, Greg Hay, Christian Leopard, Willem Ludick, Ryan McCone, Felix Murray, Navin Patel, Bevan Small, Ben S. Smith
OTAGO VOLTS Mark Craig (co-captain), Jacob Duffy (co-captain), Matt Bacon, Warren Barnes, Neil Broom, Josh Finnie, Shawn Hicks, Anaru Kitchen, Mitch Renwick (w), Michael Rippon, Hamish Rutherford, Nathan Smith
The Ford Trophy: recent champions
2017/18 Auckland Aces (defeated Central Stags at Pukekura Park)
2016/17 Canterbury (defeated Wellington Firebirds at Rangiora)
2015/16 Central Stags (defeated Canterbury at Pukekura Park)
2014/15 Central Stags (defeated Auckland Aces at Colin Maiden Park)
2013/14 Wellington Firebirds (defeated Northern Districts at Bay Oval)
2012/13 Auckland Aces (defeated Canterbury at Eden Park Outer Oval)
2011/12 Central Stags (defeated Auckland Aces at Pukekura Park)
2010/11 Auckland Aces (defeated Canterbury at Queen Elizabeth II Park, Christchurch)
2009/10 Northern Districts (defeated Auckland Aces at Colin Maiden Park)
2008/09 Northern Districts (defeated Otago Volts at Seddon Park)
