New Zealand's long-running one-day championship The Ford Trophy is underway for the 2022/23 season today, with a split round to open the men's white-ball Domestic summer.
The Wellington Firebirds and Canterbury are the first two teams in action, Firebirds captain Troy Johnson having won the toss this morning at the Cello Basin Reserve, and Canterbury batting first in the season opener.
Fresh off his career-best first-class match figures in the Plunket Shield, Firebirds allrounder Logan van Beek has already found the top of off for a wicket in the first over for the first wicket of the competition.
Meanwhile, the Central Stags have announced a new captain for their first match, with BLACKCAP Will Young set to temporarily take over The Ford Trophy captaincy from regular skipper Tom Bruce.
Young returns to captain | MBUTCHER
Young previously captained the team from 2015 to 2018 and will captain the first six rounds to allow Bruce to play as a batsman only until the Dream11 Super Smash begins.
The beaten finalists last year, the Stags' first-round match is away to the Otago Volts in Dunedin this Thursday.
Defending champions the Auckland Aces were also set to begin their campaign on Thursday, at their alternate home ground of Colin Maiden Park in East Auckland against neighbours Northern Districts, however this match has been postponed due to heavy rainfall in the lead-up weeks affecting the groound condition.
Defending champions the Auckland Aces | PHOTOSPORT
All matches begin at 11am and are free admission.
