2019–20 Plunket Shield season

2019–20 Plunket Shield

Dates	21 October 2019 – 29 March 2020
Cricket format	First-class
Tournament format(s)	Round-robin
Champions	Wellington (21st title)
Participants	6
Matches	24
Most runs	Devon Conway (701)
Most wickets	Jacob Duffy (22) Neil Wagner (22)

The 2019–20 Plunket Shield was the 91st season of the Plunket Shield, the domestic first-class cricket competition in New Zealand.^[1] It took place between October 2019 and March 2020.^[2][3] As per the previous edition of the competition, the tournament was scheduled to feature eight rounds of matches.^[4] Central Districts were the defending champions.^[5]

In round two of the tournament, Michael Snedden became the first fourth-generation cricketer to play first-class cricket in New Zealand, when he made his debut for Wellington.^[6] In round five, Mark Chapman and Joe Carter scored centuries in both innings for Auckland, the first time that two batsman had scored a century in each innings in the same match in the Plunket Shield.^[7]

On 16 March 2020, the final two rounds of the tournament were cancelled, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.^[8] New Zealand Cricket announced that Wellington had won the tournament.^[9] It was Wellington's 21st title, and their first since the 2003–04 season.^[10]

Points table

Team[11]	Pld	W	L	D	Ab	Pts
Wellington	6	4	1	1	0	83
Central Districts	6	2	3	1	0	57
Otago	6	2	1	2	0	55
Auckland	6	2	1	2	1	54
Canterbury	6	1	3	2	0	45
Northern Districts	6	1	3	2	0	42

  Champions

Fixtures

Round 1

21–24 October 2019 Scorecard

Otago	v	Wellington
199 (63.2 overs) Mitch Renwick 42 (68) Logan van Beek 4/43 (16 overs)		372 (96.3 overs) Devon Conway 96 (180) Jacob Duffy 7/89 (24 overs)
219 (66.2 overs) Dean Foxcroft 54 (78) Malcolm Nofal 4/15 (9.2 overs)		50/2 (11.1 overs) Rachin Ravindra 26* (35) Jacob Duffy 2/17 (6 overs)

Wellington won by 8 wickets Basin Reserve, Wellington Umpires: Billy Bowden and Ashley Mehrotra

• Wellington won the toss and elected to field.
• Dale Phillips (Otago) made his first-class debut.

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21–24 October 2019 Scorecard

Canterbury	v	Northern Districts
390 (121.4 overs) Cole McConchie 107 (152) Trent Boult 3/70 (23 overs)		498/6 (136.1 overs) Daryl Mitchell 170* (264) Will Williams 1/59 (23 overs)

Match drawn Hagley Oval, Christchurch Umpires: Shaun Haig and Jacobs

• Canterbury won the toss and elected to bat.

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21–24 October 2019 Scorecard

Auckland	v	Central Districts
210 (85.4 overs) Martin Guptill 69 (162) Willem Ludick 3/29 (18 overs)		169 (68.3 overs) Brad Schmulian 74* (129) Matt McEwan 4/51 (21.3 overs)
189/9d (78 overs) Ben Horne 55* (154) Willem Ludick 3/43 (18 overs)		192 (57.5 overs) Dane Cleaver 72 (95) Matt McEwan 4/39 (14.5 overs)

Auckland won by 38 runs Eden Park Outer Oval, Auckland Umpires: Wayne Knights and Tim Parlane

• Central Districts won the toss and elected to field.

Round 2

29 October – 1 November 2019 Scorecard

Wellington	v	Canterbury
525/7d (118 overs) Devon Conway 327* (352) Matt Henry 3/100 (30 overs)		415/9d (133.2 overs) Tom Latham 224 (381) Michael Bracewell 2/54 (16 overs)
247/6d (44.3 overs) Devon Conway 66 (78) Will Williams 3/40 (11 overs)		313 (74 overs) Matt Henry 43 (40) Malcolm Nofal 4/100 (19 overs)

Wellington won by 44 runs Basin Reserve, Wellington Umpires: Derek Walker and Garth Stirrat

• Canterbury won the toss and elected to field.
• Michael Snedden (Wellington) made his first-class debut.
• Devon Conway (Wellington) scored the ninth triple century in first-class cricket in New Zealand,^[12] and scored the most runs in a first-class match in New Zealand (393).^[13]
• Todd Astle became the first bowler for Canterbury to take 300 first-class wickets.^[13]

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30 October – 2 November 2019 Scorecard

Otago	v	Auckland

Match abandoned University Oval, Dunedin Umpires: Jacobs and John Bromley

• No toss
• No play was possible due to rain.

