CS · team desk

Central Stags Team: Squad, Results, Stats & Schedule

Central Stags' complete team hub: the current 2026/27 contracted squad and available BLACKCAPS, every 2025/26 Super Smash score, Dean Foxcroft and Ajaz Patel's team-leading totals, Tom Bruce's current captaincy, Heinrich Malan's coaching return, the four-ground home circuit and national title history across all three formats.

Eight provincial districts across New Zealand's North and South Islands

CS

Four Super Smash titles · eight Ford Trophy titles · 12 Plunket Shield titles

Captain: Tom Bruce
Head coach: Heinrich Malan
Home: McLean Park
Founded: 1950 · Central Districts men's representative side

Team overview

Central Stags at a glance

Central Stags are Central Districts Cricket's men's representative team, established in 1950 and drawn from eight provincial districts across both of New Zealand's main islands. They compete in the Super Smash, Ford Trophy and Plunket Shield.

The defending T20 champions finished the 2025/26 Super Smash league stage fourth with four wins, five losses, one abandonment and 18 points. Their final-day DLS loss to Auckland ended their title defence outside the three-team finals.

The same season still delivered a national trophy: the Stags beat Canterbury by six wickets in the Ford Trophy final. Tom Bruce is the current Plunket Shield and Super Smash captain, Jayden Lennox leads the Ford Trophy side, and the official 2026/27 team page lists Heinrich Malan as head coach.

Completed T20 season4th

Four wins in the title defence

Central finished fourth with four wins, five losses, one match abandoned without a ball and 18 points. They did not enter the 2025/26 finals; the 2026/27 match schedule has not yet been published.

10Matches

4Wins

5Losses

1Abandoned

Performance leaders

CS's Super Smash 2025/26 leaders

NZC's completed Central Districts averages establish each season total. The all-rounder card is explicitly a run-scoring comparison, not an invented overall award.

Top run-scorer283 runs

Dean Foxcroft

Nine innings, average 31.44, strike rate 131.62 and two fifties

Second run-scorer277 runs

Dane Cleaver

Nine innings, strike rate 148.12 and highest score 95

Top wicket-taker10 wickets

Ajaz Patel

Average 23.10, economy 7.70 and best 4/21

Second wicket-taker9 wickets

Brett Randell

Nine matches and best figures of 2/31

Leading run-scoring all-rounder283 runs · 1 wicket

Dean Foxcroft

The strongest batting total among Central's two-skill players

Captain's impact7 wickets

Jayden Lennox

Led the completed T20 campaign and returned best figures of 3/29

Table4 wins · 5 losses · 1 abandoned4th

Most catchesDean Foxcroft6

Keeper dismissalsDane Cleaver7

Completed scores

All 10 Central Stags outcomes in Super Smash 2025/26

Every league fixture is listed in order, including the genuine no-play abandonment at Seddon Park and two DLS-affected defeats. Central finished fourth and did not enter the finals; no 2026/27 fixture is invented.

Result	Date	Opponent & venue	Scores	Outcome
W	27 Dec 2025Match 1	Wellington FirebirdsFitzherbert Park	CS 188/7Wellington Firebirds 142 all out	Won by 46 runs
L	30 Dec 2025Match 2	Otago VoltsMolyneux Park	CS 152/8Otago Volts 193/7	Lost by 41 runs
L	01 Jan 2026Match 3	Canterbury KingsHagley Oval	CS 158/8Canterbury Kings 194/7	Lost by 36 runs
L	03 Jan 2026Match 4	Canterbury KingsSaxton Oval	CS 139/6Canterbury Kings 145/1	Lost by 9 wickets
W	07 Jan 2026Match 5	Wellington FirebirdsCello Basin Reserve	CS 197/3Wellington Firebirds 195/7	Won by 2 runs
L	13 Jan 2026Match 6	Northern Brave MenMcLean Park	CS 146/5Northern Brave Men 120/4	Lost by 6 wickets · DLS target 120 in 15 overs
W	16 Jan 2026Match 7	Auckland AcesMcLean Park	CS 142/7Auckland Aces 132/8	Won by 10 runs
NR	20 Jan 2026Match 8	Northern Brave MenSeddon Park	CS No playNorthern Brave Men No play	Abandoned without a ball
W	24 Jan 2026Match 9	Otago VoltsMcLean Park	CS 134/4Otago Volts 133 all out	Won by 6 wickets
L	26 Jan 2026Match 10	Auckland AcesKennards Hire Community Oval	CS 210/4Auckland Aces 219/5	Lost by 9 runs · DLS

Current 2026/27 Stags squad

Central Stags 2026/27 squad tracker

Central Districts has completed its 16-player domestic contract list. Will Young and Blair Tickner are the team's 2026/27 BLACKCAPS-contracted players, while Will Clark and Oscar Mabin remain listed in the current wider playing squad. This 20-player tracker keeps those contract categories distinct rather than calling every player a domestic contractee.

