Schedules Announced for NZ Domestic Season

New Zealand Cricket have released the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield (HBJ), Ford Trophy and Plunket Shield Schedule for the 2023/24 season. Four matches across the HBJ Shield and the Ford Trophy will be played as day/night matches.

The Plunket Shield season will once again kick off the summer in Aotearoa with the first games of the season starting on Friday 20th of October. The Auckland Aces will take on the reigning champions the Central Stags, the Northern Districts side will host the Otago Volts in Hamilton and the Wellington Firebirds will do battle with Canterbury in Wellington.

The Plunket Shield season will take a break for the limited overs format, with the first four rounds finishing on the 18th of October and then restarting at the end of February. The final games of the season are between the Aces and Canterbury who play in Auckland, Northern Districts and the Wellington Firebirds in Hamilton and the Stags and Volts in Napier. The season will come to a close on Wednesday the 27th of March.

Bay Oval in Mt Maunganui will host one of three day/night games in the Women's Competition. Photo - Vincent Jones

The HBJ Shield will kick off on the 18th of November. This season is significant for women’s cricket in Aotearoa as the competition will be entirely played at first-class accredited venues. Like most seasons, games will take place on Saturday’s and Sunday’s. The first round games are being played in Whangārei, Palmerston North and Wellington. The following weekend, the Northern Districts side will take on the reigning champions, the Welington Blaze in Hamilton, with the first ever day/night women’s 50 over match taking place. In the New Zealand Cricket press release they stated that “NZC seeks to better prepare domestic players for international cricket.”

Day/night matches will also be played in Mt Maunganui with the Northern side hosting the Canterbury Magicians and in Christchurch with the Magicians hosting the Auckland Hearts. The final for the competition will take place on Sunday 25th of February.

Kennards Hire Community Oval in Auckland will host 13 games across the Men’s and Women’s competitions this summer. Photo - Vincent Jones

The Ford Trophy season will kick off on the 25th of November in Nelson, Christchurch and Invercargill. The game at Queen’s Park in Invercargill will be significant as it is hosting its first List A game of cricket in five years after the ground had to undergo drainage improvements.

The one day regular season will end for the men on the 18th of February with the elimination taking place on the 21st and the final on Saturday the 24th of February.