Hawke Cup
The Hawke Cup is a cricket competition for New Zealand's District Associations. Apart from 1910/11, 1912/13 and 2000/01 the competition has always been on a challenge basis. To win the Hawke Cup the challengers must beat the holders on the holders' home ground.
Teams from New Zealand's four "main centres", Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin, have not usually competed for the Hawke Cup, although they did participate in the latter half of the 1990s. They were excluded again from the 2000/01 season. Since then, the team from Hamilton, the city at the centre of New Zealand's fourth largest urban area, has been the most successful team in the competition. Although during the 2012/13 season they were knocked off their perch, conceding the highest ever score in Hawke Cup cricket of 701 versus Bay of Plenty as they lost the cup by way of first innings defeat. Current holders Bay of Plenty have since gone on to possibly take over the reign of the most successful team in recent history of the Hawke Cup with a total of 7 successful challenges/defences of the cup over the last 3 seasons. Bay of Plenty defeated Hawkes Bay in the last challenge of the 2016 season to lock away the cup in their trophy cabinet for the winter.
Origin
The Plunket Shield, New Zealand's premier cricket competition for its first-class teams, was inaugurated in 1907. In 1910 Lord Hawke donated a challenge cup for competition among the minor associations.[1] The first match, in December 1910, resulted in a victory to Manawatu over Wairarapa.[2] The first holders, decided in the final match of the 1910-11 season, were Southland.
Title holders, 1910-11 to 1999-2000
Note: The title can change hands more than once during a season. In 1927-28, for example, Wanganui took the title from Taranaki in the first match, held it for three matches, then lost it in the fifth match to Manawatu, who retained it in the last match of the season.
| Season | Holders at end of season |
|---|---|
| 1910-11 | Southland |
| 1911-12 | Southland |
| 1912-13 | South Auckland |
| 1913-14 | Wanganui |
| 1914-15 | Wanganui |
| 1918-19 | Poverty Bay |
| 1919-20 | Poverty Bay |
| 1920-21 | Wairarapa |
| 1921-22 | Wanganui |
| 1922-23 | Wanganui |
| 1923-24 | Nelson |
| 1924-25 | Nelson |
| 1925-26 | Wanganui |
| 1926-27 | Taranaki |
| 1927-28 | Manawatu |
| 1928-29 | Manawatu |
| 1929-30 | Rangitikei |
| 1930-31 | South Auckland |
| 1931-32 | South Auckland |
| 1932-33 | Nelson |
| 1933-34 | Taranaki |
| 1934-35 | Manawatu |
| 1935-36 | Manawatu |
| 1936-37 | Manawatu |
| 1937-38 | South Auckland |
| 1938-39 | Waikato |
| 1939-40 | Manawatu |
| 1945-46 | Manawatu |
| 1946-47 | Hawke's Bay |
| 1947-48 | Wanganui |
| 1948-49 | Hutt Valley |
| 1949-50 | Hawke's Bay |
| 1950-51 | Waikato |
| 1951-52 | Nelson |
| 1952-53 | Wanganui |
| 1953-54 | Wanganui |
| 1954-55 | Wanganui |
| 1955-56 | Northland |
| 1956-57 | Waikato |
| 1957-58 | Waikato |
| 1958-59 | Nelson |
| 1959-60 | Nelson |
| 1960-61 | Nelson |
| 1961-62 | Nelson |
| 1962-63 | Nelson |
| 1963-64 | Nelson |
| 1964-65 | Manawatu |
| 1965-66 | Manawatu |
| 1966-67 | Nelson |
| 1967-68 | Hawke's Bay |
| 1968-69 | Waikato |
| 1969-70 | Southland |
| 1970-71 | Taranaki |
| 1971-72 | Taranaki |
| 1972-73 | Southland |
| 1973-74 | Southland |
| 1974-75 | Southland |
| 1975-76 | Southland |
| 1976-77 | Wairarapa |
| 1977-78 | Wairarapa |
| 1978-79 | Nelson |
| 1979-80 | Nelson |
| 1980-81 | Nelson |
| 1981-82 | Nelson |
| 1982-83 | Hawke's Bay |
| 1983-84 | Nelson |
| 1984-85 | Nelson |
| 1985-86 | Bay of Plenty |
| 1986-87 | Southland |
| 1987-88 | Taranaki |
| 1988-89 | Southland |
| 1989-90 | Southland |
| 1990-91 | Southland |
| 1991-92 | Nelson |
| 1992-93 | Manawatu |
| 1993-94 | Taranaki |
| 1994-95 | Taranaki |
| 1995-96 | Hutt Valley |
| 1996-97 | Bay of Plenty |
| 1997-98 | Northland |
| 1998-99 | Canterbury Country |
| 1999-2000 | Dunedin Metropolitan |
From 1985-86 to 1994-95 the competition was called the U-Bix Cup; from 1995-96 to 1997-98 it was the Fuji Xerox Cup; in 1998-99 it was the National District Championship.
