ACS Overseas First-Class Annual 2010

New Zealand in 2009/10 After suffering two heavy defeats in Sri Lanka in 2009 (see ‘Matches in 2009’), New Zealand continued their Test programme with a three-match series against Pakistan that proved to be an outstanding advertisement for this form of the game: an enthralling series ended 1-1. Later in the season New Zealand hosted brief visits by Bangladesh (one Test) and Australia (two Tests). New Zealand defeated Bangladesh but proved no match for Australia, who won both matches by large margins. On the domestic front, and in a decision to gladden the hearts of traditionalists everywhere, New Zealand Cricket reconstituted the premier domestic competition as the Plunket Shield. It was played on a conventional home-and-away league format, with no final. Northern Districts emerged as convincing champions, winning six of their ten matches. Plunket Shield 2009/10: Final table P W WLF L LWF DWF DLF ND Pts NetRpW 8 6 0 2 2 0 1 1 Northern Districts 10 6 0 1 1 1 1 0 52 7.860 2 Canterbury 10 4 0 3 0 2 1 0 36 7.124 3 Central Districts 10 2 2 3 0 2 1 0 32 -5.233 4 Otago 10 3 0 3 0 2 2 0 28 -3.009 5 Auckland 10 3 0 5 0 0 2 0 24 1.266 6 Wellington 10 1 1 4 2 1 1 0 20 -6.975 197