Cricket: Central Districts schedule confirmed

CD Cricket

Defending champion the Central Stags will launch their national Dream11 Super Smash title defence in Palmerston North this year, as the traditional 27 December T20 doubleheader returns to Manawatū’s calendar.

NZC has announced the T20 Domestic fixtures list this morning, with the overall competition beginning in Hamilton on Boxing Day, and ending with the men’s and women’s Grand Finals at Hagley Oval, Christchurch this season, on 31 January 2026.

Central’s twin teams play five home doubleheaders in all, moving to Nelson’s Saxton Oval just after the New Year on 3 January 2026, followed by three gamedays in Napier on Tuesday 13, Friday 16 and Saturday 24 January — all with the Stags’ matches under lights.

That last home doubleheader on the 24th will be a doubly special event. 

Central Districts Cricket Association is celebrating its 75th birthday, and scores of past players are travelling to Hawke’s Bay for a 75th Jubilee Long Luncheon on Friday 23 January and kicking on for the McLean Park T20s, where there will be guest appearances by CD Alumni players.

The current crop of Central Hinds and Stags will also head to Central Otago’s Alexandra; Hagley Oval; the Cello Basin Reserve — scene of the Stags’ comprehensive title triumph last season; Hamilton’s Seddon Park and Auckland’s Kennards Hire Community Oval at Eden Park for their away doubleheaders, with two of those matches under lights for the Stags as well.

The upcoming season will celebrate multiple milestones, with it not only being Central Districts’ diamond jubilee season, but the 100th season of the first-class Plunket Shield championship, and, the 20th anniversary of the Stags’ first ever T20 match between two stacked teams.

That took place on 22 January 2006 at McLean Park (for the record, a six-wicket win over the Canterbury Wizards, now the Canterbury Kings).

The Kings have been the beaten finalist in the Dream11 Super Smash for a crushing five consecutive years now, and the Stags will be looking to get another win over them when the two sides meet at Saxton Oval on 3 January in a 2025 Grand Final rematch.

The home doubleheaders in Palmerston North and Nelson are all afternoon games — family friendly entertainment in the holiday season, with Central hosting the Wellington and Canterbury teams respectively — the Hinds taking on defending women’s champion, Melie Kerr’s Wellington Blaze, in Palmy for their 27 December opener.

Doubleheaders will begin at 12.40pm throughout the country except when the second match is being played under lights, in which case the fun begins at 2.10pm with the women’s match.

Tickets go on sale in the coming weeks, and Central Districts CEO Lance Hamilton said he was looking forward to building on last summer’s successful season.

“One thing that you can always say about the Stags and Hinds is that they have a loyal army of fans throughout the country who get what we’re all about and how we genuinely represent provincial New Zealand,” he said.

“We’re also the only Major Association to have home grounds in both the main islands, and it’s exciting to be able to return to Nelson again in the New Year after the awesome local support we received last season for holiday season cricket at Saxton Oval.

“In saying that, we’re very much conscious that our teams have an incredible fan base in Taranaki who will once again be really disappointed that there are no Pukekura Park Dream11 Super Smash fixtures in New Plymouth.

“Sadly, we’re simply unable to host T20 doubleheaders at the ground until its infrastructure is developed to meet NZC’s venue requirements for the Super Smash. 

 “The issue affects doubleheaders only, but we did also have some constraints when it came to bringing Stags and Hinds one-day entertainment to New Plymouth this season.

“With Taranaki holding the Hawke Cup, the possibility of Hawke Cup Challenges at the ground from January through March for which pitches may need to be prepared meant the Stags and Hinds needed to play their Pukekura Park one-dayers early in the season this year.”

The Stags open their 75th jubilee season with two Ford Trophy one-dayers at Pukekura Park on 25 and 30 October, and the Hinds likewise play their first two Hallyburton Johnstone Shield one-dayers at Pukekura Park on the weekend of 15 and 16 November — all free admission.

No matter which format, NZC’s Domestic cricket programme puts the best of the best on display as the Stags and Hinds put it all on the line for the pride of CD.

