Hawke Cup

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title: "Hawke Cup" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["new-zealand-domestic-cricket-competitions", "sports-leagues-established-in-1910", "1910-establishments-in-new-zealand"] description: "Cricket competition" topic_path: "sports" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawke_Cup" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Cricket competition ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9e/Hawke_Cup_changes_hands_1933.jpg" caption="[[Edgar Neale]] (captain of Nelson, L) receives the Hawke Cup from [[Sydney Badeley]] (captain of South Auckland, R) in January 1933."] ::

The Hawke Cup is a non-first-class 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, either outright or on the first innings in a drawn match, 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.

From 2000 to 2010 the team from Hamilton, New Zealand's fourth-largest urban area, was the most successful. Since then the title has changed hands numerous times, Manawatu, Hawke's Bay, Bay of Plenty and Canterbury Country being prominent. In 2012–13 Hamilton conceded the highest-ever score in the Hawke Cup of 701 against Bay of Plenty. This record score was equalled again by Bay of Plenty against Counties Manukau during their first defence of the Hawke Cup in 2017. Owing to COVID-19 restrictions, the last two matches of the 2021–22 competition were postponed until the 2022–23 season.

Origin

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fe/Hawke_Cup_in_Taranaki_March_2025.jpg" caption="The Hawke Cup in 2025"] ::

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. The first match, in December 1910, resulted in a victory to Manawatu over Wairarapa. The first holders, decided in the final match of the 1910–11 competition, were Southland.

As the number of minor associations grew, it became necessary to restrict the number of challenge matches. Beginning with the 1924–25 competition, when there were 18 minor associations, elimination or qualifying matches have been played to determine which associations should have the right to challenge the holders.

Title holders

1910–11 to 1999–2000

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Season	Challenge matches	Holders after each challenge
1910–11	–	Southland
1911–12	1	Southland
1912–13	–	South Auckland
1913–14	3	Wanganui
1914–15	3	Wanganui
1918–19	1	Poverty Bay
1919–20	3	Poverty Bay
1920–21	2	Poverty Bay, Wairarapa
1921–22	6	Wairarapa, Rangitikei, Nelson, Wanganui
1922–23	5	Wanganui
1923–24	3	Wanganui, Nelson
1924–25	5	Nelson
1925–26	5	Nelson, Wanganui
1926–27	4	Wanganui, Taranaki
1927–28	6	Taranaki, Wanganui, Manawatu
1928–29	3	Manawatu
1929–30	5	Manawatu, Rangitikei
1930–31	5	South Auckland
1931–32	5	South Auckland
1932–33	4	South Auckland, Nelson
1933–34	5	Nelson, Taranaki
1934–35	5	Taranaki, Manawatu
1935–36	4	Manawatu
1936–37	5	Manawatu
1937–38	4	Manawatu, South Auckland
1938–39	4	Waikato
1939–40	5	Waikato, Manawatu
1945–46	3	Manawatu
1946–47	5	Manawatu, Hawke's Bay
1947–48	3	Hawke's Bay, Wanganui
1948–49	4	Hutt Valley
1949–50	5	Hutt Valley, Hawke's Bay
1950–51	5	Hawke's Bay, Wairarapa, Waikato
1951–52	5	Nelson
1952–53	5	Nelson, Wanganui
1953–54	5	Wanganui
1954–55	5	Wanganui
1955–56	5	Wanganui, Hutt Valley, Northland
1956–57	5	Waikato
1957–58	5	Waikato
1958–59	4	Nelson
1959–60	4	Nelson
1960–61	5	Nelson
1961–62	4	Nelson
1962–63	4	Nelson
1963–64	5	Nelson
1964–65	5	Nelson, Manawatu
1965–66	5	Manawatu
1966–67	5	Manawatu, North Canterbury, Nelson
1967–68	5	Hutt Valley, Marlborough, Hawke's Bay
1968–69	5	Hawke's Bay, Waikato
1969–70	5	Waikato, Southland
1970–71	4	Taranaki
1971–72	5	Taranaki
1972–73	5	Taranaki, Southland
1973–74	4	Southland
1974–75	4	Southland
1975–76	4	Southland
1976–77	4	Southland, Wairarapa
1977–78	4	Wairarapa
1978–79	4	Wairarapa, Nelson
1979–80	4	Nelson
1980–81	4	Nelson
1981–82	4	Nelson
1982–83	5	Northland, Hawke's Bay
1983–84	4	Hawke's Bay, Northland, Nelson
1984–85	5	Nelson
1985–86	5	Nelson, Hawke's Bay, Bay of Plenty
1986–87	5	Bay of Plenty, Hawke's Bay, Bay of Plenty, Southland
1987–88	5	Southland, North Canterbury, Taranaki
1988–89	5	Northland, Southland
1989–90	5	Southland
1990–91	5	Southland
1991–92	5	Southland, Northland, Nelson
1992–93	5	Nelson, Canterbury Country, Manawatu
1993–94	5	Manawatu, Marlborough, Taranaki
1994–95	6	Taranaki
1995–96	5	Central Otago, Nelson, Hutt Valley
1996–97	5	Nelson, Auckland-Manukau, Bay of Plenty
1997–98	5	Wellington City, Manawatu, Auckland-Waitakere, Northland
1998–99	5	Northland, Wellington City, Canterbury Country
1999–2000	5	South Canterbury, 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.

