When the last Hawke Cup challenge of 2018/19 begins this Friday at Napier's Nelson Park, Hawke’s Bay will be out to continue a long and fine tradition in one of the country’s oldest competitions.

NZC's historic Hawke Cup has been on the line since 1910 and all of this season's holders — Southland, then Nelson, then Hawke's Bay — have considerable history in the competition.

Hawke's Bay first lifted the trophy in the 1946/47 season and has enjoyed multiple reigns in the intervening decades as one of the more storied provinces in the Hawke Cup tradition.

Prior to uplifting the trophy at Saxton Oval two weeks ago, Hawke's Bay had last successfully challenged against North Otago in 2015/16, but immediately surrendered the prize to a strong Bay of Plenty in the first defence. Bay of Plenty went on to defend the Hawke Cup in epic fashion throughout the entire following season, which included repelling a challenge from Hawke's Bay who had again qualified from Zone 2 that summer. 

This season is the first time since then that Hawke's Bay has made it back, and coach Dave Castle and captain Jake Smith are determined to hold on to the cup this time.

Matt Edmondson scored 242 in Hawke's Bay's mammoth first innings in Nelson, setting up the startling 10-wicket win that saw the Cup travel north to Napier. 

Challenger Hamilton has a solid Hawke Cup record of its own, including a recent undefeated reign throughout the 2011/12 season.

Coached by former Northern Districts first-class opening batsman Brook Hatwell, the Hamilton squad includes spinning brothers Joe and Freddie Walker — the former having played 24 first-class matches for Northern Districts while the latter has played Ford Trophy for ND.

Former ND and, more recently, Wellington Firebirds seamer Anurag Verma has returned to full fitness and is also named in the squad.

HAWKE CUP DIRECT CHALLENGE

Holder Hawke's Bay v Zone 1 Challenger Hamilton

Nelson Park, Napier

10.30am, Friday 15 — Sunday 17 March 2019

FREE ADMISSION

HAWKE’S BAY squad

Jake Smith (captain), Liam Dudding, Matt Edmondson, Joey Field, Izaiah Lange, Jayden Lennox, Christian Leopard, Angus Schaw, Brad Schmulian, Ben Stoyanoff, Dominic Thompson, Bayley Wiggins

COACH: Dave Castle

HAMILTON squad

Keir Bettley (captain), Peter Bocock, Anish Desai, Jack Devane, Michael Dodunski, James Field, Ben Morris-Brown, Cooper Rowell, Elliot Santner, Anurag Verma, Freddie Walker, Joe Walker

COACH: Brook Hatwell

Twitter updates: @CDCricket

Official hashtag: #HawkeCup

Livescoring: www.nzc.nz

Article added: Friday 15 March 2019