# 2020–21 Plunket Shield season

The 2020–21 Plunket Shield was the 92nd season of the Plunket Shield, the domestic first-class cricket competition in New Zealand. It started on 19 October 2020 and finished on 6 April 2021. Wellington were the defending champions.
On 15 June 2020, New Zealand Cricket announced the first round of contracts for domestic teams ahead of the 2020–21 season. The full schedule for the tournament was confirmed on 8 October 2020.
The season started on 19 October 2020, with the opening two matches affected by the weather, with them both ending early during the tea break on the first day. In the match between Auckland and Otago, Auckland's Ben Lister became the first COVID-19 replacement in a cricket match. Lister replaced Mark Chapman, who reported feeling unwell, inline with the updated International Cricket Council (ICC) playing conditions for a substitute due to COVID.
Canterbury won the tournament with two rounds of matches to play, winning their first title since the 2016–17 season.

## Points table

| Team | Pld | W | L | D | Ab | Pts |
| Canterbury | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 109 |
| Northern Districts | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 69 |
| Otago | 8 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 63 |
| Auckland | 8 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 61 |
| Central Districts | 8 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 56 |
| Wellington | 8 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 37 |
Champions

## Fixtures
### Round 1

* 19–22 October 2020 Scorecard
* Central Districts won by 7 wickets Seddon Park, Hamilton Umpires: Billy Bowden and John Dempsey
* Central Districts won the toss and elected to field.
* Only 41.3 overs were bowled on the first three days due to rain.
* After rain washed out most of the match, both teams agreed to forfeit an innings in an attempt to produce a result.
* Points: Central Districts 15, Northern District 2
* 19–22 October 2020 Scorecard
* Canterbury won by 8 wickets Basin Reserve, Wellington Umpires: Chris Brown and Ashley Mehrotra
* Canterbury won the toss and elected to field.
* Only 19.1 overs were bowled on day 1 due to rain.
* Points: Canterbury 16, Wellington 4
* 20–23 October 2020 Scorecard
* Auckland won by an innings and 129 runs Eden Park Outer Oval, Auckland Umpires: Wayne Knights and Tim Parlane
* Auckland won the toss and elected to field.
* Ollie Pringle (Auckland) made his first-class debut.
* In the first innings of the match, Ben Lister replaced Mark Chapman as a COVID-19 substitute in Auckland's squad.
* Points: Auckland 18, Otago 3

### Round 2

* 28–31 October 2020 Scorecard
* Northern Districts won by 90 runs Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui Umpires: Billy Bowden and Wayne Knights
* Northern Districts won the toss and elected to bat.
* Points: Northern Districts 19, Otago 4.
* 28–31 October 2020 Scorecard
* Auckland won by 25 runs Eden Park Outer Oval, Auckland Umpires: Chris Brown and John Dempsey
* Auckland won the toss and elected to bat.
* Joey Field (Central Districts) made his first-class debut.
* George Worker (Central Districts) played in his 100th first-class match.
* Kyle Jamieson (Auckland) took a hat-trick.
* Points: Auckland 16, Central Districts 4.
* 28–31 October 2020 Scorecard
* Canterbury won by an innings and 19 runs Hagley Oval, Christchurch Umpires: Tim Parlane and Derek Walker
* Canterbury won the toss and elected to field.
* Fraser Sheat (Canterbury) took his first five-wicket haul in first-class cricket.
* Jamie Gibson (Wellington) scored his maiden century in first-class cricket.
* Will Williams (Cantebury) took his first five-wicket haul in first-class cricket.
* Points: Canterbury 20, Wellington 2.

### Round 3

* 5–8 November 2020 Scorecard
* Match abandoned Saxton Oval, Nelson Umpires: Wayne Knights and Derek Walker
* No play was possible due to rain.
* Points: Auckland 4, Central Districts 4.
* 5–8 November 2020 Scorecard
* Otago won by 84 runs Basin Reserve, Wellington Umpires: Chris Brown and Shaun Haig
* Wellington won the toss and elected to field.
* Tom Blundell (Wellington) was given out obstructing the field.
* Points: Otago 18, Wellington 5.
* 5–8 November 2020 Scorecard
* Canterbury won by an innings and 32 runs Mainpower Oval, Rangiora Umpires: Tim Parlane and John Bromley
* Canterbury won the toss and elected to bat.
* Sean Davey (Canterbury) made his first-class debut.
* Points: Canterbury 18, Northern Districts 4.