2000–01 to the present

::data[format=table]

Season	Challenge matches	Holders after each challenge
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	Hamilton, Manawatu
2002–03	Manawatu v Hawke's Bay, Hawke's Bay v Northland, Northland v Canterbury Country	Hawke's Bay, Northland
2003–04	Northland v Hamilton, Northland v Mid-Canterbury, Mid-Canterbury v Taranaki	Northland, Mid-Canterbury
2004–05	Mid-Canterbury v Canterbury Country, Canterbury Country v Nelson, Canterbury Country v Hamilton	Canterbury Country, 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	Hamilton, Taranaki
2007–08	Taranaki v Canterbury Country, Canterbury Country v Hawke's Bay, Canterbury Country v Hamilton	Canterbury Country, 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	Manawatu, North Otago
2010–11	North Otago v Otago Country, Otago Country v Marlborough, Marlborough v Hawke's Bay, Marlborough v Hamilton	Otago Country, Marlborough, 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	Bay of Plenty, Manawatu
2014–15	Manawatu v Taranaki, Manawatu v Northland, Manawatu v Canterbury Country, Canterbury Country v North Otago	Manawatu, 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	Buller, North Otago, Hawke's Bay, Bay of Plenty
2016–17	Bay of Plenty v Counties Manukau, Bay of Plenty v Hawke's Bay, Bay of Plenty v Nelson, Bay of Plenty v Southland	Bay of Plenty
2017–18	Bay of Plenty v Counties Manukau, Counties Manukau v Taranaki, Counties Manukau v Canterbury Country, Counties Manukau v Southland	Counties Manukau, Southland
2018–19	Southland v Mid Canterbury, Southland v Nelson, Nelson v Hawke's Bay, Hawke's Bay v Hamilton	Southland, Nelson, Hawke's Bay, Hamilton
2019–20	Hamilton v Bay of Plenty, Hamilton v Hawke's Bay, Hamilton v Canterbury Country, Canterbury Country v Otago Country	Hamilton, Canterbury Country
2020–21	Canterbury Country v Nelson, Nelson v North Otago, North Otago v Hawke's Bay, Hawke's Bay v Hamilton	Nelson, North Otago, Hawke's Bay
2021–22	last1=Laing	first1=Doug
2022–23	Hawke's Bay v Canterbury Country, Canterbury Country v Southland, Canterbury Country v Nelson, Canterbury Country v Otago Country	Canterbury Country
2023–24	Canterbury Country v Hawke's Bay, Hawke's Bay v Manawatu, Hawke's Bay v Counties Manukau, Hawke's Bay v Canterbury Country, Hawke's Bay v South Canterbury	Hawke's Bay
2024–25	Hawke's Bay v Taranaki, Taranaki v Hamilton, Taranaki v Canterbury Country, Taranaki v South Canterbury	Taranaki
2025–26	Taranaki v Hawke's Bay	Taranaki
::

Records

Teams

Nelson has the record for holding the Cup for the longest period and the most challenges. Between 1958 and 1965 Nelson resisted 28 challenges. Manawatu resisted 15 challenges between 1934 and 1938, as did Southland between 1989 and 1992.

The highest team score is 701, made by Bay of Plenty twice: in 2013 and 2017.

Players

Current players can usually play a maximum of four 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 been between two and six challenge matches every season 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, 19 players have scored 1000 runs and five players have taken 100 wickets.

Batting

::data[format=table]

Player	Team(s)	Career	Mat	Inn	NO	HS	Runs	Ave
Ian Leggat	Nelson	1948–68	38	56	1	130	1968	35.78
Lawrie Reade	Nelson	1958–73	35	57	2	117	1951	35.47
Graeme Lowans	Nelson	1958–73	30	48	1	130	1811	38.53
Robert Anderson	Northland & Southland	1970–77	16	31	6	255	1773	70.92
Colin McVicar	Manawatu	1935–54	28	44	1	180	1754	40.79
Dave Spence	Hawke's Bay & Nelson	1949–67	34	51	8	151	1574	36.60
::

The highest score in the competition is 272 not out, by Mick Kinzett for Nelson against Marlborough in the 1933–34 season.

