CSB - Plunkett Shield final - BJ Watling & Shane Jurgensen

Just two teams remain contenders for the coveted national first-class Plunket Shield — and they’ll be playing each other for the title in Hamilton from this Sunday, in their final four-dayer of the NZC Domestic season.

The Wellington Firebirds will take a seven-point head start over Northern Districts in Hamilton, with Northern now back in second place after having been beaten by Canterbury this afternoon in Rangiora.

Meanwhile, the Firebirds snatched an innings victory with a day to spare yesterday to reclaim the championship lead at the business end of the summer.

Northern is hungry to lift the 118-year-old trophy that they haven’t touched since the summer of 2012, meanwhile the Firebirds last won the Plunket Shield in 2019/20.