View source for Central Districts cricket team

{{Short description|New Zealand cricket team}}
{{redirect|Central Districts|the Australian Rules Football team|Central District Football Club|the Central Districts women's cricket team|Central Hinds}}
{{EngvarB|date=June 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Infobox cricket team
|name       = Central Stags
|image      = [[File:Central Stags logo transparent.png|frameless|130px|upright=0.80]] [[File:Stags-logo-flat.png|frameless|130px|upright=1.20|center]]
|caption    ='''Top:''' Central Stags logo<br />'''Bottom:''' Central Stags Twenty20 emblem
|coach      = Glenn Pocknall (Plunket Shield and Ford Trophy)<br />[[Ben Smith (English cricketer)|Ben Smith]] (Super Smash)
|captain    = [[Tom Bruce (cricketer)|Tom Bruce]] (Super Smash and Plunket Shield) <br />[[Jayden Lennox]] (Ford Trophy)
|founded    = 1950
|ground     = [[McLean Park]]<br />[[Pukekura Park]]<br />[[Fitzherbert Park]]<br />[[Saxton Oval]]
|capacity   = 19,700 (McLean Park)
|colours    = [[File:Central Stags colours.svg|20px|alt=CS|link=Central Districts cricket team]] Green and gold
|title1     = [[Plunket Shield]]
|title1wins = 12
|title2     = [[The Ford Trophy]]
|title2wins = 7
|title3     = [[Men's Super Smash]]
|title3wins = 3
|title4     = [[Champions League Twenty20|CLT20]]
|title4wins = 0
|title5     = [[Cricket Max]]
|title5wins = 1
|website    = {{url|cdcricket.co.nz}}
}}
The '''Central Stags''', formerly known as '''Central Districts''', are a [[First-class cricket|first-class]] [[cricket]] team based in central New Zealand. They are the men's representative side of the Central Districts Cricket Association. They compete in the [[Plunket Shield]] first-class competition, [[The Ford Trophy]] domestic one-day competition and the [[Men's Super Smash]] [[Twenty20]] competition. They are one of six teams that make up [[New Zealand Cricket]]. They were the fifth of the current teams to compete in the Plunket Shield, which they entered for the first time in the 1950/51 season.
==History==
Central Districts comprises eight District associations: [[Hawke's Bay cricket team|Hawke's Bay]], [[Horowhenua]]-[[Kapiti Coast (district), New Zealand|Kapiti]], [[Manawatu cricket team|Manawatu]], [[Taranaki cricket team|Taranaki]], [[Wairarapa cricket team|Wairarapa]] and [[Whanganui]] in the [[North Island]], and [[Marlborough cricket team|Marlborough]] and [[Nelson cricket team|Nelson]] in the [[South Island]].<ref>[http://cd.nzcricket.co.nz/page.aspx?pri=76 Central Districts Cricket Association – Districts] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070705222919/http://cd.nzcricket.co.nz/page.aspx?pri=76 |date=5 July 2007 }}. Retrieved 5 January 2006</ref> Previously, many players from these regions competed for Wellington. More than a century before the eventual founding of the Central Districts Cricket Association, the first fully recorded cricket match in New Zealand was played in what is now one of its districts, in [[Nelson, New Zealand|Nelson]], a men's match in March 1844.
Between October 2016 and February 2019, the team set a new Central Districts record for the number of consecutive first-class matches without a defeat, with 21. The previous Central Stags record in the Plunket Shield was 12, while the New Zealand record for most consecutive domestic first-class matches without a loss is 24, set by Wellington (now known as the [[Wellington Firebirds]]) between 1984/85 and 1986/87.
Retired top order batsman [[Peter Ingram]] holds the record for the highest individual first-class score for the Central Stags with an innings of 247 in 2008/09, and also scored their second highest individual score with 245 not out in 2009/10.