Bowling

::data[format=table]

Player	Team(s)	Career	Mat	Runs	Wkts	Ave
Chester Holland	Wanganui	1912–28	24	2202	189	11.65
Norman Gallichan	Manawatu	1925–47	29	2053	177	11.59
Ian Leggat	Nelson	1948–68	38	2149	134	16.03
Dave Spence	Hawke's Bay & Nelson	1949–67	34	1697	110	15.42
Gren Alabaster	Thames Valley & Southland	1961–79	20	1508	102	14.78
::

The best bowling figures in an innings in a challenge match are 10 for 35 by Chester Holland for Wanganui against South Taranaki in 1922–23. Outside the challenge matches, the best bowling figures in an innings are 10 for 24 by Ben Stark for Marlborough in a qualifying match against West Coast in 2012–13.

Current structure

There are four regional zones in the Hawke Cup.

::data[format=table]

Zone 1	Zone 2	Zone 3	Zone 4
Hamilton	Hawke's Bay	Canterbury Country	Otago Country
Northland	Wairarapa	Marlborough	North Otago
Counties Manukau	Whanganui	Nelson	Southland
Bay of Plenty	Horowhenua Kapiti	Buller	South Canterbury
Poverty Bay	Manawatu		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 three 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.

Teams

More than forty teams have competed for the Hawke Cup. In the following list, current teams are indicated in bold.

Many boundaries, both political-administrative and cricket-administrative, have been redrawn since the competition began. The Counties Manukau team, for example, succeeded the former Franklin team, but their districts are not identical. ::data[format=table]

Team	Main centre	First season	Last season	Titles	Current status
Ashburton County	Ashburton	1957–58	1983–84	0	Now plays as Mid Canterbury
Auckland-Manukau	Auckland	1995–96	1996–97	1	Now part of Auckland Plunket Shield team
Auckland-Waitakere	Auckland	1997–98	1999–2000	1	Now part of Auckland Plunket Shield team
Bay of Plenty	Mount Maunganui	1931–32	Continuing	5	Current team
Buller	Westport	1947–48	Continuing	1	Current team
Canterbury Country	Rangiora	1992–93	Continuing	7	Current team (formerly known as North Canterbury)
Central Otago	Alexandra	1963–64	2005–06	1	Now plays as Otago Country
Counties	Pukekohe	1979–80	1994–95	0	Succeeded Franklin, and was succeeded by Counties Manukau
Counties Manukau	Manurewa	2011–12	Continuing	1	Current team (formerly known as Franklin, then Counties)
Dunedin Metropolitan	Dunedin	1998–99	1999–2000	1	Now part of Otago Plunket Shield team
Franklin	Pukekohe	1957–58	1977–78	0	Succeeded by Counties, and now plays as Counties Manukau
Hamilton	Hamilton	1976–77	Continuing	5	Current team (formerly part of Waikato and South Auckland)
Hawke's Bay	Napier	1922–23	Continuing	12	Current team
Horowhenua	Levin	1965–66	1991–92	0	Now plays as Horowhenua Kapiti
Horowhenua Kapiti	Levin	2002–03	Continuing	0	Current team (formerly played as Horowhenua)
Hutt Valley	Lower Hutt	1947–48	1996–97	4	Now part of Wellington Plunket Shield team
King Country	Taumarunui; Ōtorohanga	1955–56	1972–73	0	Now part of Waikato Valley
Manawatu	Palmerston North	1910–11	Continuing	9	Current team
Marlborough	Blenheim	1912–13	Continuing	3	Current team
Mid Canterbury	Ashburton	1997–98	Continuing	1	Current team (formerly known as Ashburton County)
Midlands	Taumarunui	1975–76	1983–84	0	Now part of Waikato Valley
Nelson	Nelson	1921–22	Continuing	10	Current team
North Auckland	Whangārei	1938–39	1938–39	0	Now named Northland
North Canterbury	Rangiora	1963–64	1990–91	2	Now named Canterbury Country
North Harbour	Auckland	1994–95	1998–99	0	Now part of Auckland Plunket Shield team
North Otago	Oamaru	1958–59	Continuing	3	Current team
North Taranaki	New Plymouth	1910–11	1922–23	0	Part of Taranaki since the 1920s
Northland	Whangārei	1951–52	Continuing	7	Current team
Otago Country	Alexandra	2007–08	Continuing	1	Current team (formerly known as Central Otago)
Poverty Bay	Gisborne	1913–14	Continuing	1	Current team
Rangitikei	Marton	1910–11	1988–89	2	Now part of Whanganui
South Auckland	Hamilton	1912–13	1936–37	2	Now divided into Waikato Valley and Hamilton
South Canterbury	Timaru	1910–11	Continuing	1	Current team
South Taranaki	Hawera	1910–11	1922–23	0	Part of Taranaki since the 1920s
Southern Hawke's Bay	Dannevirke	1926–27	1991–92	0	Now part of Manawatu
Southland	Invercargill	1910–11	Continuing	6	Current team
Taranaki	New Plymouth	1926–27	Continuing	7	Current team, formed from North Taranaki and South Taranaki in the 1920s
Thames Valley	Te Aroha; Paeroa	1955–56	1983–84	0	Now part of Waikato Valley
Waiapu	Waipiro Bay; Tokomaru Bay	1930–31	1938–39	0	Now part of Poverty Bay
Waikato	Hamilton	1921–22	1974–75	4	Now divided into Waikato Valley and Hamilton
Waikato Valley	Hamilton; Cambridge	2013–14	Continuing	0	Current team, superseding Waikato, South Auckland, Thames Valley, King Country and Midlands
Wairarapa	Masterton	1910–11	Continuing	3	Current team
Wellington City	Wellington	1997–98	1998–99	2	Now part of Wellington Plunket Shield team
West Coast	Greymouth	1924–25	2009–10	0
Whanganui	Whanganui	1912–13	Continuing	6	Current team (formerly spelt Wanganui)
::