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30 October – 2 November 2019 Scorecard

Central Districts	v	Northern Districts
371 (117.5 overs) George Worker 130 (248) Brett Randell 3/50 (24 overs)		202 (69.1 overs) Brett Randell 56 (97) Seth Rance 3/50 (17 overs)
204 (53.5 overs) Tom Bruce 60 (79) Neil Wagner 5/62 (18.5 overs)		299 (116.3 overs) Bharat Popli 87 (202) Brad Schmulian 4/34 (16.3 overs)

Central Districts won by 74 runs Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui Umpires: Billy Bowden and Tim Parlane

• Northern Districts won the toss and elected to field.
• Raymond Toole and Jarrod McKay (Central Districts) both made their first-class debuts.

Round 3

8–11 November 2019 Scorecard

Central Districts	v	Canterbury
164 (60.2 overs) Greg Hay 37 (108) Fraser Sheat 4/52 (15 overs)		212 (59.1 overs) Stephen Murdoch 75 (128) Willem Ludick 4/51 (17 overs)
287/9 (102 overs) Ben Smith 82 (175) Matt Henry 3/95 (28 overs)

Match drawn Saxton Oval, Nelson Umpires: Billy Bowden and Ashley Mehrotra

• Canterbury won the toss and elected to field.
• Ben Stoyanoff (Central Districts) made his first-class debut.

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8–11 November 2019 Scorecard

Wellington	v	Auckland
91 (31.3 overs) Devon Conway 22 (34) Lockie Ferguson 4/23 (9.3 overs)		217 (66.4 overs) Robert O'Donnell 60* (85) Ben Sears 6/43 (13.4 overs)
104/2 (27 overs) Fraser Colson 34 (44) Matt McEwan 1/27 (10 overs)

Match drawn Basin Reserve, Wellington Umpires: Derek Walker and Tim Parlane

• Auckland won th toss and elected to field.
• No play was possible on days 3 and 4 due to rain.
• Lockie Ferguson (Auckland) took his 150th first-class wicket.^[14]

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8–11 November 2019 Scorecard

Northern Districts	v	Otago
243 (82.1 overs) Henry Cooper 149 (239) Michael Rippon 4/60 (25.1 overs)		349 (127.2 overs) Nathan Smith 114 (193) Neil Wagner 6/114 (40.2 overs)
104/6 (61 overs) Henry Cooper 30 (77) Michael Rippon 5/33 (27 overs)

Match drawn University Oval, Dunedin Umpires: John Dempsey and John Bromley

• Northern Districts won the toss and elected to bat.
• No play was possible on day 3 due to rain.
• Daniel Flynn (Northern Districts) played in his 100th first-class match.^[14]

Round 4

22–25 February 2020 Scorecard

Auckland	v	Otago
467/6d (119 overs) Martin Guptill 110 (157) Jacob Duffy 2/88 (28 overs)		281 (97.4 overs) Nick Kelly 118 (228) Louis Delport 5/77 (28 overs)
184/5d (20.5 overs) Jeet Raval 66 (53) Dean Foxcroft 3/25 (4.5 overs)		227/9 (93 overs) Nathan Smith 41* (133) Lockie Ferguson 3/60 (20 overs)

Match drawn Eden Park Outer Oval, Auckland Umpires: John Dempsey and Ashley Mehrotra

• Otago won the toss and elected to field.
• Louis Delport (Auckland) took his maiden five-wicket haul in first-class cricket.^[15]

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22–25 February 2020 Scorecard

Wellington	v	Canterbury
316 (77.1 overs) Michael Bracewell 87 (97) Andrew Hazeldine 4/62 (13.1 overs)		570/8d (154 overs) Leo Carter 226* (367) Iain McPeake 3/80 (23 overs)
120 (34.1 overs) Fraser Colson 44 (60) Theo van Woerkom 2/9 (3 overs)

