The Hawke Cup is a non-first-class cricket competition for New Zealand's district associations. Apart from 1910–11, 1912–13 and 2000–01, the competition has always been on a challenge basis. To win the Hawke Cup, the challengers must beat the holders, either outright or on the first innings in a drawn match, on the holders' home ground.
Teams from New Zealand's four main centres, Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin, have not usually competed for the Hawke Cup, although they did participate in the latter half of the 1990s. They were excluded again from the 2000–01 season.
From 2000 to 2010 the team from Hamilton, New Zealand's fourth-largest urban area, was the most successful. Since then the title has changed hands numerous times, Manawatu, Hawke's Bay, Bay of Plenty and Canterbury Country being prominent. In 2012–13 Hamilton conceded the highest-ever score in the Hawke Cup of 701 against Bay of Plenty. This record score was equalled again by Bay of Plenty against Counties Manukau during their first defence of the Hawke Cup in 2017. Owing to COVID-19 restrictions, the last two matches of the 2021–22 competition were postponed until the 2022–23 season.
Origin
The Plunket Shield, New Zealand's premier cricket competition for its first-class teams, was inaugurated in 1907. In 1910 Lord Hawke donated a challenge cup for competition among the minor associations.The Marlborough Express, 10 October 1910, p. 7. The first match, in December 1910, resulted in a victory to Manawatu over Wairarapa. The first holders, decided in the final match of the 1910–11 competition, were Southland.
As the number of minor associations grew, it became necessary to restrict the number of challenge matches. Beginning with the 1924–25 competition, when there were 18 minor associations, elimination or qualifying matches have been played to determine which associations should have the right to challenge the holders.
Title holders 1910–11 to 1999–2000 Season Challenge matches Holders after each challenge 1910–11 – Southland 1911–12 1 Southland 1912–13 – South Auckland 1913–14 3 Wanganui 1914–15 3 Wanganui 1918–19 1 Poverty Bay 1919–20 3 Poverty Bay 1920–21 2 Poverty Bay, Wairarapa 1921–22 6 Wairarapa, Rangitikei, Nelson, Wanganui 1922–23 5 Wanganui 1923–24 3 Wanganui, Nelson 1924–25 5 Nelson 1925–26 5 Nelson, Wanganui 1926–27 4 Wanganui, Taranaki 1927–28 6 Taranaki, Wanganui, Manawatu 1928–29 3 Manawatu 1929–30 5 Manawatu, Rangitikei 1930–31 5 South Auckland 1931–32 5 South Auckland 1932–33 4 South Auckland, Nelson 1933–34 5 Nelson, Taranaki 1934–35 5 Taranaki, Manawatu 1935–36 4 Manawatu 1936–37 5 Manawatu 1937–38 4 Manawatu, South Auckland 1938–39 4 Waikato 1939–40 5 Waikato, Manawatu 1945–46 3 Manawatu 1946–47 5 Manawatu, Hawke's Bay 1947–48 3 Hawke's Bay, Wanganui 1948–49 4 Hutt Valley 1949–50 5 Hutt Valley, Hawke's Bay 1950–51 5 Hawke's Bay, Wairarapa, Waikato 1951–52 5 Nelson 1952–53 5 Nelson, Wanganui 1953–54 5 Wanganui 1954–55 5 Wanganui 1955–56 5 Wanganui, Hutt Valley, Northland 1956–57 5 Waikato 1957–58 5 Waikato 1958–59 4 Nelson 1959–60 4 Nelson 1960–61 5 Nelson 1961–62 4 Nelson 1962–63 4 Nelson 1963–64 5 Nelson 1964–65 5 Nelson, Manawatu 1965–66 5 Manawatu 1966–67 5 Manawatu, North Canterbury, Nelson 1967–68 5 Hutt Valley, Marlborough, Hawke's Bay 1968–69 5 Hawke's Bay, Waikato 1969–70 5 Waikato, Southland 1970–71 4 Taranaki 1971–72 5 Taranaki 1972–73 5 Taranaki, Southland 1973–74 4 Southland 1974–75 4 Southland 1975–76 4 Southland 1976–77 4 Southland, Wairarapa 1977–78 4 Wairarapa 1978–79 4 Wairarapa, Nelson 1979–80 4 Nelson 1980–81 4 Nelson 1981–82 4 Nelson 1982–83 5 Northland, Hawke's Bay 1983–84 4 Hawke's Bay, Northland, Nelson 1984–85 5 Nelson 1985–86 5 Nelson, Hawke's Bay, Bay of Plenty 1986–87 5 Bay of Plenty, Hawke's Bay, Bay of Plenty, Southland 1987–88 5 Southland, North Canterbury, Taranaki 1988–89 5 Northland, Southland 1989–90 5 Southland 1990–91 5 Southland 1991–92 5 Southland, Northland, Nelson 1992–93 5 Nelson, Canterbury Country, Manawatu 1993–94 5 Manawatu, Marlborough, Taranaki 1994–95 6 Taranaki 1995–96 5 Central Otago, Nelson, Hutt Valley 1996–97 5 Nelson, Auckland-Manukau, Bay of Plenty 1997–98 5 Wellington City, Manawatu, Auckland-Waitakere, Northland 1998–99 5 Northland, Wellington City, Canterbury Country 1999–2000 5 South Canterbury, Dunedin Metropolitan
From 1985–86 to 1994–95 the competition was called the U-Bix Cup; from 1995–96 to 1997–98 it was the Fuji Xerox Cup; in 1998–99 it was the National District Championship.
