Steady Central Stags left-armer Ray Toole is the leading wicket-taker on New Zealand's first-class scene, heading into the final round of the Plunket Shield. 

Toole has taken a staggering 14 wickets from his last three innings, including 5/32 in an innings victory over Northern Districts in Napier and 5/82 in Rangiora against competition leader Canterbury.

Overall in the Plunket Shield championship this season, that puts Toole on 31 (six more than the next best pace bowler, Fraser Sheat) at an impressive average of just 23.12.

Unfortunately for the Stags, Canterbury's win in that match saw Central drop out of contention for the national title with a round to go, while ND - whom the Stags meet from tomorrow in Hamilton - is hanging on by the skin of their teeth.

With significant downfalls of wet weather sweeping over the country and likely to affect all three venues over the coming days, the hope is that there will be enough time for a genuine contest - and the toss in Hamilton, indeed at all three venues, will likely be a good one to win.

Toole is no stranger to a first-class bag, having taken his career best 7/57 in a brilliant last-innings performance against the Auckland Aces in 2023 to win that year's championship for the Stags.

The 28-year-old now has five first-class bags as well as one-day Ford Trophy bag in the 2023/24 summer and, along with Brett Randell, has played a significant role leading the Stags' attack this season, with injured Blair Tickner - the Central Stags' Player of the Year for the past two seasons - having played just one Plunket Shield match this season, back in November before he dislocated his shoulder playing in a Test match for the BLACKCAPS.

Tickner now remains out with an injured ankle.

Overall, Toole now sits on 146 first-class wickets from just 47 matches heading into the game tomorrow at Seddon Park, having got to his previous 50 and 100 wicket milestones at a super-quick pace.

Spinner Ajaz Patel is also nearing another elite milestone with his 300th Plunket Shield wicket for the Stags now coming into the rear view mirror.

Patel is the second most successful bowler in the history of the team with 292 victims, behind only fellow prolific left-arm spinner Dave O'Sullivan's CD record of 392.

Like Patel, O'Sullivan also played Test and County first-class cricket - earlier this season in the Plunket Shield, Patel celebrated his 400th first-class wicket overall.

The Stags' last squad of the jubilee summer has one change from Rangiora with Josh Clarkson returning from the BLACKCAPS, after having taken a wicket with his first delivery of the series against South Africa in yesterday evening's final T20 International.

Dane Cleaver meanwhile squeezed in two attacking innings at first drop for the BLACKCAPS in between Rangiora and the impending four-dayer in Hamilton.

The race for the Plunket Shield is down to Canterbury, Otago, the Auckland Aces and ND, but the Stags can still finish above some of those teams on the table with a good finish, and a top-three position becomes important when the draw for the following season is made, as a seeded uneven round robin.

Play is scheduled to begin at 10.30am tomorrow but there is a significant chance that the toss will be delayed as a severe rainstorm continues to drift over the North Island.

The latest match and ground updates are found on the live-scoring scorecard, and once play gets underway there will also be a free livestream here at cdcricket.co.nz 

2025/26 PLUNKET SHIELD

ROUND EIGHT OF EIGHT

Northern Districts v Central Stags

Seddon Park, Hamilton

10.30am | Fri 27 to Mon 30 March 2026

FREE ADMISSION + LIVESTREAM EVERY DAY

SQUAD

TOM Bruce - captain, Taranaki

TYLER Annand - Hawke’s Bay

JOSH Clarkson - Nelson

DANE Cleaver - wicketkeeper, Manawatū

TOBY Findlay - Hawke’s Bay

DEAN Foxcroft - Hawke’s Bay

CURTIS Heaphy - Manawatū

AJAZ Patel - Hawke’s Bay

BRETT Randell - Nelson

BRAD Schmulian - Hawke's Bay

RAY Toole - Manawatū  

WILL Young - Taranaki

Head Coach: GREG Hay

Assistant Coach: ALDIN Smith 

Contracted players unavailable for selection:

Joey Field, Blair Tickner (injury)

Article added: Thursday 26 March 2026