JOSH CLARKSON TOP ALLROUNDER IN THE LAND

JOSH CLARKSON added his first century of the season to an already hot streak of bowling hauls, sealing his position as the standout allrounder in the first phase of the NZC Domestic cricket season.

Our CENTRAL STAGS are in a good position, remaining in the top three teams as the first half of The Ford Trophy wraps up - all the teams now turning their attention to the first-class Plunket Shield that gets underway for the Stags in Palmerston North early next week.

When The Ford Trophy resumes in early February, Clarkson will do so as the number one bowler in the country with 16 wickets from five one-day games, economical throughout and at an impressive bowling average of just 11.37.

That's four wickets ahead of the nearest challenger, and left-arm spinner and captain JAYDEN LENNOX is also riding high in the national stats with eight wickets.

Clarkson and TOM BRUCE both scored centuries in Rangiora yesterday during a big fifth-round fightback against defending champions Canterbury.

Bruce is now the second highest run-scorer in the comp, with BRAD SCHMULIAN also in the top five after his big ton last weekend in Auckland.

Yet two good tons in a record fifth-wicket stand (breaking their own partnership record from the 2023 Grand Final, for Stags one-dayers against Canterbury) still wasn't enough to stop Canterbury's stellar top order from chasing down the runs.

The Stags had recovered from early strife at 91/4 in the 27th over to reach 264/5, after Lennox opted to bat at a pleasant Mainpower Oval.

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Bruce showed all his experience and nous by constructing a restrained unbeaten 102 to rebuild - a total contrast to his rapid escalation of a good total in Auckland but again, just what the team needed at that time.

He now has two strong half centuries and a century on the bounce, looking in top nick heading into the Plunket Shield.

Clarkson (100) and Bruce put on a partnership of 173 to edge the unbroken 167* they had put on together against the same team in the Napier 2023 Grand Final, in which matchwinner Clarkson also scored a memorable century.

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But despite the early loss of the country’s top batter in the comp so far, Henry Nicholls, Canterbury soon seized control of the chase as their potent top order went to work.

Chad Bowes (102 off 97 balls) responded with his own ton, and just 32 runs were required from the last dozen overs with eight wickets still in hand - BLACKCAP Tom Latham and Rhys Mariu seeing it through, with Latham stranded on 97 not out.

Should the Stags again reach the Finals this summer - or any other team for that matter, they'll likely need to figure out how to stop the consistent Canterbury stampede of batting if they're to take that trophy off the side that's held it for the past two seasons.

Our Domestic attention now turns to the CENTRAL HINDS in rounds one and two of the women’s Hallyburton Johnstone Shield this weekend in New Plymouth - with matches against the Canterbury Magicians on both Saturday and Sunday at Pukekura Park, while for the men, the first-class Plunket Shield championship* (four-day cricket, red ball) begins on Tuesday in Palmy.

All matches are free admission, with livestreams here at www.cdcricket.co.nz

* Please note a change to the Plunket Shield Round 6 schedule, with the Stags-Northern Districts match at McLean Park, Napier, to begin two days earlier than originally advised, now on 7 March 2026