Canterbury won by an innings and 134 runs Mainpower Oval, Rangiora Umpires: Derek Walker and Tim Parlane

• Canterbury won the toss and elected to field.
• Troy Johnson (Wellington) made his first-class debut.
• Leo Carter (Canterbury) scored his maiden double century in first-class cricket.^[16]

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22–25 February 2020 Scorecard

Northern Districts	v	Central Districts
271 (90.3 overs) Bharat Popli 62 (132) Blair Tickner 4/59 (20 overs)		482 (140.5 overs) Dane Cleaver 201 (223) Mitchell Santner 4/111 (44.5 overs)
283 (104.4 overs) Ish Sodhi 57 (97) Brad Schmulian 3/63 (24 overs)		73/2 (7 overs) Dane Cleaver 38 (18) Brett Randell 1/5 (1 over)

Central Districts won by 8 wickets McLean Park, Napier Umpires: Shaun Haig and Donovan Koch

• Central Districts won the toss and elected to field.
• Katene Clarke (Northern Districts) made his first-class debut.

Round 5

1–4 March 2020 Scorecard

Otago	v	Canterbury
287 (83.5 overs) Nathan Smith 78 (136) Matt Henry 4/88 (18.5 overs)		145 (58.1 overs) Cam Fletcher 32 (72) Jacob Duffy 3/30 (18 overs)
160 (53.3 overs) Michael Rippon 30 (74) Matt Henry 4/49 (17.3 overs)		240 (65.5 overs) Ken McClure 98 (126) Jacob Duffy 4/46 (17 overs)

Otago won by 62 runs Queens Park, Invercargill Umpires: Derek Walker and Tim Parlane

• Otago won the toss and elected to bat.

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1–4 March 2020 Scorecard

Northern Districts	v	Auckland
438 (119.4 overs) Joe Carter 169 (244) Ben Lister 2/53 (26 overs)		351/5d (86.2 overs) Mark Chapman 143 (166) James Baker 2/55 (19.2 overs)
283 (74 overs) Joe Carter 120 (197) Sean Solia 4/33 (9 overs)		374/9 (74.5 overs) Mark Chapman 146 (186) James Baker 4/83 (20 overs)

Auckland won by 1 wicket Eden Park Outer Oval, Auckland Umpires: Wayne Knights and Ashley Mehrotra

• Auckland won the toss and elected to field.
• Mark Chapman and Joe Carter (Auckland) scored centuries in both innings, the first time that two batsman had scored a century in each innings in the same match in the Plunket Shield.^[17]

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1–4 March 2020 Scorecard

Central Districts	v	Wellington
96 (36.4 overs) Greg Hay 62 (110) James Neesham 3/17 (9.4 overs)		298 (99 overs) Michael Bracewell 70 (156) Blair Tickner 5/96 (27 overs)
254 (73.1 overs) Brad Schmulian 68* (77) Jamie Gibson 3/36 (11 overs)		53/1 (16.2 overs) Devon Conway 19* (31) Willem Ludick 1/24 (4.2 overs)

Wellington won by 9 wickets Basin Reserve, Wellington Umpires: Billy Bowden and John Dempsey

• Wellington won the toss and elected to field.
• Stefan Hook-Sporry (Central Districts) made his first-class debut.

Round 6

10–13 March 2020 Scorecard

Northern Districts	v	Canterbury
294 (88.3 overs) Scott Kuggeleijn 72* (85) Will Williams 4/52 (26 overs)		243 (86.4 overs) Stephen Murdoch 56 (123) James Baker 5/59 (26.4 overs)
302/5d (74 overs) Henry Cooper 130 (211) Theo van Woerkom 4/76 (21 overs)		172 (63.3 overs) Stephen Murdoch 55 (101) Joe Walker 5/41 (18.3 overs)

Northern Districts won by 181 runs Seddon Park, Hamilton Umpires: John Dempsey and Wayne Knights

• Canterbury won the toss and elected to field.

