OCTOBER 2015-APRIL 2016:
PLUNKET SHIELD brought to you by Budget Rental
Redolent with history and the training ground for our Test cricketers, the men's first-class competition both opens and closes the 2015/16 season. The Plunket Shield comprises 10 rounds of four-day cricket in whites, played right across New Zealand. Entry is free, so rock up anytime to find out what the hard yards is all about... you might even see Colin Munro bust a few records, like he did in this competition last season when he smashed the world record for most sixes in a first-class innings (23!).
OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2015:
BLACKCAPS tour to Australia
The international season starts with a tantalising Test tour for the BLACKCAPS as we take on Australia in a three-Test series... with Australia still stinging from losing The Ashes and, following Michael Clarke's retirement, under a new leader in Steve Smith. The first warm-up game starts 23 October in Canberra then we build up to Test matches at the 'Gabba, WACA and Adelaide Oval, with the latter being the world's first day/night Test. If you can get yourself to any of those venues, get around us — or come over and join the tour — we love your support!
- Find the tour backgrounder here and BLACKCAPS Test squad to Australia here, plus October's New Zealand A series with Sri Lanka A
OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2015:
WHITE FERNS host Sri Lanka
Another history-making tour with the New Zealand WHITE FERNS hosting Sri Lanka Women in a bilateral series for the first time. It's a tour of the 'ovals': Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln, Hagley Oval in Christchurch and Saxton Oval in Nelson. Enjoy top quality cricket and come along to cheer on New Zealand for free in this Series!
- Find the tour announcement here
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015:
GEORGIE PIE SUPER SMASH
Family entertainment just got easier with Sunday afternoon matches, plus lots of Friday night and day/night action for the grown-ups! Georgie Pie Super Smash starts on Guy Fawke's Day and the accent is firmly on having fun, so come along in your best onesies, kick back on the bank and enjoy the big hits as six turbo-charged teams fight for national Twenty20 supremacy. Mascots, stilt walkers and the dreaded Duck will be back and the excitement culminates with the tension of Finals weekend at New Plymouth's Yarrow Stadium in mid-December. Can the Firebirds hold onto the title?
- Georgie Pie Super Smash overview
- Find the Georgie Pie Super Smash website here
NOVEMBER 2015-FEBRUARY 2016:
WOMEN'S ONE-DAY and TWENTY20 domestic competitions
The Hearts or the Hinds, Spirit or Sparks, Blaze or Magicians — who will it be? The country's top women's players will not only be contesting the two national trophies, they'll be trying to impress the WHITE FERNS selectors ahead of a pretty big couple of months coming up on the international front. Matches are from Whangarei in Kauri Country to Dunedin and Alexandra in the south and many venues in between: all are free entry.
- Find the competition schedules and overview here
DECEMBER 2015-JANUARY 2016:
FORD TROPHY
Last summer was a brilliant one for men's one-day cricket with some of the highest individual scores we've ever seen in the domestic New Zealand game, including this show-stopping performance by George Worker on his way to three centuries in six games. Kicking off just after Christmas, make the most of the holiday weather with a day relaxing on the bank at the cricket. Matches take place everywhere from Whangarei to Invercargill with the Finals at the end of January.
DECEMBER 2015-JANUARY 2016:
ANZ International Series: BLACKCAPS host Sri Lanka
The first of three big opponents this summer touch down to take on the BLACKCAPS on their formidable home turf. A full ANZ International Series bringing international cricket to New Zealand across all three formats, including Boxing Day entertainment at Hagley Oval and the perfect way to spend New Year's Eve in sunny Nelson.
- Find the ANZ International Series backgrounder here
- Tickets for the ANZ International Series go on sale in November. Discounted tickets and a two-week presale window will be available to MyBLACKCAPS members, join for free at www.blackcaps.co.nz/register
JANUARY 2016:
ANZ International Series: BLACKCAPS host Pakistan
This time we put the accent on white ball thrills with a quickfire round of three ANZ Twenty20s in the big tops of Auckland, Hamilton and Wellington, followed up with three ANZ ODIs at the Basin Reserve, Napier's McLean Park (a day/nighter) and Eden Park.
- Find the ANZ International Series backgrounder here
FEBRUARY 2016:
ANZ International Series: BLACKCAPS host Australia
How good is this summer's triple treat of BLACKCAPS cricket action? The BLACKCAPS take on Australia for the second time in the season with the much longed-for return of the one-day Chappell-Hadlee Trophy and two ANZ Tests to make it five for the summer against our closest rivals. The ANZ International Series against Australia will be the last chance to see the BLACKCAPS before they head away to India in March to take on the world at the ICC World Twenty20.
- Find the ANZ International Series and Chappell-Hadlees backgrounder here
FEBRUARY-MARCH 2016:
WHITE FERNS host Australia
It's the North Island's chance to see the smashing New Zealand WHITE FERNS turn it on against world champions Australia in what promises to be a fierce contest after their record-setting heroics with the bat in India! Mount Maunganui, Wellington and New Plymouth are the host venues as both these talent-studded teams look for the perfect build-up for their imminent ICC World Twenty20 showdown with all the world's top teams in India.
- Find the tour announcement here
