SUPER SMASH LEAGUE 2020 -2021

Super Smash is a domestic T20 competition played in New Zealand.  The Super Smash League happens every year during December and January. New Zealand Cricket (NZC) first launched a domestic T20 competition in 2005. And it was re-named Super Smash in the year 2014. The domestic competition garners good viewership and interest among the New Zealand public. Super Smash is not a franchise-based league and only a handful of foreign players usually play in the competition. Super Smash is currently sponsored by the Fantasy gaming giant Dream XI and is also called Dream XI Super Smash. Super Smash might not have the grand reception like the Indian Premier League (IPL) or Big Bash League (BBL) but has provided exciting contests with quality players.

History of Super Smash

            New Zealand Cricket (NZC) started a twenty20 domestic competition in 2005 and it was called New Zealand T20 in the first year. And it was later renamed State Twenty20 (2006-2009), HRV Cup (2009-2014), and HRV Twenty (2013-2014) in the following years. Finally, the league was named Super Smash in the year 2014. Super Smash has grabbed good attention and had different sponsors such as Georgia Pie (2014-2016), McDonald`s (2016- 2017), Burger King (2017-2019), and Dream XI (2019 to till date).  The Super Smash competition started with 6 teams and the same teams are competing every year. The six teams in the Super Smash league are

1. Auckland Aces
2. Canterbury Kings
3. Central Stags
4. Northern Knights
5. Otago Volts
6. Wellington Firebirds

Canterbury Kings won the inaugural Twenty 20 competition held in the 2005-06 season and it has been their only victory so far. Auckland Aces have been the most successful team with 4 title victories so far while Wellington Firebirds and Central Stags have won the title three times. Northern Knights and Otago Volts have also registered their names on the Super Smash trophy, winning it twice. And all six teams have won the trophy at least once so far. Wellington Firebirds are the defending champions of the Super Smash after they won the 2019-20 season. The massive success of the Men`s Twenty competition led to the start of the Women`s Twenty20 competition in 2007. From 2018 Women`s matches are played alongside men`s with the same 6-team format.

Super Smash 2020-21 Schedule

Super Smash 2020-21 is scheduled to happen between 24^th December 2020 to 14^th February 2021. The league has 30 group stage matches with double round-robin matches with a preliminary final and final match. Super Smash has a total of 32 matches this season. Every team is expected to play the other team once in the home and away conditions respectively. The top team directly qualifies for the finals while the second and third-placed teams play in preliminary finals. The winner of the preliminary finals will play against the table-toppers in the finals. Super Smash league is scheduled to happen at nine different venues this year and please check the below list to find the same and their home teams.

1. Hagley Oval, Christchurch – Canterbury (5)
2. Basin Reserve, Wellington – Wellington Firebirds (5)
3. Eden Park Oval, Auckland – Auckland Aces (5)
4. McLean Park, Napier – Central Districts (2)
5. Pukekura Park, New Plymouth – Central Districts (3)
6. Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui – Northern Knights (2)
7. Seddon Park, Hamilton– Northern Knights (3)
8. University Oval, Dunedin– Otago volts (3)
9. Molyneaux Park, Alexandra – Otago volts (2)

The numbers in the bracket indicate the number of matches scheduled to happen at each venue. The venues for the preliminary final and final are yet to be decided (TBC).

Super Smash 2020-21 squad

                        Now let us have a look at the different players in the squads of all six teams to analyze the strengths and weaknesses. New Zealand is all set to have a busy international calendar with the Pakistan series till Jan 07 and two Test matches schedule clash with the super smash matches. Test Specialists will miss the starting few league matches of the Super Smash League.

Auckland Aces

Captain: Craig Cachopa

Squad: Michael Barry, Mark Chapman, Lockie Ferguson, Danru Ferns, Michael Guptill-Bunce, Ben Horne, Mitchell McClenaghan, Matt McEwan, Colin Munro, Tarun Nethula, Robbie O’Donnell, Glenn Phillips, Graeme Beghin, Ben Lister, Teja Nidamanuru, Aniket Parikh

Players to watch out for: Mark Chapman, Glenn Philips, Lockie Ferguson

Canterbury Kings

Captain: Andrew Ellis

Squad: Todd Astle, Cam Fletcher, Leo Carter, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tim Johnston, Jeremy Benton, Chad Bowes, Nick Kwant, Michael Pollard, Tom Latham, Ken McClure, Ed Nuttall, Cole McConchie, Henry Nicholls, Henry Shipley, Will Williams

Players to watch out for: Todd Astle, Chad Bowes, Matt Henry

Missing players: Kyle Jamieson, Henry Nicholls, Tom Latham (Not available till Jan 07)

Central Districts

Captain: Will Young

Squad: Dane Cleaver, Adam Milne, Blair Tickner, Ben Wheeler, Doug Bracewell, Ajaz Patel, Seth Rance, Josh Clarkson, Tom Bruce, Jesse Ryder, George Worker

Players to watch out for: Blair Tickner, Doug Bracewell, Ben Wheeler

Missing players: Ajaz Patel (Not available till Jan 07)

