• Zone 1 Challenge in Taranaki
After more than a year parked up in New Plymouth, the Hawke Cup is on the move once more.
Bay of Plenty became the first challenger in the last five Challenges to succeed where others had failed: take the silverware off Taranaki.
Taranaki had already seen off a strong Hawke’s Bay team in the first defence this summer — it was Hawke’s Bay from whom they uplifted the Cup at the start of last summer’s Challenges.
But after a tropical low swept over the country ahead of the latest match, the flat, dry deck of the Zone 2 Challenge was replaced by a much trickier surface, and Bay of Plenty captain Oli White wasted no time in sending in Jordan Gard’s men when he won the toss after a lengthy rain delay on the opening Friday.
Play got underway late in the afternoon, just after 4pm. It was a nerve-wracking time to be a top order batsman and by stumps, Taranaki were four down and still in double figures at 98/4.
Jacob Leuthard-Richards’s dismissed on 12 (32) brought about stumps, a second wicket for Bay of Plenty and Hawke Cup veteran (and the mayor’s brother), Pete Drysdale.
Rupert Young had ground out a patient 22 in the previous hour and a quarter and his stubborness gave Taranaki some hope that someone could build a partnership around him the following morning, in hopefully easing conditions.
Young went on to reach 47 after almost four hours at the crease, and the partnership came with Trent McGrath who kept going for Taranaki’s top-score off 50 off 117 balls.
Josh Earle proved pivotal for the Bay with his knack of making timely breakthroughs and he would finish the innings with 3/54, while Ben Vyver picked up a brace.
Once another seasoned Taranaki-ite in Mattie Thomas (20) was gone, only a late stand between the last pair, Ryan Watson (29) and Liam Carr (10) really troubled the scorers as the tailenders hunted for quick runs and something to bowl at.
Taranaki started its reply with the ball well. By the end of the second afternoon, Bay of Plenty was 70/5, the match in the balance with the challengers trailing Taranaki by 184 runs in the first innings.
Veteran paceman Watson sat on overnight figures of 3/22, having removed experienced Northern Districts Plunket Shield top order batter Bharat Popli for a duck, and BOP captain and former NZ U19 rep and ND rep in white-ball, Oli White for 17.
They were big breakthroughs and the odds might have been on Taranaki heading into the last morning.
But by stumps, the man that would do the most to thwart them had got a start with a patient 15*. The following day, Niven Dovey became the Bay’s hero as he went on to a century: 109 in 266 minutes.
It was the knock the Bay needed to get back in the contest, and at the same time, the wickets dried up for the hosts until Ben Frewin took a phryrric return catch to finally send Dovey back the to Bellringer Pavilion.
Bay of Plenty’s wicketkeeper Mike De Beer had stayed with him for the crucial partnership, 186 runs for the sixth wicket and went on to finish unbeaten 86*.
By the time a wicket fell, only 19 runs were needed to catch Taranaki's first innings score.
Peter Drysdale made sure of it with a short, unbeaten cameo that took BOP past Taranaki’s total just six down.
That was that: the captains shook hands, BOP claiming the history-laden 1910 trophy on the first innings on the final afternoon.
Bay of Plenty now has two weeks to get ready for their first Challenge in Mount Maunganui, from Zone 3 qualifier Canterbury Country.
Bay of Plenty last held the Hawke Cup in 2017/18.
REMAINING SCHEDULE
Matches always begin on a Friday at 10.30am and are played at the current holder’s home ground
Zone 3 Challenge 27 February-1 March 2026 (Challenger = Canterbury Country, venue TBC)
Zone 4 Challenge 13-15 March 2026 (venue TBC)