Batters

BatterTom Bruce

BatterTaylor Bettelheim

BatterSam Cassidy

BatterCurtis Heaphy

BatterWill Young

Wicketkeeper-batters

WK-BatterDane Cleaver

All-Rounders

All-RounderWill Clark

All-RounderJosh Clarkson

All-RounderJoey Field

All-RounderDean Foxcroft

All-RounderJake Gibson

All-RounderAngus Schaw

All-RounderBrad Schmulian

Bowlers

BowlerJayden Lennox

BowlerToby Findlay

BowlerOscar Mabin

BowlerAjaz Patel

BowlerBrett Randell

BowlerBlair Tickner

BowlerRay Toole

Competition record

League and season history

Central Stags also play the 50-over Ford Trophy and four-day Plunket Shield. They won the 2025/26 Ford Trophy, but those one-day results and first-class records are not mixed into this ten-match Super Smash table.

2025/26 · New ZealandSuper SmashCompetition hub →2026/27 · New Zealand · men's 50 oversFord TrophyOfficial competition site ↗2026/27 · New Zealand · men's first classPlunket ShieldOfficial competition site ↗

Season	Finish	Record	Top scorer	Most wickets
2025/26	4th	4 wins · 5 losses · 1 abandoned	Dean Foxcroft · 283	Ajaz Patel · 10
2024/25	Champions	Fourth national T20 title	Official season archive	Official season archive
2018/19	Champions	Third national T20 title	Official season archive	Official season archive
2009/10	Champions	Second national T20 title	Official season archive	Official season archive
2007/08	Champions	First national T20 title	Official season archive	Official season archive
1950	Established	Central Districts men's team founded	Historical archive	Historical archive

Team operations

CS coaching and support staff

2026/27 head coach

Heinrich Malan

Listed by Central Districts on the current Stags team page; previously led the side through six seasons ending in 2018/19.

2025/26 Super Smash head coach

Ben Smith

Coached the completed T20 title defence while Jayden Lennox captained the side.

2025/26 one-day coaching team

Greg Hay · Aldin Smith

Head coach and assistant respectively for the Ford Trophy-winning campaign; preserved here as completed-season context.

Home venue

McLean Park

Napier, New Zealand

Central Stags are a regional side rather than a one-city franchise. Their official home-ground list also includes Fitzherbert Park in Palmerston North, Pukekura Park in New Plymouth and Saxton Oval in Nelson. McLean Park staged three 2025/26 Super Smash home matches.

Open the official venue source ↗

Team news

Latest CS updates

Official Central Districts updates covering the completed current contract list, the 2025/26 one-day championship and the completed T20 campaign's captaincy.

Squad update · 21 Jul 2026

Official destinations

CS website and social handles

Use these direct links to avoid fan accounts and lookalike profiles.

Official team websitecdcricket.co.nzOfficial destination ↗Instagram@centralstagsOfficial destination ↗FacebookCentralStagsNZOfficial destination ↗X@CentralStagsOfficial destination ↗

Reader questions

Central Stags FAQ

Who captains Central Stags?

Tom Bruce is the current Plunket Shield and Super Smash captain. Jayden Lennox captains the Ford Trophy side and led the completed 2025/26 Super Smash campaign while Bruce was overseas.

Who coaches Central Stags in 2026/27?

The official current team page lists Heinrich Malan as head coach.

Is the Central Stags 2026/27 squad final?

Yes. Central Districts completed its 16 domestic contracts in July 2026, with Will Young and Blair Tickner additionally available as BLACKCAPS-contracted players.

Who scored the most Stags runs in 2025/26?

Dean Foxcroft led Central with 283 Super Smash runs.

Who took the most Stags wickets in 2025/26?

Ajaz Patel led the team with 10 wickets and best figures of 4/21.

Who was Central Stags' leading run-scoring all-rounder?

Dean Foxcroft combined a team-leading 283 runs with one wicket in the completed Super Smash season.

Where do Central Stags play home matches?

They use McLean Park, Fitzherbert Park, Pukekura Park and Saxton Oval across the Central Districts region.

How many Super Smash titles have Central Stags won?

They have won four national T20 titles: 2007/08, 2009/10, 2018/19 and 2024/25.

Which other competitions do Central Stags play?

They also compete in the 50-over Ford Trophy and four-day Plunket Shield, winning the Ford Trophy in 2025/26.

References

Sources for this team page

Updated 2026-08-09. Central Districts Cricket and NZC lead for the 2026/27 squad, completed T20 table and scores, leaders, captains, coaches, venues, titles and official handles. The next Super Smash schedule is not yet published.

Central Districts CricketFinal 16-player 2026/27 domestic contracts and two contracted BLACKCAPS

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Central Districts CricketCurrent wider playing squad, captain, head coach, venues and complete title history

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New Zealand CricketOfficial 2025/26 men's Super Smash table

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New Zealand CricketCentral Districts batting and fielding averages

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New Zealand CricketCentral Districts bowling averages

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Central Districts Cricket2025/26 Super Smash captain, T20 coach and regional home circuit

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