HAWKE'S BAY will head into the 2024/25 cricket season with the prized Hawke Cup in its safekeeping at Nelson Park — as well as CD’s Furlong and Chapple Cups.

But all those trophies will be back on the line this summer, with the new season dates announced today.

The Furlong Cup is contested by Hawke’s Bay, Manawatū, Taranaki, Wairarapa, Horowhenua-Kāpiti and Whanganui as the six District Associations that make up Zone 2 of the national Hawke Cup structure.

CD’s other two Districts, Nelson and Marlborough, compete in a separate Zone 3 competition against Canterbury’s upper Districts, with the new season draw for Zone 3 coming soon.

 

Normally, the Furlong Cup champion earns the right to make the annual Zone 2 Challenge against the current holder of the Hawke Cup.

But with Hawke’s Bay having kept the Hawke Cup firmly in its grasp last summer, either the Furlong Cup champion or (if that's Hawke's Bay again) the runner-up will become the official Zone 2 challenger when the Challenge Matches resume in the 2025 New Year.

Tradition dictates that the Hawke Cup Challenge Match programme commences with a challenge from within the current holder's own region.

Hawke's Bay was already the national holder last season when the Challenges got underway, Manawatū challenging as the 2024 Furlong Cup runner-up. 

On that occasion, Hawke’s Bay defended the Hawke Cup on the first innings, after paceman LIAM DUDDING (the ex-Central Stag now contracted to the Wellington Firebirds) claimed 11 wickets in the match.
 

The Furlong Cup is laden with traditional rivalries and few are fiercer than contests between these two teams from either side of the central divide.

This season, Hawke’s Bay and Manawatū will meet in the fourth of the five Furlong Cup rounds, in Palmerston North on the weekend of 14-15 December 2024.

Hawke's Bay has dominated the Furlong Cup in recent years, winning the title in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023 and 2024.

Manawatū broke the sequence in 2022 - and will be out to prevent a further Hawke's Bay three-peat this season, if no one can stop them.

The 2024/25 Furlong summer gets underway in the first week of November in Palmerston North, New Plymouth and Levin.

At stake, the berth in the three-day Zone 2 Hawke Cup Challenge Match that's been penned in for 31 January to 2 February 2025 in Napier.
 

Hawke’s Bay proved hard to beat at white-ball cricket as well, last season when they won the three-day Chapple Cup tournament title in Palmerston North.

Contested by all eight of CD’s Districts, this season’s Chapple Cup tournament will again be hosted by Manawatū, from Friday, 21 to Sunday, 23 February 2025 - with the draw to be announced in early 2025.

Named in honour of former BLACKCAPS Test captain and Central Stags pioneer MURRAY CHAPPLE (who represented Manawatū and Wairarapa), the Chapple Cup will be back on the line after a memorable 2024 Final in which youngster LOGAN RYNIKER-DOULL - playing in his first Chapple Cup tournament - belted a six-studded century to help Hawke’s Bay chase down Wairarapa’s respectable team effort of 282/6 in last summer's Final.

Meanwhile, last summer’s final Furlong Cup placings were as follows:

Hawke’s Bay (55 points)

Manawatū (50)

Taranaki (41)

Wairarapa (41)

Horowhenua-Kāpiti (26)

Whanganui (23)

FURLONG CUP

Draw 2024/25

Round 1

2-3 November 2024

Taranaki v Hawke’s Bay in New Plymouth                    

Manawatū v Wairarapa in Palmerston North

Horowhenua-Kāpiti v Whanganui in Levin

Round 2

16-17 November 2024

Horowhenua-Kāpiti v Manawatū in Levin

Taranaki v Whanganui in New Plymouth 

Hawke’s Bay v Wairarapa in Napier

Round 3

30 November- 1 December 2024

Hawke’s Bay v Horowhenua-Kāpiti in Napier

Wairarapa v Taranaki in Masterton             

Whanganui v Manawatū in Whanganui  

Round 4

14-15 December 2024

Horowhenua-Kāpiti v Taranaki in Levin

Manawatū v Hawke’s Bay in Palmerston North

Whanganui v Wairarapa in Whanganui   

Round 5

18-19 January 2025

Hawke’s Bay v Whanganui in Napier             

Wairarapa v Horowhenua-Kāpiti in Masterton  

Taranaki v Manawatū in New Plymouth     

* Please be advised that for reasons beyond CDCA's control, changes can occasionally be made to venues/dates.

Check our CD PlayHQ for any updates to the 2024/25 calendar during the season

HAWKE CUP

Challenge Matches 2024/25

Zone 2 Challenge Match

31 January-2 February 2025

Holder Hawke's Bay v Zone 2 Qualifier

At Nelson Park, Napier

Zone 1 Challenge Match

14-16 February 2025

Holder v Zone 1 Qualifier

At Holder's Home Ground

Zone 3 Challenge Match

28 February-2 March 2025

Holder v Zone 3 Qualifier

At Holder's Home Ground

Zone 4 Challenge Match

14-16 March 2025

Holder v Zone 4 Qualifier

At Holder's Home Ground

CHAPPLE CUP

2024/25 Tournament

Fitzherbert and Manawaroa Parks, Palmerston North

Friday 21 to Sunday 23 February 2025

Draw to be conducted in early 2025

Article added: Monday 2 September 2024