2024–25 NZ domestic season

[HeathDavisSpeed]

I'm missing the Super Smash quite a bit tbh. My litt'lun has asked to watch it (ahead of Bluey even sometimes) and was pretty disappointed when I told her this evening that the cricket was over for the season and wasn't on every night any more.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Though it has saved me the incessant questions about which team is which. Easier with the retro shirts, but the modern ones are too similar - Northern and Wellington both have lots of black, Auckland and Otago both with blue and Northern and Canterbury with orange/red. Also, try explaining the concept of Central Districts to an adult, let alone a 4-year-old.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

had to explain to my wife's 99 year old grandma that the cantebury wizard got cancelled

 

[Smudge]

. Also, try explaining the concept of Central Districts to an adult, let alone a 4-year-old.

"Ahh, so it's between Wellington and Hamilton, dad?"

"Well, almost. You know the South Island, right?"

 

[RMBolton]

I've gone & rambled a couple of times about the history of FC cricket in NZ, from some teams representing the old provinces (which Canterbury & Otago still kinda do) to Auckland & Wellington eventually shrinking down to the cities, the various ex-FC teams that eventually became CD (most notably Hawkes Bay who even challenged for the Shield) & the formation of ND. It always makes me laugh because half of it is stuff you'd never do if you were making it up from scratch (if you did, Northland would probably be rationalised alongside Auckland & something would have to be done with Nelson), but those idiosyncrasies are what I love.

The hoopla around Southland brought it up again for me.

 

[_Ed_]

half of it is stuff you'd never do if you were making it up from scratch (if you did, Northland would probably be rationalised alongside Auckland

I've wanted this for ages - maybe Cobham would actually get a few more games. We don't get much of a look in behind Seddon and Bay Oval.

 

[RMBolton]

I've wanted this for ages - maybe Cobham would actually get a few more games. We don't get much of a look in behind Seddon and Bay Oval.

I'll freely admit that it does feel a bit weird that most of the time I have to travel 300km & go past Auckland to attend an ND home game. It also pains me slightly that the one time they schedule SS at Cobham is during that Covid time when Northland was in red.

I guess it could be worse - I could be from the East Coast.

 

[_Ed_]

I'll freely admit that it does feel a bit weird that most of the time I have to travel 300km & go past Auckland to attend an ND home game most of the time. It also pains me slightly that the one time they schedule SS at Cobham is during that Covid time when Northland was in red.

I guess it could be worse - I could be from the East Coast.

And meanwhile Auckland failed to find a suitable alternative ground when Eden Park was unavailable due to concerts (which are only going to be more frequent in future summers).

 

[vandem]

... Northland would probably be rationalised alongside Auckland ...

Grew up in Whangarei, the idea of Northland being a feeder for Auckland would have been as welcome as NZ becoming a state of Australia.

In cricket the Northland vs Auckland pre-season game was always interesting, Auckland normally a mix of some top players and some fringe players, Northland a mix of ND regulars and some ex-first class players and some youth / club players, with an occasional English pro. I went to day one of the game linked below, where a young Barry Cooper and a canny Brian Dunning and English pro Bill Fowler took the Aucks attack apart. Shame I didn't get to day two to see occasional FC left arm seamer (and part time groundsman at my high school) Karl Treiber tear the Aucks apart.

https://archive.nzc.nz/Scorecards/851/851678.html

 

[ataraxia]

It's difficult to divide NZ into six tbf. You'd ideally want two South Island teams rather than two and a bit, but that would probably involve making Canterbury stronger which no one wants. Similarly, a combined Auckland/Northland would be easily the most populous division.

 

[Immenso]

If domestic cricket hadn't professionalism (as a cost sink to mzc central) then I think we would have a 7th FC association by now based in North Harbour (with Northland being an obvious shift to that MA).

There was quite a strong push in the 1990s for NH to become FC.

Although the identity of NH as an independent sporting identity to get fussed about has almost vanished with the demise of rugby.

 

[Athlai]

Wellington getting Nelson and Malborough surely wouldn't be a big deal though

 

[ataraxia]

Mitch Renwick 12th man for ND – joining their 31-year-old club. Been moving about the place in a coach role after retiring from Otago.

 

[jcas0167]

If domestic cricket hadn't professionalism (as a cost sink to mzc central) then I think we would have a 7th FC association by now based in North Harbour (with Northland being an obvious shift to that MA).

There was quite a strong push in the 1990s for NH to become FC.

Although the identity of NH as an independent sporting identity to get fussed about has almost vanished with the demise of rugby.

I remember that. Auckland had so many internationals that a lot of players had to move to progress (Richardson, Horne, Pocock, De Groen?) which I guess hasn't really changed. Another interesting experiment was Conference Cricket experiment in the late 90's where Southern Central and Northern sides competed. The first season also had Bangladesh and Pakistan A in the second. I think Greatbatch said it was the toughest domestic cricket he played.

 

[straw man]

Ford Trophy starting today. Younghusband really has turned into an effective domestic spinner.

 

[jcas0167]

Maiden list A ton for Scott Janett. A bit of background about him. https://burnsidecricket.org.nz/2024/11/23/s-j-g-janett-first-class-debut-626/

 

[RMBolton]

I remember that. Auckland had so many internationals that a lot of players had to move to progress (Richardson, Horne, Pocock, De Groen?) which I guess hasn't really changed. Another interesting experiment was Conference Cricket experiment in the late 90's where Southern Central and Northern sides competed. The first season also had Bangladesh and Pakistan A in the second. I think Greatbatch said it was the toughest domestic cricket he played.View attachment 45173

From memory, I think that was the Bangladesh team's first experience of red ball cricket. Apparently, it was such a disaster that plans to invite Kenya were shelved, so they invited Pakistan A instead.

Also, I think the Conference era came up during the Super Smash commentary when Cumming wore his old Southern Conference shirt during his interview.

If domestic cricket hadn't professionalism (as a cost sink to mzc central) then I think we would have a 7th FC association by now based in North Harbour (with Northland being an obvious shift to that MA).



There was quite a strong push in the 1990s for NH to become FC.



Although the identity of NH as an independent sporting identity to get fussed about has almost vanished with the demise of rugby.

Funnily enough, for nearly 3 decades there was a North Shore then a North Harbour women's team. I think Hockley played for them at one point. I think they merged into Auckland around the time the NZWCC merged into NZC.

 

[straw man]

I've gone & rambled a couple of times about the history of FC cricket in NZ, from some teams representing the old provinces (which Canterbury & Otago still kinda do) to Auckland & Wellington eventually shrinking down to the cities, the various ex-FC teams that eventually became CD (most notably Hawkes Bay who even challenged for the Shield) & the formation of ND. It always makes me laugh because half of it is stuff you'd never do if you were making it up from scratch (if you did, Northland would probably be rationalised alongside Auckland & something would have to be done with Nelson), but those idiosyncrasies are what I love.

The hoopla around Southland brought it up again for me.

Mostly it's just impressive how good the hodge-podge and logistical nightmare that is CD has been over the years.

 

[_Ed_]

 

[ataraxia]

Tom Bruce does it again.

Meanwhile an exciting finish to Canterbury vs Otago: the Volts have a massive shot at pulling this one out of the fire.