Since 1910, this historic trophy has been the treasured prize in New Zealand provincial cricket

Each summer, after New Year, four Challenge Matches take place sequentially across New Zealand. The seasonal qualifiers from Zone 1 (upper North Island), Zone 2 (lower North Island), Zone 3 (upper South Island) and Zone 4 (lower South Island) each earn a tilt against the current holder of the Hawke Cup

Our CD South Island District Associations Nelson and Marlborough compete in Zone 3, and our six North Island Districts vie for the Furlong Cup - the winner gets the Zone 2 challenge. If a Zone winner is already the Hawke Cup holder, the second placed team becomes the Zone Challenger

Challenges are three-day matches at the holder's home ground. The Hawke Cup can be won outright, or on the first innings if the match ends in a draw

The current holder is CANTERBURY COUNTRY

NEW BOOK

Central Stags Alumnus 131 Alec Astle and Murray Brown have produced the most comprehensive history of the Hawke Cup yet: THE CHALLENGES: 𝘼 𝙃𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙃𝙖𝙬𝙠𝙚 𝘾𝙪𝙥 – 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙝𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝘿𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙩 𝘾𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙩 𝙎𝙪𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙖𝙘𝙮 𝟭𝟵𝟭𝟬-𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱

This 3-year labour of love tells the story of all the Hawke Cup Challenges since Lord Hawke first presented the trophy in 1910, and runs to a substantial 485 pages, with stats by NZC statistician Francis Payne

It details how teams built legacies, shaped generations of cricketers and rallied communities; and includes over 200 profiles of influential players, illustrated with hundreds of photographs

Alec says the book is a tribute to the players, administrators and supporters who made it all possible: "It is about them and for them, and for all lovers of cricketing history."

The book is $75 plus delivery charges, order now by clicking the button below to email the authors direct

2026/27 CHALLENGE MATCH DATES

ZONE 3

29 to 31 January 2027

Mainpower Oval, Rangiora

CANTERBURY COUNTRY v Zone 3 Challenger

ZONE 4

12 to 14 February 2027

Holder's Home Ground

HOLDER v Zone 4 Challenger

ZONE 2

26 to 28 February 2027

Holder's Home Ground

HOLDER v Zone 2 Challenger (Furlong Cup champion)

ZONE 1

12 to 14 March 2027

Holder's Home Ground

HOLDER v Zone 1 Challenger

Recent History

• Hawke's Bay has been CD's most successful District overall this decade, locking away the Hawke Cup for the 2021, 2022 and 2024 winters

• The team lost its grip on the trophy in late 2022 when a pandemic-rescheduled 2021/22 match against challenger Canterbury Country was finally played in November

• When Hawke's Bay earned a second crack, in the same summer, against the same holder, that match was also postponed, due to Cyclone Gabrielle's impact on the Hawke's Bay cricket community

• Half a year later, in November 2023, the match was finally played, and a stunning six-wicket bag from spinner JAYDEN LENNOX helped return the silverware to Hawke's Bay who won on the first innings

• The last Hawke's Bay tenure ended in dramatic fashion. A first innings declaration at lunch on the first day backfired when challenger Taranaki scrapped for a first innings lead - ultimately relieving Hawke's Bay of the silverware over three hard-fought days

• Taranaki then set to work on a special summer. They held on to the Hawke Cup for the remainder of 2024/25, seeing off challenges from Hamilton, Canterbury Country and South Canterbury at Pukekura Park to lock away the cup for the 2025 winter

• Taranaki's first defence of the following summer, 2025/26, was a rematch with 2025/26 Furlong Cup champion Hawke's Bay. Hawke's Bay walked away empty-handed after a high-scoring draw at Pukekura Park, but Taranaki's tenure ended a fortnight later when Bay of Plenty won on the first innings

NZC OFFICIAL HAWKE CUP HOMEPAGE

HISTORY

HAWKE CUP ARCHIVE

Challenges 2025/26

• 30 January to 1 February 2026

TARANAKI drew with HAWKE'S BAY

Pukekura Park, New Plymouth

SCORES

• 13 to 15 February 2026

Zone 1 Challenge

TARANAKI lost to BAY OF PLENTY on the first innings

SCORES

• 27 February to 1 March 2026

Zone 3 Challenge

BAY OF PLENTY lost to CANTERBURY COUNTRY

• 13 to 15 March 2026

Zone 4 Challenge

CANTERBURY COUNTRY defeated SOUTH CANTERBURY

Challenges 2024/25

Zone 2 Challenge Match

31 January-2 February 2025 at Nelson Park, Napier

Holder Hawke's Bay lost on the first innings to Zone 2 Furlong Cup champion Taranaki

MATCH REPORT

Zone 1 Challenge Match

14-16 February 2025 at Pukekura Park, New Plymouth

Holder Taranaki beat Zone 1 Challenger Hamilton on the first innings

MACH REPORT

Zone 3 Challenge Match

7-9 March 2025 at Pukekura Park, New Plymouth

Holder Taranaki defeated Zone 3 Qualifier Canterbury Country on the first innings (by 5 runs!)

MATCH REPORT

Zone 4 Challenge Match

21-23 March 2025 at Pukekura Park, New Plymouth

Holder Taranaki defeated Zone 4 Qualifier South Canterbury by an innings and 102 runs

SCORECARD

Challenges 2023/24

The 'normal' Hawke Cup Challenge season began on 26 January 2024 when Hawke's Bay hosted 2024 Furlong Cup qualifier Manawatū (who had earned the right to be the first Challenger after finishing runner-up to Hawke's Bay in the Zone 2 Furlong Cup)

Hawke's Bay defended the Cup against Manawatū and, a fortnight later, Zone 1 Challenger Counties Manukau. Then came Zone 3's Canterbury Country

Hawke's Bay saw them off too, and locked up the trophy at Nelson Park after an outright against Zone 4 Challenger South Canterbury

24-26 February 2023 - rescheduled to 10-12 NOVEMBER 2023

Hawke Cup Holder Canterbury Country drew with Zone 2 Challenger Hawke's Bay

Hawke's Bay uplifted the Hawke Cup on the first innings

MATCH REPORT

26-28 January 2024

Hawke Cup Holder Hawke's Bay drew with Zone 2 Challenger Manawatū

Hawke's Bay defended the Hawke Cup on the first innings

MATCH REPORT

9-11 February 2024

Hawke Cup Holder Hawke's Bay drew with Zone 1 Challenger Counties Manukau