### Round 4

* 14–17 November 2020 Scorecard
* Northern Districts won by 40 runs Saxton Oval, Nelson Umpires: Chris Brown and Kim Cotton
* Northern Districts won the toss and elected to bat.
* Points: Northern Districts 17, Central Districts 4.
* 14–17 November 2020 Scorecard
* Match drawn Basin Reserve, Wellington Umpires: Wayne Knights and Ashley Mehrotra
* Wellington won the toss and elected to field.
* Points: Wellington 7, Auckland 3.
* 14–17 November 2020 Scorecard
* Match drawn Molyneux Park, Alexandra Umpires: Shaun Haig and Derek Walker
* Otago won the toss and elected to bat.
* Daryl Mitchell (Canterbury) took his first five-wicket haul in first-class cricket.
* Points: Canterbury 8, Otago 1.

### Round 5

* 11–14 March 2021 Scorecard
* Central Districts won by 60 runs McLean Park, Napier Umpires: Ashley Mehrotra and Derek Walker
* Wellington won the toss and elected to field.
* No play was possible on day 1 due to rain.
* Luke Georgeson (Wellington) made his first-class debut.
* 11–14 March 2021 Scorecard
* Match drawn Cobham Oval, Whangārei Umpires: Billy Bowden and John Dempsey
* Northern Districts won the toss and elected to field.
* No play was possible on days 1 and 3 due to rain.
* Ross ter Braak (Auckland) made his first-class debut.
* Louis Delport (Auckland) took a hat-trick.
* 11–14 March 2021 Scorecard
* Canterbury won by 188 runs Mainpower Oval, Rangiora Umpires: John Bromley and Tim Parlane
* Otago won the toss and elected to field.

### Round 6

* 18–21 March 2021 Scorecard
* Match drawn Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui Umpires: Cory Black and Derek Walker
* Northern Districts won the toss and elected to bat.
* Troy Johnson (Wellington) scored his maiden century in first-class cricket.
* 18–21 March 2021 Scorecard
* Match drawn Queens Park, Invercargill Umpires: Garth Stirrat and John Bromley
* Auckland won the toss and elected to bat.
* No play was possible on day 4 due to rain.
* Angus McKenzie (Otago) and Cole Briggs (Auckland) both made their first-class debuts.
* 19–22 March 2021 Scorecard
* Canterbury won by 9 wickets Hagley Oval, Christchurch Umpires: Ashley Mehrotra and Tim Parlane
* Central Districts won the toss and elected to bat.
* Jayden Lennox (Central Districts) made his first-class debut.

### Round 7

* 26–29 March 2021 Scorecard
* Otago won by 44 runs University Oval, Dunedin Umpires: Derek Walker and Eugene Sanders
* Otago won the toss and elected to bat.
* Michael Rae (Otago) took a hat-trick.
* 27–30 March 2021 Scorecard
* Match drawn Eden Park Outer Oval, Auckland Umpires: Billy Bowden and Garth Stirrat
* Auckland won the toss and elected to bat.
* Harry Chamberlain (Canterbury) and Ryan Harrison (Auckland) both made their first-class debuts.
* 27–30 March 2021 Scorecard
* Match drawn Basin Reserve, Wellington Umpires: John Bromley and Tim Parlane
* Northern Districts won the toss and elected to field.
* No play was possible on days 3 and 4 due to rain.
* Matthew Fisher (Northern Districts) made his first-class debut.

### Round 8

* 3–6 April 2021 Scorecard
* Match drawn Eden Park Outer Oval, Auckland Umpires: Wayne Knights and Tim Parlane
* Wellington won the toss and elected to bat.
* 3–6 April 2021 Scorecard
* Match drawn McLean Park, Napier Umpires: Billy Bowden and John Dempsey
* Canterbury won the toss and elected to field.
* 3–6 April 2021 Scorecard
* Northern Districts won by 3 wickets University Oval, Dunedin Umpires: John Bromley and Shaun Haig
* Northern Districts won the toss and elected to field.