Nelson has the record for holding the Cup for the longest period and the most challenges. Between 1958 and 1965 Nelson resisted 28 challenges.[3]
Recent history
| Season | Challenge Matches | Holders at end of season |
|---|---|---|
| 2000-01 | Semi-finals Hamilton v Canterbury Country, Hawke's Bay v Bay of Plenty, Final Hamilton v Hawke's Bay | Hamilton |
| 2001-02 | Hamilton v North Otago, Hamilton v Hawke's Bay, Hamilton v Northland, Hamilton v Canterbury Country, Hamilton v Manawatu | Manawatu |
| 2002-03 | Manawatu v Hawke's Bay, Hawke's Bay v Northland, Northland v Canterbury Country | Northland |
| 2003-04 | Northland v Hamilton, Northland v Mid-Canterbury, Mid-Canterbury v Taranaki | Mid-Canterbury |
| 2004-05 | Mid-Canterbury v Canterbury Country, Canterbury Country v Nelson, Canterbury Country v Hamilton | Hamilton |
| 2005-06 | Hamilton v Taranaki, Hamilton v Northland, Hamilton v Southland | Hamilton |
| 2006-07 | Hamilton v Northland, Hamilton v Canterbury Country, Hamilton v Taranaki | Taranaki |
| 2007-08 | Taranaki v Canterbury Country, Canterbury Country v Hawke's Bay, Canterbury Country v Hamilton | Hamilton |
| 2008-09 | Hamilton v Hawke's Bay, Hawke's Bay v Northland, Hawke's Bay v Canterbury Country | Hawke's Bay |
| 2009-10 | Hawke's Bay v Manawatu, Manawatu v Bay of Plenty, Manawatu v Marlborough, Manawatu v North Otago | North Otago |
| 2010-11 | North Otago v Otago Country, Otago Country v Marlborough, Marlborough v Hawke's Bay, Marlborough v Hamilton | Hamilton |
| 2011-12 | Hamilton v Counties Manukau, Hamilton v Wairarapa, Hamilton v Nelson, Hamilton v Southland | Hamilton |
| 2012-13 | Hamilton v Bay of Plenty, Bay of Plenty v Manawatu, Bay of Plenty v Canterbury Country, Bay of Plenty v South Canterbury | Bay of Plenty |
| 2013-14 | Bay of Plenty v Hamilton, Bay of Plenty v Manawatu, Manawatu v Canterbury Country, Manawatu v Southland | Manawatu |
| 2014-15 | Manawatu v Taranaki, Manawatu v Northland, Manawatu v Canterbury Country, Canterbury Country v North Otago | Canterbury Country |
| 2015-16 | Canterbury Country v Buller, Buller v North Otago, North Otago v Hawke's Bay, Hawke's Bay v Bay of Plenty | Bay of Plenty |
Records
Current players can only play a maximum of 4 Hawke Cup Challenge matches a season, and that is only for members of the team holding the Hawke Cup and defeating every challenger (first defence within their own zone and defeating the winners of the other three zones). Historically there have only been between 2 and 6 Hawke Cup Challenge matches every year for the holders, so it has been difficult for players to build much of a record unless they have been part of a strong team and have had a lengthy career.
