Hawke Cup history will be made over the next three days no matter what in Rangiora, as Waikato Valley proudly makes its first ever Hawke Cup Challenge.
Waikato Valley formed 20 years ago as a result of District amalgamation, and this is the first season that it has won the right to make Zone 1's annual Challenge - beating out the local likes of Bay of Plenty and Hamilton who both have strong recent records in the Hawke Cup.
The Hawke Cup is a fierce, hard-fought interprovincial competition of three-day red-ball matches that reaches back well over a century to 1910.
Waikato Valley will be making the maiden Challenge against current holder Canterbury Country who are meanwhile determined to keep hold of the historic piece of silverware.
The holders have chalked up a record of their own for most successful defences by their side (three), and will play the match at their bone-dry home ground of Mainpower Oval, with the Canterbury-Central Stags Plunket Shield match to follow immediately after, from Monday 13 March, on the opposite side of the block.
In the interim, Zone 2 qualifier Hawke's Bay had originally been scheduled to challenge holder Canterbury Country in Rangiora two weeks ago - before Cyclone Gabrielle severely impacted the Hawke's Bay region, that Challenge postponed in light of the impact on the Hawke's Bay community.
The Zone 1 Challenge from Waikato Valley (Friday 10-Sunday 12 March 2023) had been slated to be the final Challenge Match of this season, but the Zone 2 Challenge will now be rescheduled in due course.
Waikato Valley was formed in 2003, a result of an amalgamation between the areas formerly represented by Thames Valley Cricket and Midlands Cricket.
It covers a rural swathe in the greater Waikato region, including the towns of Cambridge, Morrinsville, Matamata, Te Kauwhata, Thames and the Coromandel Peninsula, Waihi, Te Awamutu, Otorohanga, Te Kuiti, Taumaranui and Mangakino.
Canterbury Country has named two potential debutants in its squad, Ryan Hughes and yet another Foulkes sibling in Robbie Foulkes joining a squad that includes Canterbury first-class representatives Harry Chamberlain and unorthodox spinner Blake Coburn.
The match will be live-scored from 10.30am tomorrow at www.nzc.nz and on the NZC app.
CANTERBURY COUNTRY SQUAD
Sam Chamberlain
Callum Cameron
Harry Chamberlain
Blake Coburn
Liam Foulkes
Robbie Foulkes
Tim Gruijters
Ryan Hughes
Matt Laffey
Archie Redfern
Angus Sidey
James Watson (w)
WAIKATO VALLEY SQUAD
Taylor Bettelheim
Matt Allen
Xavier Bell
James Field
Curtly Harper
Dillon Kelliher (w)
Campbell McGegg
Ethan Price
Edward Sclater
NJ Stannard
Chris Swanson
Alex Wilton
2022/23 HAWKE CUP CHALLENGE MATCHES
27-29 January 2023
Hawke Cup Holder Canterbury Country retained the Hawke Cup against Zone 3 challenger Nelson at Mainpower Oval, Rangiora
10-12 February 2023
Hawke Cup Holder Canterbury Country retained the Hawke Cup v Zone 4 Challenger Otago Country at Mainpower Oval, Rangiora
24-26 February 2023
Hawke Cup Holder Canterbury Country v Zone 2 Challenger, 2022/23 Furlong Cup winner Hawke's Bay
Match postponed due to Cyclone Gabrielle, new dates to be advised with Hawke's Bay to play the current holder at that time
10-12 March 2023
Hawke Cup Holder Canterbury Country v Zone 1 Challenger Waikato Valley at Mainpower Oval, Rangiora
