# 2022–23 Plunket Shield season

The 2022–23 Plunket Shield was the 94th season of the Plunket Shield, the domestic first-class cricket competition that was played in New Zealand. The tournament started on 18 October 2022, and the final round of matches was played in March 2023. Auckland were the defending champions, having won their 24th title the previous year.
In their second-round match against Canterbury, Wellington were dismissed for just 80 runs in their first innings and 87 runs in their second, setting a new record-lowest score across two completed innings of a Plunket Shield match, and Wellington's lowest score in any first-class match since 1887.
On 17 March 2023, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) announced the date and venue for the rescheduled match between Central Districts and Auckland. Central Districts won the tournament to clinch their 12th Plunket Shield title, finishing on 101 points with 5 wins.

## Points table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | Pts |
| 1 | Central Districts (C) | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 101 |
| 2 | Canterbury | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 101 |
| 3 | Northern Districts | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 82 |
| 4 | Auckland | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 66 |
| 5 | Wellington | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 64 |
| 6 | Otago | 8 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 53 |
* Points system: 12 for a win, 6 for a tie, 0 for a draw or loss.
* Batting bonus points: 1 point each for reaching 200, 250, 300, and 350 runs within the first 110 overs of each team's first innings.
* Bowling bonus points: 1 point each for taking 3, 5, 7, and 9 wickets within the first 110 overs of each team's first innings. (C) Champion

## Fixtures
### Round 1

* 18–21 October 2022 Scorecard
* Match drawn Saxton Oval, Nelson Umpires: John Dempsey and Tim Parlane
* Central Districts won the toss and elected to bat.
* Only 39.5 overs of play were possible on day 1 due to rain.
* Points: Central Districts 5, Canterbury 8.
* 18–20 October 2022 Scorecard
* Otago won by 168 runs Eden Park, Auckland Umpires: Billy Bowden and Damian Morrow
* Auckland won the toss and elected to field.
* Points: Otago 18, Auckland 4.
* 18–21 October 2022 Scorecard
* Wellington won by 1 wicket Basin Reserve, Wellington Umpires: Cory Black and Derek Walker
* Wellington won the toss and elected to field.
* Adam Leonard (Wellington) made his first-class debut.
* Matthew Fisher (Northern Districts) took his maiden five-wicket haul in first-class cricket.
* Points: Wellington 20, Northern Districts 5.

### Round 2

* 25–27 October 2022 Scorecard
* Central Districts won by an innings and 99 runs Eden Park, Auckland Umpires: Eugene Sanders and Tim Parlane
* Auckland won the toss and elected to bat.
* Adithya Ashok (Auckland) made his first-class debut.
* Adithya Ashok (Auckland) took his maiden five-wicket haul in first-class cricket.
* Points: Central Districts 18, Auckland 4.
* 26–29 October 2022 Scorecard
* Match drawn Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui Umpires: Billy Bowden and John Dempsey
* Otago won the toss and elected to field.
* Only 66.5 overs of play were possible on day 1 due to rain and bad light.
* Points: Northern Districts 6, Otago 6.
* 26–28 October 2022 Scorecard
* Canterbury won by 290 runs Basin Reserve, Wellington Umpires: Cory Black and Shaun Haig
* Wellington won the toss and elected to field.
* Wellington's completed match aggregate of 167 runs was the lowest-ever total in the Plunket Shield, and their lowest in any first-class cricket since 1887.
* Points: Canterbury 16, Wellington 4.

### Round 3

* 5–8 November 2022 Scorecard
* Central Districts won by 279 runs Saxton Oval, Nelson Umpires: Cory Black and John Dempsey
* Central Districts won the toss and elected to bat.
* Curtis Heaphy (Central Districts) made his first-class debut.
* Points: Central Districts 18, Northern Districts 4.
* 5–7 November 2022 Scorecard
* Auckland won by 9 wickets Basin Reserve, Wellington Umpires: Kim Cotton and Wayne Knights
* Auckland won the toss and elected to field.
* Points: Auckland 18, Wellington 3.
* 5–8 November 2022 Scorecard
* Canterbury won by an innings and 29 runs Hagley Oval, Christchurch Umpires: Shaun Haig and Derek Walter
* Canterbury won the toss and elected to field.
* Points: Canterbury 20, Otago 3.

