Plunket Shield


New Zealand has had a domestic first-class cricket championship since the 1906–07 season. Since the 2009–10 season it has been known by its original name of the Plunket Shield.

History

The competition was instigated in October 1906 with the donation of a shield by William Plunket, 5th Baron Plunket, the Governor-General of New Zealand. For the 1906-07 inaugural season, the Shield was allotted by the New Zealand Cricket Council "to the Association whose representative team it considers to have the best record for the season". After the Council awarded the Shield to Canterbury, chiefly because Canterbury were the only provincial team to beat the visiting MCC, Auckland representatives complained that Auckland should have received the Shield as their team was superior but had not had the chance to prove it as none of the other provincial teams had played Auckland during the season.
Beginning with the 1907-08 season, the competition was decided by challenge matches among Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury, Otago and, on two occasions, Hawke's Bay. Auckland defeated Canterbury by an innings in the first challenge match in December 1907.
A proposal in 1912 that the Shield should be decided by an inter-provincial tournament rather than by the challenge system was rejected as impracticable at the time. However, starting with the 1921–22 season, the four principal teams played each other in a single round-robin series of matches. Central Districts entered the competition in 1950–51, and Northern Districts in 1956–57.

Shell Trophy

became principal sponsor in 1974–75 and a new trophy was introduced. Games were played over three days during this period, with an over-limit on the first innings. In latter years the format was experimented with, introducing a shorter second round, various bonus points systems, and eventually a knockout final.

State Championship

The format and the principal sponsor were changed in 2001–02 season. State Insurance replaced Shell Oil. The competitions were renamed to reflect the new sponsor's name, so despite the fact that New Zealand does not have political 'states', the correct name for the first-class competition was the 'State Championship'. Each of the provincial teams played in a single round-robin series of four-day matches. There was a target of 112 overs in each day's play. After the round-robin the two highest-ranked teams played a five-day final.
A List A 50-over competition known as the State Shield was run from late December to the end of January, culminating with a semi-final and final early in February.
In 2006, a provincial Twenty20 competition was begun, and was played during February and early March. The top two sides qualified for the final. It was called the State Twenty20.

Plunket Shield reinstated

When State Insurance withdraw from their sponsorship, the Plunket Shield was reinstated for the 2009–10 season. New Zealand Cricket has stated that the naming rights are no longer for sale and that the name Plunket Shield will remain. The final has also been abolished, meaning that the champion of the competition will be determined by the points leader at the end of the double round robin.

Teams

Former teams

played twice in the Plunket Shield, in the 1914/15 and 1920/21 seasons, losing both matches.

Points system

Points are awarded at the conclusion of each match during the season. With no final, the team with the most points is declared the champion. The points system for the 2019/20 season is as follows
The holders of the shield during its "challenge match" period to 1921 were:
SeasonHoldersMatches
1906–07Canterbury–
1907–08Auckland1
1908–09Auckland2
1909–10Auckland3
1910–11Auckland, Canterbury2
1911–12Canterbury, Auckland3
1912–13Auckland, Canterbury3
1913–14Canterbury4
1914–15Canterbury4
1915–18no competition due to World War I–
1918–19Wellington, Canterbury3
1919–20Canterbury, Auckland3
1920–21Auckland, Wellington3

From the 1921–22 season the competition has been run on a round robin format.
SeasonWinnerRunner-up
1921–22AucklandWellington
1922–23CanterburyWellington
1923–24WellingtonAuckland
1924–25OtagoCanterbury
1925–26WellingtonAuckland
1926–27AucklandWellington
1927–28WellingtonCanterbury
1928–29AucklandWellington
1929–30WellingtonAuckland
1930–31CanterburyAuckland
1931–32WellingtonCanterbury
1932–33OtagoCanterbury
1933–34AucklandOtago
1934–35CanterburyAuckland
1935–36WellingtonAuckland
1936–37AucklandOtago
1937–38AucklandOtago
1938–39AucklandCanterbury
1939–40AucklandCanterbury
1940–45-
1945–46CanterburyAuckland
1946–47AucklandWellington
1947–48OtagoCanterbury
1948–49CanterburyOtago
1949–50WellingtonCanterbury
1950–51OtagoCentral Districts
1951–52CanterburyAuckland
1952–53OtagoCentral Districts
1953–54Central DistrictsAuckland
1954–55WellingtonCanterbury
1955–56CanterburyAuckland
1956–57WellingtonOtago
1957–58OtagoAuckland
1958–59AucklandOtago
1959–60CanterburyOtago
1960–61WellingtonCanterbury
1961–62WellingtonAuckland
1962–63Northern DistrictsWellington
1963–64AucklandWellington
1964–65CanterburyCentral Districts
1965–66WellingtonCanterbury
1966–67Central DistrictsCanterbury
1967–68Central DistrictsCanterbury
1968–69AucklandCanterbury
1969–70OtagoCentral Districts
1970–71Central DistrictsWellington
1971–72OtagoAuckland
1972–73WellingtonAuckland
1973–74WellingtonCanterbury
1974–75OtagoCanterbury
1975–76CanterburyOtago
1976–77OtagoCentral Districts
1977–78AucklandCanterbury
1978–79OtagoCentral Districts
1979–80Northern DistrictsWellington
1980–81AucklandCanterbury
1981–82WellingtonNorthern Districts
1982–83WellingtonCentral Districts
1983–84CanterburyCentral Districts
1984–85WellingtonAuckland
1985–86OtagoAuckland
1986–87Central DistrictsOtago
1987–88OtagoAuckland
1988–89AucklandWellington
1989–90WellingtonCanterbury
1990–91AucklandCanterbury
1991–92Central Districts & Northern Districts
1992–93Northern DistrictsOtago
1993–94CanterburyAuckland
1994–95AucklandWellington
1995–96AucklandWellington
1996–97CanterburyOtago
1997–98CanterburyNorthern Districts
1998–99Central DistrictsOtago
1999–00Northern DistrictsAuckland
2000–01WellingtonNorthern Districts
2001–02AucklandWellington
2002–03AucklandWellington
2003–04WellingtonCanterbury
2004–05AucklandWellington
2005–06Central DistrictsWellington
2006–07Northern DistrictsCanterbury
2007–08CanterburyWellington
2008–09AucklandCentral Districts
2009–10Northern DistrictsCanterbury
2010–11CanterburyOtago
2011–12Northern DistrictsCentral Districts
2012–13Central DistrictsOtago
2013–14CanterburyOtago
2014–15CanterburyAuckland
2015–16AucklandCanterbury
2016–17CanterburyNorthern Districts
2017–18Central DistrictsWellington
2018–19Central DistrictsCanterbury
2019–20WellingtonCentral Districts