The New Zealand T20 all wickets partnership record is also held by Peter Ingram, having put on 201 for the first wicket with [[Jamie How]] at Pukekura Park in 2011/12 against Wellington.
How and [[Jeet Raval]] share the New Zealand Domestic List A partnership record of 321, set against Northern Districts at [[Seddon Park]] in 2012/13, a match in which How became the first player to score a Ford Trophy double century, reaching his hundred in 49 balls and breaking the record that was held by retired Canterbury batsman [[Peter Fulton]].
One of New Zealand's greatest batsmen, [[Ross Taylor]], played for the Central Stags. He made his first-class debut for the team as an 18-year-old on 9 January 2003. In 2021/22 at Pukekura Park, Taylor broke the record for the fastest Ford Trophy century, reaching his hundred in 49 balls, breaking the national record that had been held by retired Canterbury batsman [[Peter Fulton]]. Taylor played his final match for the Stags in 2022/23.
In 2017, [[Brad Schmulian]] hit the highest score by any New Zealand cricketer on first-class debut with an innings of 203 for the Central Stags against [[Northern Districts]] at [[Bay Oval]]. The previous record had stood since the late 19th century.
In 2010, [[Kieran Noema-Barnett]] set a New Zealand record for the fastest T20 half century, off just 18 balls. In the 2016 [[Ford Trophy]] Grand Final, another Central Stags batsman, [[Tom Bruce (cricketer)|Tom Bruce]], added the record for the fastest one-day half century in New Zealand with his 50 coming off 16 balls.
Two batsmen named Ben Smith have played for the Central Stags. Adding to the confusion, both [[Ben Smith (English cricketer)|Ben Smith]] and [[Ben Smith (New Zealand cricketer)|Ben Smith]] have scored a first-class double century for the team.
Among New Zealand's premier cricketing schools to have produced many Central Stags players are [[New Plymouth Boys' High School]], [[Palmerston North Boys' High]], [[Napier Boys' High School]], [[Nelson College]], [[Waimea College]], [[Marlborough Boys' College]] and [[Whanganui Collegiate]].
The CEO of Central Districts Cricket Association is a former Central Stags player, [[Lance Hamilton]]. In September 2019 former CEO Pete de Wet announced that CDCA had signed renowned international coach [[Mickey Arthur]] as the Central Stags T20 coach for the 2019/20 [[Super Smash (men's cricket)|Super Smash]] season, however Arthur was granted a contract release before the competition began.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.cdcricket.co.nz/newsarticle/82214 |title=Mickey Arthur to Coach Central Stags |access-date=29 September 2019 |archive-date=29 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190929091557/http://www.cdcricket.co.nz/newsarticle/82214 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In 2019/20, the team had a chance to become the first team since 1940 to win the Plunket Shield for three seasons in a row. However, the team was second on the table when the final two rounds of the eight-match season were cancelled due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]. The Plunket Shield was awarded to the [[Wellington cricket team]], whom they had been about to play at [[McLean Park]], with the Stags declared runners-up.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nzc.nz/news-items/plunket-shield-cancelled-wellington-declared-winners |title=Plunket Shield cancelled: Wellington declared winners |website=www.nzc.nz |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200629101034/https://www.nzc.nz/news-items/plunket-shield-cancelled-wellington-declared-winners |archive-date=2020-06-29}} </ref>
In 2022/23, the team won the first-class Plunket Shield and the List A one-day Ford Trophy in the same season for the first time. The team had previously done the first-class and T20 double in 2019. The team achieved this after both the Ford Trophy Grand Final and the decisive match of the Plunket Shield had been postponed <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nzc.nz/news-items/ford-trophy-final-postponed  |title=Ford Trophy Final postponed |website=www.nzc.nz }}</ref> and moved to an alternate venue following [[Cyclone Gabrielle]].