Northern Districts

Captain: Dean Brownlie

Squad: Tim Seifert, Daryl Mitchell, Daniel Flynn, Bharat Popli, Nicholas Frederick Kelly, James Baker, Brent Arnel, Anton Devcich, Zak Gibson, Brett Randell, Joe Walker, Brett Hampton, Scott Kuggeleijn

Players to watch out for: Daryl Mitchell, Anton Devcich, Scott Kuggleijn

Missing players: Daryl Mitchell (Not available till Jan 07)

Otago Volts

Captain: Rob Nicol

Squad: Matthew Bacon, Michael Rippon, Warren Barnes, Jack Hunter, Neil Broom, Derek de Boorder, Jacob Duffy, Shawn Hicks, Anaru Kitchen, James Neesham, Hamish Rutherford, Josh Finnie, Brad Wilson

Players to watch out for: Michael Rippon, Anaru Kitchen

Wellington Firebirds

Captain: Hamish Bennett

Squad: Michael Bracewell, Devon Conway, Hamish Marshall, Iain McPeake, Stephen Murdoch, Malcolm Nofal, Matt Taylor, Logan van Beek, Anurag Verma, Luke Woodcock, Peter Young, Brent Arnel, Michael Papps, Tom Blundell, Fraser Colson Evan Gulbis, Matt McEwan, Ollie Newton, Jeetan Patel, Michael Pollard

Players to watch out for: Devon Conway, Ollie Newton

Missing players: Tom Blundell (Not available till Jan 07)

Schedule – League matches (30 matches)

• Wellington Firebirds v Auckland Aces

1:30 pm, Thur 24 Dec

Basin Reserve, Wellington

• Central Stags v Wellington Firebirds

7 pm, Sun 27 Dec

McLean Park, Napier

• Otago Volts v Auckland Aces

4 pm, Mon 28 Dec

Molyneux Park, Alexandra

• Otago Volts v Canterbury Kings

4 pm, Tue 29 Dec

Molyneux Park, Alexandra

• Central Stags v Northern Knights

1:30 pm, Wed 30 Dec

Pukekura Park, New Plymouth

• Central Stags v Auckland Aces

1:30 pm, Thu 31 Dec

Pukekura Park, New Plymouth

• Northern Knights v Wellington Firebirds

7 pm, Fri 1 Jan

Bay Oval, Tauranga

• Northern Knights v Otago Volts

7 pm, Sat 2 Jan

Bay Oval, Tauranga

• Auckland Aces v Canterbury Kings

3 pm, Sun 3 Jan

Eden Park outer oval, Auckland

• Northern Knights v Central Stags

Seddon Park, Hamilton

7 pm, Mon 4 Jan

• Otago Volts v Central Stags

3 pm, Fri 8 Jan

University of Otago Oval, Dunedin

• Wellington Firebirds v Northern Knights

3 pm, Sat 9 Jan

Basin Reserve, Wellington

• Canterbury Kings v Central Stags

7 pm, Sun 10 Jan

Hagley Oval, Christchurch

• Canterbury Kings v Auckland Aces

7 pm, Mon 11 Jan

Hagley Oval, Christchurch

• Otago Volts v Wellington Firebirds

3 pm, Thu 14 Jan

University of Otago Oval, Dunedin

• Canterbury Kings v Knights

3:30 pm, Fri 15 Jan

Hagley Oval, Christchurch

• Canterbury Kings v Wellington Firebirds

11 am, Sat 16 Jan

Hagley Oval, Christchurch

• Auckland Aces v Knights

3 pm, Sun 17 Jan

Eden Park Outer Oval, Auckland

• Central Stags v Otago Volts

4 pm, Mon 18 Jan

Pukekura Park, New Plymouth

• Northern Knights v Canterbury Kings

7 pm, Thu 21 Jan

Seddon Park, Hamilton

• Auckland Aces v Central Stags

3 pm, Sat 23 Jan

Eden Park Outer Oval, Auckland

• Wellington Firebirds v Otago Stags

2:30 pm, Sun 24 Jan

Basin Reserve, Wellington

• Wellington Firebirds v Canterbury Kings

3 pm, Mon 25 Jan

Basin Reserve, Wellington

• Northern Knights v Auckland Aces

3:30 pm, Fri 29 Jan

Seddon Park, Hamilton

• Canterbury Kings v Otago Volts

7 pm, Sat 30 Jan

Hagley Oval, Christchurch

• Wellington Firebirds v Central Stags

2:30 pm, Sun 31 Jan

Basin Reserve, Wellington

• Auckland Aces v Otago Volts

11:30 am, Mon 1 Feb

Eden Park Outer Oval, Auckland

• Central Stags v Canterbury Kings

7 pm, Fri 5 Feb

McLean Park, Napier

• Otago Volts v Knights

3 pm, Sat 6 Feb

University of Otago Oval, Dunedin

• Auckland Aces v Wellington Firebirds

11:30 am, Sun 7 Feb

Eden Park Outer Oval, Auckland

Preliminary Final (Venue to be decided)

Second-placed vs Third-placed, TBC

5:30 am, Thu 11 Feb

Final (Venue to be decided)

Table topper v Winner (Preliminary final), TBC

5:30 am, Sat 13 Feb

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