2000–01 to the present
Season Challenge matches Holders after each challenge 2000–01 Semi-finals Hamilton v Canterbury Country, Hawke's Bay v Bay of Plenty, Final Hamilton v Hawke's Bay Hamilton 2001–02 Hamilton v North Otago, Hamilton v Hawke's Bay, Hamilton v Northland, Hamilton v Canterbury Country, Hamilton v Manawatu Hamilton, Manawatu 2002–03 Manawatu v Hawke's Bay, Hawke's Bay v Northland, Northland v Canterbury Country Hawke's Bay, Northland 2003–04 Northland v Hamilton, Northland v Mid-Canterbury, Mid-Canterbury v Taranaki Northland, Mid-Canterbury 2004–05 Mid-Canterbury v Canterbury Country, Canterbury Country v Nelson, Canterbury Country v Hamilton Canterbury Country, Hamilton 2005–06 Hamilton v Taranaki, Hamilton v Northland, Hamilton v Southland Hamilton 2006–07 Hamilton v Northland, Hamilton v Canterbury Country, Hamilton v Taranaki Hamilton, Taranaki 2007–08 Taranaki v Canterbury Country, Canterbury Country v Hawke's Bay, Canterbury Country v Hamilton Canterbury Country, Hamilton 2008–09 Hamilton v Hawke's Bay, Hawke's Bay v Northland, Hawke's Bay v Canterbury Country Hawke's Bay 2009–10 Hawke's Bay v Manawatu, Manawatu v Bay of Plenty, Manawatu v Marlborough, Manawatu v North Otago Manawatu, North Otago 2010–11 North Otago v Otago Country, Otago Country v Marlborough, Marlborough v Hawke's Bay, Marlborough v Hamilton Otago Country, Marlborough, Hamilton 2011–12 Hamilton v Counties Manukau, Hamilton v Wairarapa, Hamilton v Nelson, Hamilton v Southland Hamilton 2012–13 Hamilton v Bay of Plenty, Bay of Plenty v Manawatu, Bay of Plenty v Canterbury Country, Bay of Plenty v South Canterbury Bay of Plenty 2013–14 Bay of Plenty v Hamilton, Bay of Plenty v Manawatu, Manawatu v Canterbury Country, Manawatu v Southland Bay of Plenty, Manawatu 2014–15 Manawatu v Taranaki, Manawatu v Northland, Manawatu v Canterbury Country, Canterbury Country v North Otago Manawatu, Canterbury Country 2015–16 Canterbury Country v Buller, Buller v North Otago, North Otago v Hawke's Bay, Hawke's Bay v Bay of Plenty Buller, North Otago, Hawke's Bay, Bay of Plenty 2016–17 Bay of Plenty v Counties Manukau, Bay of Plenty v Hawke's Bay, Bay of Plenty v Nelson, Bay of Plenty v Southland Bay of Plenty 2017–18 Bay of Plenty v Counties Manukau, Counties Manukau v Taranaki, Counties Manukau v Canterbury Country, Counties Manukau v Southland Counties Manukau, Southland 2018–19 Southland v Mid Canterbury, Southland v Nelson, Nelson v Hawke's Bay, Hawke's Bay v Hamilton Southland, Nelson, Hawke's Bay, Hamilton 2019–20 Hamilton v Bay of Plenty, Hamilton v Hawke's Bay, Hamilton v Canterbury Country, Canterbury Country v Otago Country Hamilton, Canterbury Country 2020–21 Canterbury Country v Nelson, Nelson v North Otago, North Otago v Hawke's Bay, Hawke's Bay v Hamilton Nelson, North Otago, Hawke's Bay 2021–22 Hawke's Bay v Manawatu, Hawke's Bay v Bay of Plenty Hawke's Bay 2022–23 Hawke's Bay v Canterbury Country, Canterbury Country v Southland, Canterbury Country v Nelson, Canterbury Country v Otago Country Canterbury Country 2023–24 Canterbury Country v Hawke's Bay, Hawke's Bay v Manawatu, Hawke's Bay v Counties Manukau, Hawke's Bay v Canterbury Country, Hawke's Bay v South Canterbury Hawke's Bay 2024–25 Hawke's Bay v Taranaki, Taranaki v Hamilton, Taranaki v Canterbury Country, Taranaki v South Canterbury Taranaki 2025–26 Taranaki v Hawke's Bay, Taranaki v Bay of Plenty, Bay of Plenty v Canterbury Country, Canterbury Country v South Canterbury Taranaki, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury Country
Records Teams Nelson has the record for holding the Cup for the longest period and the most challenges. Between 1958 and 1965 Nelson resisted 28 challenges. Manawatu resisted 15 challenges between 1934 and 1938, as did Southland between 1989 and 1992.
