Cricket: Stags and Hinds first games of new season

CD Cricket

The first Central Stags and Hinds squads of the season have been named, with the Stags set to officially open the 2025/26 Domestic season at New Plymouth’s Pukekura Park tomorrow (Satuday).

Meanwhile, the Hinds heading to Taupō for a series of Labour Weekend pre-season T20s against the Auckland Hearts, Otago Sparks, Wellington Blaze and Northern Districts.

There are no great surprises in new coach Greg Hay’s first Stags squad for a rematch of one of last season’s most exciting games.

The Stags are playing the Wellington Firebirds from 10.30am Saturday at the same place where they beat the Wellingtonians in a two-run victory last season - a thriller that propelled the Stags into the Finals.

Victory was sealed by captain Jayden Lennox’s career-best four-fa and he now heads into his second summer as the team’s Ford Trophy skipper.

Despite a few injuries, the Stags’ squad packs plenty of experience and proven talent, with plenty of interest in Dean Foxcroft, back from Otago and set to play his first Ford Trophy match for the team since November 2018.

Lennox is poised for his 50th List A one-dayer in Saturday’s match, with 45 of those for the Stags and the balance for New Zealand A for whom he has impressed at every turn.

Capped BLACKCAP Josh Clarkson and last year’s young breakout player, Curtis Heaphy, along with Foxcroft, have all also repped New Zealand A this year and, with a good number of the regular Firebirds roster now away with the BLACKCAPS, the Stags should sense an opportunity to make a positive opening statement.

In the injury tent, opening paceman Brett Randell is recovering from surgery to fix a broken collarbone and frozen shoulder, and will miss the first half of the competition - the legacy of an unlucky break on the normally sponge-like outfield of Eden Park’s outer oval late last summer.

Doug Bracewell and Joey Field are also unavailable with injury, while Will Young has headed off to join the BLACKCAPS for the one-dayers against England.

Central finished in the right half of the table last season, making the 2v3 Elimination Final in Dunedin only to be ousted on the day by a Jimmy Neesham century.

The Firebirds meanwhile have a few points to prove after winding up second to last on a fairly tight Ford Trophy table last summer.

And that’s the beauty of the New Zealand competition — just six teams with no time to waste in a double round robin, no weak sides, and every team in with a chance.

The Stags last won this title in 2023, a special win not only for the cricket on display — Clarkson scored an unbeaten, matchwinning century, but for the fact the team came back and did The Ford Trophy and Plunket Shield national title double after a month’s disruption due to Cyclone Gabrielle.

Despite another recent burst of stormy weather, the Stags have had a strong preseason build-up, centred around the team's training base at Mitre 10 Park and a series of warm-up fixtures against the Auckland Aces and Northern Districts in Napier.

Gates open at 10am for a scheduled 10.30am start for the 50-over contest tomorrow, with livescores and a free livestream at cdcricket.co.nz as CD’s 75th Jubilee season officially gets underway.

The Central Hinds will be in action a day later, with two T20s on Sunday and two on Monday over Labour Weekend at Taupō’s Owen Delaney Park in the annual multi-team preseason tournament.

Rosemary Mair and Hannah Rowe remain in India with the WHITE FERNS at the World Cup, but Flora Devonshire - who returned early from that tournament with a hand injury - has recovered in time to lead the team in Taupō, set to make her Hinds captaincy debut on Sunday against Wellington Blaze.

Livescores for all matches will be at www.cdcricket.co.nz.

2025/26 FORD TROPHY

ROUND ONE

Central Stags v Wellington Firebirds
10.30am | Saturday 25 October 2025
Pukekura Park • New Plymouth
FREE ADMISSION

Jayden Lennox - captain, Hawke's Bay
Tom Bruce - Taranaki
Will Clark - Hawke's Bay
Josh Clarkson - Nelson
Dane Cleaver - wicketkeeper, Manawatū
Toby Findlay - Hawke's Bay
Dean Foxcroft - Hawke’s Bay
Curtis Heaphy - Manawatū
Ajaz Patel - Hawke's Bay
Brad Schmulian - Hawke's Bay
Blair Tickner - Hawke's Bay
Ray Toole - Manawatū
Head Coach: Greg Hay (debut)
Assistant Coach: Aldin Smith
Contracted players unavailable for selection
Will Young (BLACKCAPS ODI Series v England)
Injured: Doug Bracewell, Joey Field, Brett Randell

2025 LABOUR WEEKEND TOURNAMENT

Owen Delany Park
Taupō

HINDS SCHEDULE
Sunday, 26 October 2025
10.30am v Wellington Blaze
2pm v Northern Districts
Monday, 27 October 2025
10am v Auckland Hearts
1pm v Otago Sparks

Central Hinds squad

Flora Devonshire - captain, Hawke's Bay
Aniela Apperley
Georgia Atkinson
Ocean Bartlett
Grace Foreman
Kate Gaging
Claudia Green
Ashtuti Kumar
Emma McLeod
Jess Ogden
Cate Pedersen
Kerry Tomlinson
Abby Treder
Unavailable:
Rosemary Mair, Hannah Rowe (WHITE FERNS in India)