2023/24

ROUND FIVE

A rare cricket/rugby first-class cap double, and a player reaching a century before lunch for the second time in two seasons were two of the more unusual stats popping up as the back half of the national Plunket Shield got underway on Leap Year day, 29 February 2024.

Auckland Aces allrounder Jock McKenzie added another feather to his cap after making his first-class cricket debut this morning at University of Otago Oval.

Try time or tea time? Jock McKenzie | PHOTOSPORT

The Blues rugby playmaker, who's the brother of Canterbury rep Gus McKenzie and son of former ND rep Grant McKenzie, has already made his white-ball debuts for the Aces in both The Ford Trophy and Dream11 Super Smash this season.

He played in both those national Finals, then this morning became the first to play both rugby and cricket at first-class level for Auckland since Graham Gedye in 1956.

In recent years, a number of Domestic cricket players have played both sports to Domestic representative level – including Thamysn Newton, Kate Ebrahim and Jono Hickey (who played first-class cricket for Northern Districts and rugby for Auckland) before McKenzie joined the club, as one of a trio of debutants today in the Aces' playing XI as the back half of the Plunket Shield championship resumes.

In recent decades, Black Ferns great Kendra Cocksedge also represented the Central Hinds early in her career, while All Black Jeff Wison played first-class cricket for the Otago Volts.

Joining McKenzie on debut for the Aces in the fifth-round match in Dunedin are bowlers Harjot Johal and Angus Olliver, captain Robbie O'Donnell having elected to bat first against the Otago Volts and his side reaching 115/1 by lunch in Dunedin.

MARK CHAPMAN • PHOTOSPORT

By stumps, a Mark Chapman century (123) had helped push that tally to 341/7 with McKenzie unbeaten on 37*.

It was a similar story at Bay Oval where Central Stags captain Greg Hay won his first toss of the summer and put on 116 for the second wicket, before his dismissal to a brilliant catch in the gully from Joe Carter shortly after lunch at 129/2.

The defending champion Stags also have a player on first-class debut against the current leader, Northern Districts.

ANGUS SCHAW (left) • MBUTCHER

Long-serving Hawke's Bay captain Angus Schaw got his cap just days shy of his 30th birthday, after having made his white-ball debuts in both formats last year.

The Stags will be looking to gain ground on Northern in the key match with the leaders just 15 points ahead on the ladder, and 20 points available per match to each team for an outright victory (including eight batting and bowling first innings bonus points, if targets are met by 110 overs).

By stumps they were 317/7 with debutant Schaw having batted throughout the last session to reach a half century on debut, set to resume Day Two on 52* with his Central Hawke's Bay teammate Blair Tickner, who had presented him with his cap that morning, batting with him.

Perched in between those two sides in second spot are the Wellington Firebirds who meanwhile elected to bowl first against Canterbury in Rangiora.

CHAD BOWES • PHOTOSPORT

However, by lunch Chad Bowes had a century, off just 91 balls – becoming the first New Zealand batter to twice score a century before lunch on the opening day of a Plunket Shield match, having also achieved the feat against the Otago Volts in Dunedin, last season.

The opening batter reached 114 before his dismissal after lunch, with Canterbury - fresh off their Ford Trophy one-day national title win on Saturday - in a strong position at 404/4 by stumps at Mainpower Oval, after fellow opening batter Rhys Mariu also went on to a century, reaching 145.

The fifth round of the Plunket Shield championship will conclude on Sunday, after which just three more rounds remain in the NZC Domestic season as the fight for the national first-class title intensifies.