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10–13 March 2020 Scorecard

Central Districts	v	Otago
297 (82.2 overs) Greg Hay 83 (131) Michael Rae 2/63 (20 overs)		266/7d (76 overs) Mitch Renwick 74* (116) Ajaz Patel 4/87 (26 overs)
256/2d (43 overs) Will Young 133* (118) Nathan Smith 1/50 (11 overs)		291/7 (75 overs) Michael Rippon 95* (111) Ajaz Patel 3/97 (26 overs)

Otago won by 3 wickets University Oval, Dunedin Umpires: Shaun Haig and Derek Walker

• Otago won the toss and elected to field.
• No play was possible on day 1 due to rain.

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10–13 March 2020 Scorecard

Auckland	v	Wellington
179 (55.3 overs) Sean Solia 69 (81) Michael Snedden 3/42 (13 overs)		360 (153.4 overs) Rachin Ravindra 101 (187) Glenn Phillips 4/87 (51 overs)
174 (83.4 overs) Finn Allen 66 (115) Michael Bracewell 5/43 (29.4 overs)

Wellington won by an innings and 7 runs Eden Park Outer Oval, Auckland Umpires: Chris Brown and Ashley Mehrotra

• Auckland won the toss and elected to bat.
• Rachin Ravindra (Wellington) scored his maiden century in first-class cricket.^[18]
• Michael Bracewell (Wellington) took his maiden five-wicket haul in first-class cricket.^[19]

Round 7

18–21 March 2020 Scorecard

Northern Districts	v	Auckland

Match cancelled Cobham Oval, Whangārei

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18–21 March 2020 Scorecard

Canterbury	v	Otago

Match cancelled Hagley Oval, Christchurch

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18–21 March 2020 Scorecard

Central Districts	v	Wellington

Match cancelled McLean Park, Napier

Round 8

26–29 March 2020 Scorecard

Northern Districts	v	Wellington

Match cancelled Seddon Park, Hamilton

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26–29 March 2020 Scorecard

Central Districts	v	Otago

Match cancelled McLean Park, Napier

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26–29 March 2020 Scorecard

Canterbury	v	Auckland

Match cancelled Mainpower Oval, Rangiora

References

1. "Star-studded start to New Zealand's Plunket Shield season". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
2. "NZ's best set to make a Super Smash on 2019–20 domestic stage". New Zealand Cricket. Archived from the original on 20 August 2019. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
3. "Plunket Shield 2019–20" (PDF). New Zealand Cricket. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
4. "The Central Stags return to Palmerston North this cricket season". Stuff. 15 August 2019. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
5. "After 51 years, Central Districts win back-to-back Plunket Shields". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
6. "Four generations of first-class cricketers as Michael Snedden makes Shield debut". Stuff. 28 October 2019. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
7. "Double double! Joe Carter, Mark Chapman make history". New Zealand Cricket. Archived from the original on 4 March 2020. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
8. "Plunket Shield cancelled due to coronavirus measures, Wellington named champions". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
9. "Coronavirus: Plunket Shield cancelled, Wellington Firebirds declared champions". Stuff. 16 March 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
10. "Wellington awarded Plunket Shield as final rounds of competition are cancelled". The Cricketer. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
11. "Plunket Shield Table - 2019-20". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
12. "Plunket Shield: Devon Conway plunders Basin record in 'goosebump moment'". Stuff. 30 October 2019. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
13. "Plunket Shield round-up: Latham hits 224, Wagner and Boult sound warning". ESPN Cricinfo. 29 September 2019. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
14. "Plunket Shield round-up: Lockie Ferguson and Neil Wagner let it rip". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
15. "Two double centuries on a day for the batsmen in the Plunket Shield". Stuff. 24 February 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
16. "Leo Carter's year: Six sixes now a double century for Canterbury". Star News. 24 February 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
17. "Auckland score unlikely Plunket Shield victory over Northern Districts on penultimate ball". Stuff. 4 March 2020. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
18. "Plunket Shield: Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra put table-topping Firebirds in control". Stuff. 11 March 2020. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
19. "Scorching Firebirds on the up". NZ Cricket. Archived from the original on 12 August 2020. Retrieved 13 March 2020.

External links

• Series home at ESPN Cricinfo