Nevertheless, 18 players have scored more than 1000 runs and 8 players have taken more than 90 wickets.
The only current player who has more than 1000 runs is G.G. Robinson of Hamilton. (April 2008)
| Player | Team(s) | Career | Mat | Inn | NO | HS | Runs | Ave |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leggat I.B. | Nelson | 1948–68 | 38 | 56 | 1 | 130 | 1968 | 35.78 |
| Reade L.B. | Nelson | 1958–73 | 35 | 57 | 2 | 117 | 1951 | 35.47 |
| Lowans G.E. | Nelson | 1958–73 | 30 | 48 | 1 | 130 | 1811 | 38.53 |
| Anderson R.W. | Northland & Southland | 1970–77 | 16 | 31 | 6 | 255 | 1773 | 70.92 |
| McVicar C.C. | Manawatu | 1935–54 | 28 | 44 | 1 | 180 | 1754 | 40.79 |
| Spence D.V. | Hawkes Bay & Nelson | 1949–67 | 34 | 51 | 8 | 151 | 1574 | 36.60 |
| Robinson G.G. | Hamilton | 2001– | 14 | 22 | 2 | 268 | 1482 | 74.1 |
Current structure
There are 4 regional zones in the Hawke Cup.
| Zone 1 | Zone 2 | Zone 3 | Zone 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton | Hawke's Bay | Canterbury Country | Otago Country |
| Northland | Wairarapa | Marlborough | North Otago |
| Counties-Manukau | Wanganui | Nelson | Southland |
| Bay of Plenty | Horowhenua Kapiti | Buller | South Canterbury |
| Poverty Bay | Manawatu | West Coast | Mid Canterbury |
| Waikato Valley | Taranaki | ||
After a round robin within each zone, the winners of each zone get a Hawke Cup Challenge as part of the challenge series against the current holders on a rotational basis. For example 2010/11 holders North Otago played the winner of their own zone (Otago Country) in the first challenge (or the second place team should they win their own zone) followed by challenges by the winners of zone 3, 2 and 1. The team with the Hawke Cup at the end of the challenge series holds it for the winter. Hawke Cup games are played over 3 days. To win the Hawke Cup a challenger must beat the holder outright or win on the first innings on the holder's home ground.
Team of the Century
In January 2011, to mark 100 years of Hawke Cup cricket, a "Team of the Century" was named. Selection was based on the player’s outstanding performances in the Hawke Cup and also on their contribution to their district while playing. In batting order:[4]
- Mike Wright (wk) – Bay of Plenty
- Roger Pierce – Nelson
- Robert Anderson – Southland, Northland and Manawatu
- Richard Hoskin – Southland
- Brian Dunning – Northland
- Ian Leggat – Nelson and Hawke's Bay
- Barry Hampton – Nelson
- Dave Spence – Nelson
- Gren Alabaster (captain) – Southland
- Alistar Jordan – Taranaki
- Russell Merrin – North Canterbury
- Norman Gallichan (12th man) – Manawatu
Former teams
These teams have played in the Hawke Cup in the past:
- North Harbour
- South Auckland
- Waikato
- Auckland-Waitakere
- Auckland-Manukau
- Thames Valley
- Waiapu
- Midlands
- Rangitikei
- Southern Hawke's Bay
- Hutt Valley
- Wellington City
- Dunedin Metropolitan
References
- ↑ The Marlborough Express, 10 October 1910, p. 7.
- ↑ "Wairarapa v Manawatu 1910-11". CricketArchive. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
- ↑ Martin, Wayne. "Nelson prominent in Hawke Cup top echelon". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
- ↑ Hawke Cup Centennial cricket team named Retrieved 15 May 2014.