CENTRAL DISTRICTS CRICKET is delighted to have inked in our Ford Trophy, Hallyburton Johnstone Shield and Plunket Shield calendars for an exciting 2022/23 season - and all three national competitions will be free admission for spectators in our region.

Mapped out in conjunction with NZC and our Districts and regional stakeholders, the Domestic schedules are one of the major pieces of work each winter - with the Dream11 Super Smash schedule still to come in forthcoming weeks.

Key features of this year's Domestic schedules include our CENTRAL STAGS playing five of their eight first-class Plunket Shield matches as home games.

Teams play four home and four away games in a typical season, but ground availability elsewhere in the country has led to a bonus for the Stags who will play two early-season fixtures at Saxton Oval, one late-season fixture at McLean Park and two at Fitzherbert Park - after last year's successful return of first-class championship cricket to Palmerston North.

The first-class format opens the Domestic season on October 18 (Labour Weekend 2022) with the Stags hosting Canterbury in a four-dayer at Saxton Oval.

Our CENTRAL HINDS will begin a month later on Saturday, 19 November and will also get underway at home, hosting the Auckland Hearts at Pukekura Park in the first Hallyburton Johnstone Shield one-dayer of the season - with round two at the same venue the following day.

The Hinds have an exciting season ahead with the opportunity to play away matches on Test venues Seddon Park, Bay Oval, University of Otago Oval and Hagley Oval, and home matches at Palmerston North's Fitzherbert Park and Nelson's Saxton Oval as well as Pukekura Park in New Plymouth.

Last season marked the Hinds' first appearance at Saxton Oval and CD Cricket is delighted for the team to be returning to the top of the South on Sunday 22 January 2023 where our women have once again been drawn to play Suzie Bates's Otago Sparks.

The star-studded Sparks won both of last season's fixtures in Nelson en route to lifting the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield, and the Hinds will be angling for a first-time win to celebrate this time around.

The men's FORD TROPHY begins on Thursday 24 October away to Otago, and will once again comprise 10 rounds, followed by a 2v3 playoff to join the top qualifier in the Final.

The Stags' first home one-dayer is in Palmerston North on Wednesday 30 November, and they will also be hosting Ford Trophy fixtures at Pukekura Park and McLean Park across the summer, including a Waitangi Day match in Napier against Northern Districts.

Like last season, both The Ford Trophy and Hallyburton Johnstone Shield Grand Finals will be played at Queenstown's John Davies Oval - a trip no Domestic team wants to miss out on!

The Stags made last year's Final as the top qualifier while the Hinds were thwarted in their own bid for the HBJ Final by a horrendous run of wet weather - and will hope the weather will play ball this season in the team's strongest format.

SEE THE FULL 2022/23 FIXTURES SCHEDULE HERE

Article added: Sunday 11 August 2022