New Zealand’s premier first-class competition reaches a notable milestone this summer. New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has confirmed that the 100th edition of the Plunket Shield will begin on 18 November, with the eighth and final round pencilled in for 27 March.
Introduced in 1906 as a challenge trophy, the Shield switched to a full round-robin in 1921-22 and has been the bedrock of the men’s red-ball calendar ever since. Only World War II interrupted its annual rhythm, five seasons lost between 1939 and 1945, which is why the 2025-26 campaign now qualifies as the centenary season rather than the 120th.
Francis Payne, NZC’s long-serving statistician, put the past into context. “The Plunket Shield was first awarded in 1906, by the Governor of New Zealand, Lord Plunket, and was given to Canterbury as the association with the best record that season,” he said. “The 1921-22 summer was the start of the men’s domestic first-class competition as we know it, with the Plunket Shield competed for on a seasonal basis featuring four of today’s six major associations, with Central Districts (1950-51) and Northern Districts (1956-57) later additions.”
To mark the occasion NZC has produced a centenary logo and will shortly reveal an all-time Plunket Shield XI, a nod to the many internationals who cut their teeth in the competition. The governing body also hopes to see strong crowds in a domestic window now largely free of international clashes.
The opening round presents some familiar rivalries: Central Districts v Auckland, Wellington v Otago, and Canterbury v reigning champions Northern Districts. For Wellington seamer Michael Snedden, the fixture list carries extra meaning. He represents a fourth generation of Shield cricketers in his family, following father Martin, grandfather Warwick and great-grandfather Nessie, the latter appearing in that very first round-robin season more than a century ago.
Chief executive Scott Weenink underlined the tournament’s modern relevance. “It’s been said before and I agree, our domestic competitions are the equal of any others in the world, and the Plunket Shield is the jewel in that crown,” he remarked. “The basis for the Black Caps side that won the inaugural ICC World Test Championship and achieved that wonderful piece of history in India last year is the Plunket Shield. It continues to produce international-ready Black Caps and demonstrate its relevance, more than 100 years on from when it began”.
The full schedule is available on NZC’s website. For now, players, coaches and supporters can look forward to another four-month examination of technique and temperament—the elements that have always defined Plunket Shield cricket.