Players are pushed to the edge of their ability, and look forward to entertaining the crowd wherever they are playing.

Tom Bruce, Central Stags captain and last season’s Dream11 Super Smash Men’s Player of the Year said the quality of the Super Smash was extremely high.

“You’ve got BLACKCAPS and WHITE FERNS scattered across the teams along with plenty of up and coming stars pushing for their chance at the next level.

“With only six teams in the competition, you have to constantly be thinking about evolving your game as you often play similar squads a few times a season.

“You’re forced to progress your game as individuals and as a team, otherwise players will figure you out pretty quickly”

“It’s also great for players to get used to playing in front of a large crowd and a pretty substantial TV audience too.

“If they can get a taste of playing in that context, then once they make the step up to BLACKCAPS or WHITE FERNS, they already have some invaluable experience playing in that sort of environment.”

2025/26 DREAM11 SUPER SMASH

Central Hinds and Stags home T20 doubleheaders

Saturday 27 December 2025, Fitzherbert Park, Palmerston North

• Central Hinds v Otago Volts: 12.40pm

• Central Stags vs Otago Sparks: 4.25pm

Saturday 3 January 2026, Saxton Oval, Nelson

• Central Hinds v Canterbury Magicians: 12.40pm

• Central Stags v Canterbury Kings: 4.25pm

Tuesday 13 January 2026, McLean Park, Napier

• Central Hinds v Northern Brave: 2.10pm

• Central Stags v Northern Brave: 6.20pm

Friday 16 January 2026, McLean Park, Napier

• Central Hinds v Auckland Aces: 2.10pm

• Central Stags v Auckland Hearts: 6.20pm

Saturday 24 January 2026, McLean Park, Napier*

• Central Hinds v Otago Volts: 2.10pm

• Central Stags v Otago Sparks: 6.20pm

* Official 75th Jubilee celebrations

2025/26 FORD TROPHY 

Central Stags home one-day games

Saturday 25 October 2025, Pukekura Park, New Plymouth

• Central Stags v Wellington Firebirds 10.30am

Thursday 30 October 2025, Pukekura Park, New Plymouth

• Central Stags v Northern Districts: 10.30am

Saturday 7 February 2026, McLean Park, Napier

• Central Stags v Auckland Aces: 10.30am

Friday 13 February 2026, Saxton Oval, Nelson

• Central Stags v Otago Volts: 10.30am

Tuesday 17 February 2026, Saxton Oval, Nelson

• Central Stags v Canterbury: 10.30am

2025/26 HALLYBURTON JOHNSTONE SHIELD

Central Hinds home one-day games

Saturday 15 November 2025, Pukekura Park, New Plymouth

• Central Hinds v Canterbury Magicians: 10.30am 

Sunday 16 November 2025, Pukekura Park, New Plymouth

• Central Hinds v Canterbury Magicians: 10.30am

Saturday 29 November 2025, Fitzherbert Park, Palmerston North

• Central Hinds v Wellington Blaze: 10.30am

Sunday 30 November 2025, Fitzherbert Park, Palmerston North

• Central Hinds v Wellington Blaze: 10.30am

Saturday 13 December 2025, Fitzherbert Park, Palmerston North

• Central Hinds v Otago Sparks: 10.30am

Sunday 14 December 2025, Fitzherbert Park, Palmerston North

• Central Hinds v Otago Sparks: 10.30am

 2025/26 PLUNKET SHIELD

Central Stags home first-class four-day games

Tuesday 18-Friday 21 November 2025, Fitzherbert Park, Palmerston North

• Central Stags v Auckland Aces: 10.30am

Friday 5-Monday 8 December 2025, McLean Park, Napier

• Central Stags v Canterbury: 10.30am

Saturday 28 February-Tuesday 3 March 2026, McLean Park, Napier

• Central Stags v Wellington Firebirds: 10.30am

Monday 9-Thursday 12 March 2026, McLean Park, Napier

• Central Stags v Northern Districts: 10.30am