New Delhi, Sep 20 : The 50-over Ford Trophy will kickstart New Zealand's 2024/25 domestic cricket season for the first time since 2018. The move to start Ford Trophy from October 20 breaks a six-year tradition of starting the proceedings with the first-class Plunket Shield competition.

The Plunket Shield will instead start on November 11, with the first four rounds to be played in the lead-up to, and during New Zealand's three-match Test series against England. In total, 14 venues will host domestic cricket across the three competitions this season, from Cobham Oval in Northland to Queen's Park in Southland.

Defending champions Canterbury will start the Ford Trophy in an away game at Wellington on October 20. The Wellington Firebirds will begin their Plunket Shield title defence against the Auckland Aces at the Basin Reserve on November 11.

The final four rounds of the Plunket Shield will then close-out the domestic summer as usual in March and early April.

"Anytime you make a few decent changes to the season schedules it certainly freshens things up. We consulted with the players, coaches and turf managers around white-ball cricket starting the men's season instead of the Plunket Shield.

"The change will see slightly different pitch conditions for both competitions, which will bring new challenges for both batters and bowlers. The fact the red-ball competition also now aligns with the England Test tour is an added bonus," said Richard Brewer, NZC Head of Cricket Operations.

The change is also reflected in the women's domestic cricket calendar - the 50-over Hallyburton Johnstone Shield competition will start on November 16, with six of the ten round-robin games scheduled in the lead-up to the ODI series between New Zealand and Australia at Basin Reserve on December 19.

Defending champions the Otago Sparks will open their campaign in an away game against Canterbury Magicians at Mainpower Oval in Rangiora on November 16. The women's 50-over competition will follow the same structure as last season with five double-header weekends, in which teams play one another back-to-back on Saturday and Sunday. The top two teams will square off in the Grand Final on March 1.

"Similarly, it's great to have the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield leading into the WHITE FERNS series against Australia before Christmas, which will allow many of our best female players quality one-day preparation and a chance to push their cases for selection.

"To have 14 venues hosting domestic cricket this summer means all fans across the country will have a chance to see our best men's and women's professional cricketers in action and for free," added Brewer.

Other features of the domestic schedule include a men's and women's white-ball finals weekend confirmed for Dunedin's University of Otago Oval across three days starting from February 28, 2025.

NZC also said the men's and women's Super Smash schedules will be announced in the coming weeks.

/IANS