Team of the Century

In January 2011, to mark 100 years of Hawke Cup cricket, an official "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:

• Mike Wright (wk) – Bay of Plenty
• Roger Pierce – Nelson
• Robert Anderson – Southland, Northland and Manawatu
• Richard Hoskin – Southland and Central Otago
• 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

References

References

1. (13 March 2020). "Final Hawke Cup challenge: Crucial day in Plunket Shield race". Voxy.
2. ''[[The Marlborough Express]]'', 10 October 1910, p. 7.
3. "Wairarapa v Manawatu 1910–11". CricketArchive.
4. "How Southland Won The Hawke Cup".
5. (3 September 1924). "The Hawke Cup". Star.
6. (24 February 2022). "Hawke Cup stays in the cricket cabinet for the winter". The New Zealand Herald.
7. "Nelson prominent in Hawke Cup top echelon".
8. (31 January 2021). "Nelson win cricket’s Hawke Cup from Canterbury Country". NZ Sportswire.
9. "Day-dreaming about sport".
10. Francis Payne & Ian Smith, eds, ''2021 [[New Zealand Cricket Almanack]]'', Upstart Press, Takapuna, 2021, pp. 171–74.
11. (21 February 2017). "Nelson hold an esteemed place in annals of Hawke Cup history". The Nelson Mail.
12. "Nelson v Marlborough 1933–34". CricketArchive.
13. "Sportsman of the Month: "Mick" Kinzett".
14. "Wanganui v South Taranaki 1922–23". CricketArchive.
15. "Stark bowls over 118-year-old record". Marlborough Express.
16. "More information on the Hawke Cup".
17. "Ashburton County". CricketArchive.
18. "Auckland-Manukau". CricketArchive.
19. "Auckland-Waitakere". CricketArchive.
20. "Bay of Plenty". CricketArchive.
21. "Buller". CricketArchive.
22. "Canterbury Country". CricketArchive.
23. "Central Otago". CricketArchive.
24. "Counties". CricketArchive.
25. "Counties Manukau". CricketArchive.
26. "Dunedin Metropolitan". CricketArchive.
27. "Franklin". CricketArchive.
28. "Hamilton (New Zealand)". CricketArchive.
29. "Hawke's Bay". CricketArchive.
30. "Horowhenua". CricketArchive.
31. "Horowhenua Kapiti". CricketArchive.
32. "Lower Hutt". CricketArchive.
33. "King Country". CricketArchive.
34. "Manawatu". CricketArchive.
35. "Marlborough". CricketArchive.
36. "Mid Canterbury". CricketArchive.
37. "Midlands (New Zealand)". CricketArchive.
38. "Nelson (New Zealand)". CricketArchive.
39. "North Auckland". CricketArchive.
40. "North Canterbury". CricketArchive.
41. "North Harbour". CricketArchive.
42. "North Otago". CricketArchive.
43. "North Taranaki". CricketArchive.
44. "Northland". CricketArchive.
45. "Otago Country". CricketArchive.
46. "Poverty Bay". CricketArchive.
47. "Rangitikei". CricketArchive.
48. "South Auckland". CricketArchive.
49. "South Canterbury". CricketArchive.
50. "South Taranaki". CricketArchive.
51. "Southern Hawke's Bay". CricketArchive.
52. "Southland". CricketArchive.
53. "Taranaki". CricketArchive.
54. "Thames Valley". CricketArchive.
55. "Waiapu". CricketArchive.
56. "Waikato". CricketArchive.
57. "Waikato Valley". CricketArchive.
58. "Wairarapa". CricketArchive.
59. "Wellington City". CricketArchive.
60. "West Coast (South Island)". CricketArchive.
61. "Whanganui". CricketArchive.
62. "Hawke Cup Centennial cricket team named".

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