The highest team score is 701, made by Bay of Plenty twice: in 2013 and 2017.
Players Current players can usually play a maximum of four Hawke Cup challenge matches a season, and that is only for members of the team holding the Hawke Cup and defeating every challenger (first defence within their own zone and defeating the winners of the other three zones). Historically there have been between two and six challenge matches every season for the holders, so it has been difficult for players to build much of a record unless they have been part of a strong team and have had a lengthy career. Nevertheless, 19 players have scored 1000 runs and five players have taken 100 wickets.Francis Payne & Ian Smith, eds, 2021 New Zealand Cricket Almanack, Upstart Press, Takapuna, 2021, pp. 171–74.
Batting Player Team(s) Career Mat Inn NO HS Runs Ave Ian Leggat Nelson 1948–68 38 56 1 130 1968 35.78 Lawrie Reade Nelson 1958–73 35 57 2 117 1951 35.47 Graeme Lowans Nelson 1958–73 30 48 1 130 1811 38.53 Robert Anderson Northland & Southland 1970–77 16 31 6 255 1773 70.92 Colin McVicar Manawatu 1935–54 28 44 1 180 1754 40.79 Dave Spence Hawke's Bay & Nelson 1949–67 34 51 8 151 1574 36.60
The highest score in the competition is 272 not out, by Mick Kinzett for Nelson against Marlborough in the 1933–34 season.
Bowling Player Team(s) Career Mat Runs Wkts Ave Chester Holland Wanganui 1912–28 24 2202 189 11.65 Norman Gallichan Manawatu 1925–47 29 2053 177 11.59 Ian Leggat Nelson 1948–68 38 2149 134 16.03 Dave Spence Hawke's Bay & Nelson 1949–67 34 1697 110 15.42 Gren Alabaster Thames Valley & Southland 1961–79 20 1508 102 14.78
The best bowling figures in an innings in a challenge match are 10 for 35 by Chester Holland for Wanganui against South Taranaki in 1922–23. Outside the challenge matches, the best bowling figures in an innings are 10 for 24 by Ben Stark for Marlborough in a qualifying match against West Coast in 2012–13.
Current structure There are four regional zones in the Hawke Cup.
Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 3 Zone 4 Hamilton Hawke's Bay Canterbury Country Otago Country Northland Wairarapa Marlborough North Otago Counties Manukau Whanganui Nelson Southland Bay of Plenty Horowhenua Kapiti Buller South Canterbury Poverty Bay Manawatu Mid Canterbury Waikato Valley Taranaki After a round robin within each zone, the winners of each zone get a Hawke Cup Challenge as part of the challenge series against the current holders on a rotational basis. For example 2010-11 holders North Otago played the winner of their own zone (Otago Country) in the first challenge (or the second place team should they win their own zone) followed by challenges by the winners of zone 3, 2 and 1.
The team with the Hawke Cup at the end of the challenge series holds it for the winter. Hawke Cup games are played over three days. To win the Hawke Cup a challenger must beat the holder outright or win on the first innings on the holder's home ground.
Teams More than forty teams have competed for the Hawke Cup. In the following list, current teams are indicated in bold.
Many boundaries, both political-administrative and cricket-administrative, have been redrawn since the competition began. The Counties Manukau team, for example, succeeded the former Franklin team, but their districts are not identical.