The Plunket Shield arrives at the pointy end this week and it’s down to a two-horse race between the two outstanding sides of the season.
The champion will sweep NZC’s $75,000 prize for New Zealand’s first-class championship, 111 years after the coveted title was first claimed. The runner-up will receive nothing, bar a pat on a back and a hollow “Hard luck, well done on a great season.”
Hamish Bennett's 33 wickets have helped keep the Firebirds on track. PHOTOSPORT
The two teams gunning for glory are the Central Stags and the Wellington Firebirds. So, let’s get this out of the way early: the Stags made but lost both this summer’s national domestic white-ball Grand Finals; being bridesmaids again in red ball would be the kind of hat-trick no team wants.
Out to secure, at last, some tangible reward for an otherwise impressive season, the Stags hold a four-point lead over their neighbours and capital rivals heading into their crunch finale against Northern Districts in Napier.
Allrounder Corey Anderson rolling the arm over in the Nelson Park nets today. MButcher/NZC
ND — the very side that did them a points table favour last week and whipped the Firebirds, while the Stags crushed Canterbury. Until then, the Firebirds had managed to keep their noses in front on the table, the Stags on their heels all summer. Now, it’s the Stags with the advantage of being able to control their own destiny.
Blair Tickner is one of a number of pacemen around the country to step up this summer. MButcher/NZC
The post-Easter weather forecast for Napier is ideal and, although the rarely used Nelson Park block traditionally doesn’t offer as much as neighbouring McLean Park, forecast dry conditions may help it turn on the last day.
“I don’t think it will turn too much, though, to be quite honest,” comments Central Stags off-spinner Ajaz Patel, who heads into the final round as the country’s leading wicket-taker — a title he has held for the past two summers as well.
Ajaz Patel enters the final round on 42 wickets from eight games. MButcher/NZC
“I haven’t seen that pitch turn heaps. If the match goes late into day four, obviously it may offer as a bit, but traditionally it’s been seamer-friendly up front, and then flattens out quite a bit. So, I’m expecting the game will be a tough four days, and we’re going to have to keep fighting and work really hard. But I think we’ve for the guys in the sheds capable of doing that for us.”
The Stags previously met ND away at the Mount in the very first round of the season, a match that will forever be remembered for Brad Schmulian of the Stags scoring a double century on debut, but which also rates as one of their toughest encounters of the season — along with their two head-to-head clashes with the Firebirds.
A tough summer but ND are no easybeats. MButcher/NZC
Forced onto the back foot, the Stags did well to hold on for a draw on that occasion. But that was Labour Weekend last year, and now here we are in Easter 2018. Does it still count for anything?
“ND is a quality side, and have been right from the start of the season,” says Patel. “It’s great that they have done us a favour by beating the Wellington Firebirds, but obviously, going into the last round — we want to win.”
ND captain Daniel Flynn is in sight of his 6000th first-class run for his team. MButcher/NZC
While ND is missing their spin ball wizard Ish Sodhi — the kingpin of the last two rounds now back in the BLACKCAPS’ Test squad, they have a stacked side, good balance, experienced leadership, and they’re peaking.
Even with a strong line-up themselves, the unchanged Stags will meanwhile know they will need to be on their game.
In Auckland, there have been scattered showers about in the lead-up, and a few more are presently forecast for day three — but Outer Oval drains like a sieve and wet weather should not be a factor in denying a result.
Look who's back for the Aces! PHOTOSPORT
The Aces have got an extra trump card in this match with the inclusion of BLACKCAP Martin Guptill, who has seldom seemed anything but hazardous to passing cars and pedestrians at the boutique ground. They have also brought in a potential debutant in Auckland A rep Louis Delport, the leading wicket-taker in this year’s Auckland premier club cricket.
“We can’t finish any higher than third, but that’s not to say we aren’t going out there on Monday to play our best cricket, says captain Michael Guptill-Bunce, who will be captaining his cousin Marty in the match.
“Personal pride is on the line as well as vying for positions next year.”