==Honours==
* '''[[Plunket Shield]]''' (11)
1953–54, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1970–71, 1986–87, 1991–92, 1998–99, 2005–06, 2012–13, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2022–23
* '''[[The Ford Trophy]]''' (6)
1984–85, 2000–01, 2003–04, [[2011-12 Ford Trophy|2011–12]], 2014–15,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/65658070/andrew-mathieson-has-a-field-day-as-central-stags-win-national-oneday-cricket-final|title=Andrew Mathieson has a field day as Central Stags win national one-day cricket final|date=February 2015}}</ref> 2015–16, 2022-23
* '''[[Men's Super Smash]]''' (3)
2007–08, 2009–10, 2018–19
==Grounds==
===Current===
*[[McLean Park]], [[Napier, New Zealand|Napier]]
*[[Saxton Oval]], [[Nelson, New Zealand|Nelson]]
*[[Pukekura Park]], [[New Plymouth]]
*[[Fitzherbert Park]], [[Palmerston North]]
Since 2014–15, Central Districts have used McLean Park, [[Nelson Park, Napier]], Fitzherbert Park and Saxton Oval for first-class matches.<ref>{{cite web |title=First-Class Matches played by Central Districts |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Teams/0/66/First-Class_Matches.html |website=CricketArchive |access-date=5 January 2021}}</ref> Pukekura Park, Fitzherbert Park, McLean Park and Saxton Oval are regularly used for List A and T20 matches.<ref>{{cite web |title=List A Matches played by Central Districts |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Teams/0/66/List_A_Matches.html |website=CricketArchive |access-date=5 January 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Twenty20 Matches played by Central Districts |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Teams/0/66/Twenty20_Matches.html |website=CricketArchive |access-date=5 January 2021}}</ref>
===Former===
{{div col}}
*[[Horton Park, Blenheim]]
*[[Dannevirke Domain]], [[Dannevirke]]
*Cornwall Park, [[Hastings, New Zealand|Hastings]]
*[[Levin Domain]], [[Levin, New Zealand|Levin]]
*[[Queen Elizabeth Park, Masterton]]
*[[Memorial Park, Motueka]]
*[[Trafalgar Park, Nelson]]
*[[Yarrow Stadium]], [[New Plymouth]]
*[[Waikanae Park]], [[Waikanae]]
*[[Cooks Gardens]], [[Whanganui]]
*[[Victoria Park, Whanganui]]
{{div col end}}
==Current squad==
* No. denotes the player's squad number, as worn on the back of their shirt.
* {{double-dagger}} denotes players with international caps.
{| class="wikitable"  style="font-size:95%;"
|-
! No.
! Name
! Nationality
! Birth date
! Batting style
! Bowling style
! Notes
|-
! colspan="7" | Wicketkeeper
|-
|style="text-align:center"|15|| [[Dane Cleaver]]&nbsp;{{double-dagger}} || {{cr|NZL}} || {{birth date and age|df=y|1992|1|1}} || Right-handed || Leg break || CDCA contract
|-
|style="text-align:center"|3|| [[Bayley Wiggins]] || {{cr|NZL}} || {{birth date and age|df=y|1998|09|03}} || Right-handed || Right-arm [[medium pace bowling|medium]] ||
|-
! colspan="7" | Batsmen
|-
|style="text-align:center"|33|| Jack Boyle || {{cr|NZL}} || {{birth date and age|df=y|1996|3|24}} || Right-handed || Right-arm [[off break]]|| CDCA contract
