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Northern District Face The Central Stags In Plunket Shield Action At The Bay Oval

Plunket Shield

A rare treat awaits Western Bay of Plenty cricket purists next week (23-27 October 2017), when a NZ Cricket Plunket Shield match is played at the Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui. 

The Plunket Shield is amongst the oldest major sporting trophies in New Zealand. The Plunket Shield was presented to the New Zealand cricket Association by the then Governor-General of New Zealand Baron Plunket in 1906.

The Plunket Shield was the NZ Cricket First Class championship trophy until the mid 1970’s, when it became the Shell Trophy, later to become the State Championship. The Plunket Shield was reintroduced in the 2009/10 season, with the trophy awarded to the winner of the four-day first past the post competition, between Auckland, Northern Districts, Central Districts, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago first-class teams. 

 Plunket Shield

The four-day match that kicks off on Monday (23 October 2017), will be just the second visit by the Central Stags to the Bay Oval, since NZ Cricket Major Associations games commenced at Blake Park ten years ago.

Northern Districts will be making their fourth Plunket Shield appearance in Mount Maunganui. While their first two four-day matches result in defeats inflicted by 

Canterbury and Auckland respectively, the last two encounters have seen a draw and a nine wicket victory over Wellington.

Two Bay of Plenty players in the Northern Districts side, played a huge part in the ND success against Wellington, just seven months ago (21/24 March 2017).

Wellington won the toss and elected to bat before being bowled out for 151. Northern Districts grabbed first inning points when they were dismissed 262, with Bay of Plenty batsmen Bharat Popli top scoring with a hard fought 63 off two hundred balls.

A defiant knock of 160, from former Black Cap Michael Papps took the visitors through to 269, all out, leaving ND to get 158 runs for an outright victory. Bharat Popli and fellow Western Bay of Plenty resident Dean Brownlie, took their side through to a decisive nine wicket win, with both batsmen reaching the seventies. 

NZ Cricket Plunket Shield 23-27 October 2017 @Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
Northern Districts v Central Stags -10.30am start