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New Zealand has had a domestic first-class cricket championship since the 1906-07 season. It is currently known as the State Championship, being sponsored by State Insurance.

Plunket Shield

The competition was instigated in 1906 with the donation of a shield by William Plunket, 5th Baron Plunket, the Governor-general of New Zealand. In its early years, the competition was decided by a series of challenge matches between five provincial Cricket Association sides, Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury, Otago and, on just two occasions, Hawke's Bay. The first winner was Canterbury. From the 1921-22 season, these sides (minus Hawke's Bay, which lost first-class status) played each other in a single round-robin series of matches. Two other teams, Central Districts and Northern Districts, entered in the 1950s.

Shell Trophy

Shell Oil became principal sponsor in 1974-75 and a new trophy was introduced. Games were played over three days during this period, with an over-limit on the first innings. In latter years the format was experimented with, introducing a shorter second round, various bonus points systems, and eventually a knockout final.

State Championship

The format and the principal sponsor were changed in 2001-2002 season. State Insurance (more commonly just called 'State') replaced Shell Oil. The competitions were renamed to reflect the new sponsor's name. So despite the fact that New Zealand does not have political 'states', the correct name for the first class cricket competition is 'State Championship'.

Between November and March, each of the provincial teams play in a round-robin series of home and away 4-day matches against every other team. With a target of 112 overs (6.5 hours) daily play, games are only marginally shorter than a typical test match (90 overs/day). Points are awarded based on the results of the matches, and after each team has played each other twice, the two highest ranked teams play a 5-day final, in early April.

A limited 50 over competition known as the State Shield runs from late December to mid January, and then on Sundays and Wednesdays in February, culminating in a final in early March.

In 2006, a provincial Twenty20 competition was begun, and is played over two weeks from mid January to early February each year. It is called the State Twenty20.

Teams

• Updated 2006/07

Points System

Points are awarded at the conclusion of each match during the home and away season, with the top two teams playing in the final. The team with the most points hosts the final on their home ground.

Winners

Wikipedia content modification information:

• This page was last modified on 29 September 2008, at 07:32.

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