### Round 4

* 14–17 November 2022 Scorecard
* Northern Districts won by 5 wickets University Oval, Dunedin Umpires: Shaun Haig and Kannan Jagannathan
* Otago won the toss and elected to bat.
* Tim Pringle (Northern Districts) made his first-class debut.
* Points: Northern Districts 18, Otago 4.
* 14–17 November 2022 Scorecard
* Wellington won by 68 runs Fitzherbert Park, Palmerston North Umpires: Billy Bowden and Derek Walker
* Central Districts won the toss and elected to field.
* Liam Dudding (Central Districts) took his maiden five-wicket haul in first-class cricket.
* Points: Wellington 18, Central Districts 5.
* 14–17 November 2022 Scorecard
* Match drawn Hagley Oval, Christchurch Umpires: John Dempsey and Wayne Knights
* Auckland won the toss and elected to bat.
* Robert O'Donnell (Auckland) took his maiden five-wicket haul in first-class cricket.
* Points: Canterbury 8, Auckland 6.

### Round 5

* 25–28 February 2023 Scorecard
* Canterbury won by 4 wickets Seddon Park, Hamilton Umpires: Tim Parlane and Tony Hill
* Canterbury won the toss and elected to field.
* Rhys Mariu (Canterbury) made his first-class debut.
* Points: Canterbury 19, Northern Districts 6.
* 25–28 February 2023 Scorecard
* Match Drawn University Oval, Dunedin Umpires: Cory Black and Shaun Haig
* Otago won the toss and elected to field.
* Muhammad Abbas (Wellington) made his first-class debut.
* Points: Wellington 8, Otago 6.

### Round 6

* 5–8 March 2023 Scorecard
* Match drawn Colin Maiden Park, Auckland Umpires: Billy Bowden and Wayne Knights
* Auckland won the toss and elected to bat.
* Quinn Sunde (Auckland) and Gareth Severin (Wellington) both made their first-class debut.
* Points: Auckland 8, Wellington 2.
* 5–8 March 2023 Scorecard
* Northern Districts won by 35 runs Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui Umpires: Kannan Jagannathan and Tim Parlane
* Northern Districts won the toss and elected to bat.
* Points: Northern Districts 20, Central Districts 3.
* 6–9 March 2023 Scorecard
* Match drawn University Oval, Dunedin Umpires: Kim Cotton and Damian Morrow
* Canterbury won the toss and elected to bat.
* Points: Canterbury 8, Otago 6.

### Round 7

* 13–16 March 2023 Scorecard
* Northern Districts won by 2 runs Seddon Park, Hamilton Umpires: Billy Bowden and Derek Walker
* Wellington won the toss and elected to field.
* Points: Northern Districts 20, Wellington 5.
* 13–16 March 2023 Scorecard
* Central Districts won by 6 wickets Rangiora Recreation Ground, Rangiora Umpires: Kim Cotton and Tim Parlane
* Canterbury won the toss and elected to bat.
* No play was possible on Day 1 due to rain.
* Matthew Boyle (Canterbury) made his first-class debut.
* Points: Central Districts 18, Canterbury 4.
* 13–16 March 2023 Scorecard
* Match drawn Molyneux Park, Alexandra Umpires: John Dempsey and Kannan Jagannathan
* Auckland won the toss and elected to bat.
* Points: Auckland 5, Otago 4.

### Round 8

* 21–24 March 2023 Scorecard
* Central Districts won by 5 wickets Fitzherbert Park, Palmerston North Umpires: John Dempsey and Eugene Sanders
* Central Districts won the toss and elected to field.
* Play on Day 1 was restricted to 63 overs due to rain.
* Toby Findlay (Central Districts) made his first-class debut.
* Points: Central Districts 20, Otago 6
* 21–24 March 2023 Scorecard
* Canterbury won by 138 runs Rangiora Recreation Ground, Rangiora Umpires: Kim Cotton and Tim Parlane
* Wellington won the toss and elected to field.
* Play on Day 1 was restricted to 44 overs due to rain.
* Jesse Tashkoff (Wellington) made his first-class debut.
* Points: Canterbury 18, Wellington 4
* 21–24 March 2023 Scorecard
* Auckland won by 71 runs Eden Park, Auckland Umpires: Cory Black and Billy Bowden
* Northern Districts won the toss and elected to field.
* Play on Day 1 was restricted to 30 overs due to rain.
* Matt Gibson (Auckland) made his first-class debut.
* Points: Auckland 17, Northern Districts 3

### Round 5

* 1–4 April 2023 Scorecard
* Central Districts won by 188 runs Saxton Oval, Nelson Umpires: Tim Parlane and Derek Walker
* Auckland won the toss and elected to field.
* No play was possible on day 1 due to rain and play on Day 3 was restricted to 64 overs due to rain.
* The match was originally scheduled to start on 25 February 2023, but it was rescheduled due to the effects of Cyclone Gabrielle.
* Points: Central Districts 14, Canterbury 4.