Will Aces quick Lockie Ferguson could be going head-to-head with Ben Sears? PHOTOSPORT
And the Firebirds? Determined and dangerous, despite a couple of rounds now without a win. They need to get back on the horse, with the winning post in sight. They also have a potential debutant in their mix with the inclusion of 20-year-old right-arm quick — very quick — Ben Sears, a former NZU19 rep whose father Mike played 20 first-class matches for the side.
The way the Plunket Shield works, there are 20 points available to each side per round. Eight of those are earned by meeting certain batting and bowling targets in the first innings, and the remaining 12 are what you get if you manage to win the game outright.
The Stags, on 127 points heading into the final match of 2017/18, need 17 points over the next four days to take the Shield beyond the Firebirds' grasp — they also have by far the best net runs-per-wicket ratio, so even 16 points might well be enough.
The Firebirds, on 123 points, simply need to haul in the four-point deficit (which is possible on the first innings alone) and then wind up with more points than whatever the Stags manage to accrue. Preferably, from the Firebirds' perspective, with an outright, in a humid early autumn on a ground that could well produce result cricket. That’s right, people: this gripping season is going Right. Down. To. The. Wire.
Firebirds captain Bracewell eyes up two of the Stags' top performers of 2017/18, Hay & Patel. PHOTOSPORT
Michael Bracewell's Firebirds have not won the Plunket Shield for 14 years; Will Young's Stags are looking for their first title since Kieran Noema-Barnett was captain in 2012/13. And for it to be third time lucky this season, as if they need a reminder.
Only one thing is certain. For one of these two remarkably dominant teams of 2017/18, it will all end in tears.
ROUND 10 of 10
Monday 2 April-Thursday 5 April 2018
All Round 10 matches begin at the slightly earlier time of 10am
Entry is free at all venues
Central Stags v Northern Districts at Nelson Park, Napier
Greg Hay has scored a half century or better in every match. MButcher/NZC
Central Stags: Will Young (c), Greg Hay, George Worker, Ben Smith, Tom Bruce, Dane Cleaver (w), Willem Ludick, Doug Bracewell, Adam Milne, Ajaz Patel, Seth Rance, Blair Tickner
Northern Districts: Daniel Flynn (c), Corey Anderson, Brent Arnel, James Baker, Henry Cooper, Anton Devcich, Zak Gibson, Scott Kuggelelijn, Nick Kelly, Daryl Mitchell, Bharat Popli, Tim Seifert (w), Joe Walker
Auckland Aces v Wellington Firebirds at Eden Park Outer Oval, Auckland
Top paceman Matt McEwan has 36 wickets heading into Round 10. PHOTOSPORT
Auckland Aces: Michael Guptill-Bunce (c), Mark Chapman, Louis Delport (potential first-class and Auckland Aces debut), Lockie Ferguson, Danru Ferns, Martin Guptill, Ben Horne, Ben Lister, Matt McEwan, Robbie O’Donnell, Glenn Phillips, Sean Solia
Wellington Firebirds: Michael Bracewell (c), Hamish Bennett, Tom Blundell (w), Devon Conway, Iain McPeake, Stephen Murdoch, Ollie Newton, Malcolm Nofal, Michael Papps, Jeetan Patel, Ben Sears, Logan van Beek, Luke Woodcock
Otago Volts v Canterbury at University of Otago Oval, Dunedin
Warren Barnes makes his return for the southern derby. PHOTOSPORT
Otago Volts: Rob Nicol (c), Matt Bacon, Neil Broom, Derek de Boorder (w), Jacob Duffy, Anaru Kitchen, Jimmy Neesham, Michael Rae, Michael Rippon, Hamish Rutherford, Nathan Smith, Brad Wilson, Warren Barnes
Canterbury: Cole McConchie (c), Chad Bowes, Michael Davidson, Ken McClure, Jeff Case, Andrew Ellis, Cameron Fletcher (w), Kyle Jamieson, Will Williams, Andrew Hazeldine, Theo van Woerkom, Blake Coburn