|-
|style="text-align:center"|42|| [[Tom Bruce (cricketer)|Tom Bruce]]&nbsp;{{double-dagger}} || {{cr|NZL}} || {{birth date and age|df=y|1991|8|2}} || Right-handed || Right arm [[off break]] || CDCA contract
|-
|style="text-align:center"|2|| Curtis Heaphy || {{cr|NZL}} || {{birth date and age|df=y|2003|07|28}} || Right-handed || || CDCA contract
|-
|style="text-align:center"|2|| Mason Hughes || {{cr|NZL}} || {{birth date and age|df=y|1998|03|22}} || Left-handed || || CDCA contract
|-
|style="text-align:center"|14|| [[Brad Schmulian]] || {{cr|NZL}} || {{birth date and age|df=y|1990|8|3}} || Right-handed || Leg break || CDCA contract
|-
|style="text-align:center"|9|| [[Ben Smith (New Zealand cricketer)|Ben Smith]] || {{cr|NZL}} || {{birth date and age|df=y|1991|1|7}} || Right-handed || Right arm [[off break]] ||
|-
|style="text-align:center"|4|| [[Will Young (cricketer)|Will Young]]&nbsp;{{double-dagger}} || {{cr|NZL}} || {{birth date and age|df=y|1992|11|22}} || Right-handed || Right arm [[off break]] || [[New Zealand Cricket|NZC]] contract
|-
! colspan="7" | Allrounders
|-
|style="text-align:center"|6|| [[Doug Bracewell]]&nbsp;{{double-dagger}} || {{cr|NZL}} || {{birth date and age|df=y|1990|9|28}} || Right-handed || Right-arm [[Fast bowling|fast-medium]] ||
|-
|style="text-align:center"|7|| Will Clark || {{cr|NZL}} || {{birth date and age|df=y|2001|09|05}} || Right-handed || Right-arm [[fast bowling|medium]] || CDCA contract
|-
|style="text-align:center"|22|| [[Josh Clarkson]] || {{cr|NZL}} || {{birth date and age|df=y|1997|1|21}} || Right-handed || Right-arm [[medium pace bowling|medium]] || [[New Zealand Cricket|NZC]] contract
|-
|style="text-align:center"|23|| Bevan Small || {{cr|NZL}} || {{birth date and age|df=y|1992|02|24}} || Right-handed || Right-arm [[fast bowling|medium]] ||
|-
|style="text-align:center"|77|| Angus Schaw || {{cr|NZL}} || {{birth date and age|df=y|1994|03|14}} || Right-handed || Right-arm [[off break]] || CDCA contract
|-
! colspan="7" | Bowlers
|-
|style="text-align:center"|8|| [[Joey Field]] || {{cr|NZL}} || {{birth date and age|df=y|2000|12|19}} || Right-handed || Right-arm [[Fast bowling|fast-medium]] || CDCA contract
|-
|style="text-align:center"|-|| Toby Findlay || {{cr|NZL}} ||{{birth date and age|df=y|2003|6|21}} || Right-handed || Right-arm [[Fast bowling|fast-medium]] || CDCA contract
|-
|style="text-align:center"|55|| [[Jayden Lennox]] || {{cr|NZL}} || {{birth date and age|df=y|1994|12|14}} || Left-handed || [[Left-arm orthodox spin|Slow left-arm orthodox]] || CDCA contract
|-
|style="text-align:center"|21|| [[Ajaz Patel]]&nbsp;{{double-dagger}} || {{cr|NZL}} || {{birth date and age|df=y|1988|10|21}} || Left-handed || [[Left-arm orthodox spin|Slow left-arm orthodox]] || [[New Zealand Cricket|NZC]] contract
|-
|style="text-align:center"|00|| [[Brett Randell]] || {{cr|NZL}} || {{birth date and age|df=y|1995|5|20}} || Right-handed || Right-arm [[Fast bowling|fast-medium]] || CDCA contract
