Taranaki is ready for three big days of cricket at Pukekura Park — hosting its first Hawke Cup Challenge Match at the ground since early 2008.

Taranaki broke its Hawke Cup drought by first of all winning this summer’s Furlong Cup which bestowed the right to make the Zone 2 Hawke Cup Challenge against then-holder, Hawke’s Bay.

Taranaki won that Challenge on the first innings, whisking the cherished piece of 1910 silverware to New Plymouth a fortnight ago.

Since then, the history-laden trophy has had a busy schedule catching up with some old friends, says Taranaki Cricket General Manager, Ryan Evans.

“The Hawke Cup has been getting around to our clubs, and to some of our ‘old-timers’ who played for it,” he said.

“It’s pretty cool for those older players to see and hold the Cup in person again because they have some really special memories of it.”

As he spoke, the special silverware was in the safekeeping of Taranaki Head Coach, Chris Coombe.

“This morning, Chris and Neil Barnes [Head Coach of the Taranaki Bulls rugby team] carried the Hawke Cup and the Ranfurly Shield up to the Pouakai Tarns, for that famous shot of the mountain up there, with the famous trophies. So it’s certainly been a busy couple of weeks for it!”

In a cross-code collaboration, Taranaki’s public is invited to pop down to a meeting point at the Pukekura Park scoreboard at 12.30pm this Saturday — the second day of the Hawke Cup Challenge Match in which Taranaki will attempt to stave off Hamilton — to take advantage of the rare opportunity to see both cricket’s Hawke Cup and rugby’s Ranfurly Shield together, and get the photo of a lifetime, with Taranaki now home to both of the storied provincial trophies.

For families with five to 13-year-olds, there will be kids rugby and cricket activies until 2pm, and free Yarrows cookies too.

Taranaki lifted the Cup off Hawke's Bay on the first innings | MBUTCHER

 

 

Black and yellow ribbons and colours will be in abundance at the park, not the least because Zone 1 Challenger Hamilton Cricket happens to share similar provincial colours to the hosts.

“Hamilton is a big place so we’re expecting a strong challenge,” said Evans. “They’ll be pretty handy, for sure.”

Taranaki Cricket Life Member and former Taranaki and Central Stags captain Ian Snook will be kicking off Friday’s opening day of the free admission, three-day Challenge with a past players’ breakfast before the game.

“It’s something they’ve started up this year before all the big matches, and it’s been quite cool,” explains Evans.

“‘Snooky’s’ been with our Taranaki men’s team as a consultant — he was over in Hawke’s Bay with them when they made the successful Challenge, not in a coaching or management role, but as a mentor who is in and around the team, and he’s been doing some good stuff there.

“He has a really successful track record in the Hawke Cup in his own right, and he’s able to share a lot of wisdom and ideas with the group which has been great — adding real value to the team in understanding the trophy they are playing for, and its rich Taranaki history.”

Former Stags and Taranaki captain, Ian Snook | MBUTCHER

The 74-year-old played in 19 Hawke Cup Challenge matches (eight of them for Wairarapa) between March 1972 and March 1989.

He helped lift it off Bay of Plenty at his first attempt — with Taranaki, and went on to defend the Cup in the next three Challenge Matches at Pukekura Park in early 1973, before Southland stole the Cup away at the end of the season.

After a successful tenure with Wairarapa in the late 1970s, Snook successfully challenged for the Hawke Cup as Taranaki captain in March 1984 against Nelson; and lifted the Cup once again in March 1988, taking it off North Canterbury this time, in Rangiora.

“That’s what these breakfasts have all been about,” said Evans.

“The Cup has so much history on it that you can look over it and almost touch the past.

“Snooky has been connecting those former winners, the likes of Ali Jordan, to the present. So they reminisce, and they’ll often share a couple of words with the current team, as well.

“It’s been a special time, an important part of us connecting with our past — which is something we really set out to do, this season.”

Hamilton last held the Hawke Cup in the 2019/20 season, and has named a squad that includes Northern Districts representative Sandeep Patel and New Zealand Under 19 rep, ‘Lucky’ Reddy.

To lift the Hawke Cup, teams must win outright, or on the first innings if no outright is achieved. The three-dayer begins this Friday at 10.30am, with livescores at www.nzc.nz and on the NZC app.

2024/25 Challenge Match Schedule

Zone 2 Challenge Match

31 January-2 February 2025

Holder Hawke's Bay lost to Zone 2 Challenger Taranaki

At Nelson Park, Napier

Zone 1 Challenge Match

14-16 February 2025

Holder Taranaki v Zone 1 Challenger Hamilton

At Pukekura Park, New Plymouth

Zone 3 Challenge Match

* New Dates *

7-9 March 2025

Holder Taranaki v Zone 3 Challenger Canterbury Country

At Holder's Home Ground

Zone 4 Challenge Match

21-23 March 2025

Holder v Zone 4 Qualifier

At Holder's Home Ground

Article added: Thursday 13 February 2025