Plunket Shield returns as premier domestic first-class trophy

Cricket tradition and history will take centre stage this summer as New Zealand Cricket reintroduces the Plunket Shield as the trophy for the men’s domestic four-day competition.

The Plunket Shield has been a huge part of the New Zealand cricket landscape since its inception in 1906. Having survived the great depression and war times, the shield will make a comeback in the 2009/10 season.

The Plunket Shield is currently held at the New Zealand Cricket Museum at the Allied Nationwide Finance Basin Reserve in Wellington.

New Zealand Cricket Chief Executive Justin Vaughan says the reintroduction of the Plunket Shield is an exciting step for domestic cricket, and follows on from the competition’s success as the State Championship over the past decade.

“The Plunket Shield has a strong place in our cricket history,” he said. “The reintroduction of the Plunket Shield allows us to acknowledge the traditions of the game and at the same time appropriately celebrate and promote our four-day first-class competition.

“For the first time in a decade we find ourselves in a different sponsorship environment – and this gives us the opportunity to restore real history and heritage back into our first-class competition through the Plunket Shield.

“The Plunket Shield has been the historical foundation of domestic cricket in New Zealand for over a century – and New Zealand Cricket is committed to retain the Plunket Shield for our four-day first-class competition into the future. The naming rights for this competition are not for sale.

“We look forward to some great performances in the four-day competition and we hope cricket enthusiasts will get out and strongly support the reintroduction of the Plunket Shield.”

The last captain to win the coveted shield in first-class competition was Glenn Turner, leading Otago to victory during the 1974/75 season. He says it’s wonderful to have the Plunket Shield back in circulation.

“The Plunket Shield was our only first-class competition at that time,” said Turner. “There was no one-day game, and just five rounds of three-day matches, so the competition was intense. The Shield was a real symbol of inter-provincial rivalry.

“The four-day game remains the pinnacle of our domestic cricket, so it will be great to see it back as the focus of the competition.”

The Plunket Shield 2009/10 gets under way next week with the first round of four-day games including Central Stags v Auckland Aces at Napier, Otago Volts v Northern Knights at Dunedin, and Wellington Firebirds v Canterbury Wizards at Wellington.

The six Major Association sides play five rounds before Christmas, then a further five in February-March.