|-
|style="text-align:center"|00|| Ewald Schreuder || {{cr|NZL}} || {{birth date and age|df=y|2005|04|12}} || Right-handed || Left-arm [[Fast bowling|fast-medium]] || CDCA contract
|-
|style="text-align:center"|13|| [[Blair Tickner]]&nbsp;{{double-dagger}} || {{cr|NZL}} || {{birth date and age|df=y|1993|10|13}} || Right-handed || Right-arm [[Fast bowling|fast-medium]] || CDCA contract
|-
|style="text-align:center"|11|| [[Ray Toole]] || {{cr|NZL}} || {{birth date and age|df=y|1997|10|30}} || Left-handed || Left-arm [[Fast bowling|fast-medium]] || CDCA contract
|-
|style="text-align:center"|17|| Tyler Annand || {{cr|NZL}} || {{birth date and age|df=y|2004|04|16}} || Right-handed || Right-arm [[Fast bowling|fast-medium]] || CDCA contract
|}
==Notable players==
{{main|List of Central Districts representative cricketers}}
{{Div col}}
'''New Zealand'''
* [[Joe Ongley]]
* [[Ian Leggat]]
* [[Don Beard]]
* [[Harry Cave]]
* [[Fen Cresswell]]
* [[Noel Harford]]
* [[Bevan Congdon]]
* [[Vic Pollard]]
* [[Bryan Yuile]]
* [[Gary Bartlett]]
* [[Mike Shrimpton]]
* [[Lance Cairns]]
* [[Jock Edwards]]
* [[David O'Sullivan (cricketer, born 1944)|David O'Sullivan]]
* [[Scott Briasco]]
* [[Ian Smith (New Zealand cricketer)|Ian Smith]]
* [[Gary Robertson (cricketer)|Gary Robertson]]
* [[Andrew Jones (New Zealand cricketer)|Andrew Jones]]
* [[Derek Stirling]]
* [[Martin Crowe]]
* [[Mark Greatbatch]]
* [[Greg Loveridge]]
* [[Andrew Penn (cricketer)|Andrew Penn]]
* [[Carl Bulfin]]
* [[Ewen Thompson]]
* [[Mark Douglas (cricketer)|Mark Douglas]]
* [[Roger Twose]]
* [[Tony Blain]]
* [[Craig Spearman]]
* [[Glen Sulzberger]]
* [[Brendon Diamanti]]
* [[Jamie How]]
* [[Peter Ingram]]
* [[Michael Mason (cricketer)|Michael Mason]]
* [[Ross Taylor]]
* [[Jacob Oram]]
* [[Mathew Sinclair]]
* [[Lance Hamilton]]
* [[Jesse Ryder]]
* [[Doug Bracewell]]
* [[Kieran Noema-Barnett]]
* [[Tarun Nethula]]
* [[Jeet Raval]]
* [[Mitchell McClenaghan]]
* [[Adam Milne]]
* [[George Worker]]
* [[Ben Wheeler (cricketer)|Ben Wheeler]]
* [[Seth Rance]]
* [[Andrew Mathieson]]
* [[Dane Cleaver]]
* [[Will Young (cricketer)|Will Young]]
* [[Tom Bruce (cricketer)|Tom Bruce]]
* [[Ajaz Patel]]
* [[Blair Tickner]]
* [[Dean Foxcroft]]
* [[Greg Hay]]
'''England'''
* [[Ben Smith (English cricketer)|Ben Smith]]
* [[Peter Trego]]
* [[Graham Napier]]
'''Sri Lanka'''
* [[Mahela Jayawardena]]
'''India'''
* [[Murali Vijay]]
* [[Amit Mishra]]
'''Canada'''
* [[Geoff Barnett (cricketer)]]
'''USA'''
* [[Marty Kain]]
'''Cook Islands'''
* [[Ma'ara Ave]]
{{Div col end}}
==Records==
See [[List of New Zealand first-class cricket records]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
* {{Official Website}}
{{Cricket in New Zealand}}
{{New Zealand first-class cricket clubs}}
[[Category:New Zealand first-class cricket teams]]
[[Category:Cricket clubs established in 1950]]
[[Category:1950 establishments in New Zealand]]
[[Category:Central Districts cricketers|*]]
[[Category:Cricket in Central Districts]]
[[Category:Super Smash (men's cricket)]]