WF · team desk

Wellington Firebirds Team: Squad, Results, Stats & Schedule

Wellington Firebirds' complete team hub: all 16 final 2026/27 domestic contracts plus six BLACKCAPS, every 2025/26 Super Smash score, Tom Blundell and Ben Sears' team-leading totals, Shane Jurgensen's coaching role, the open post-Nick Kelly captaincy, the Cello Basin Reserve, four national men's T20 titles and the separate Ford Trophy and Plunket Shield records.

Wellington region, New Zealand

WF

Four-time national men's T20 champions · 2019/20–2020/21 back-to-back

Captain: 2026/27 captain not yet announced
Head coach: Shane Jurgensen
Home: Basin Reserve
Founded: 1875 · Wellington Cricket Association tradition

Team overview

Wellington Firebirds at a glance

Wellington Firebirds are Cricket Wellington's men's representative team. They play the Super Smash, the Ford Trophy and the Plunket Shield, with the Cello Basin Reserve as their principal home.

Wellington finished sixth in the 2025/26 Super Smash with three wins, six losses, one toss-made abandonment, one bonus point and 14 points. They missed the finals despite winning their last two completed matches against Canterbury.

The Firebirds reached the 2025/26 Ford Trophy Elimination Final after six regular-season wins but lost to Central Stags by 211 runs. Their Plunket Shield defence cycle ended sixth with no wins, seven losses and one draw. The current rebuild combines 16 domestic contracts with six availability-based BLACKCAPS.

Completed season6th

Three wins and sixth place

The official table records three wins, six losses, one match abandoned after the toss, one bonus point and 14 points. Wellington did not qualify for the Finals weekend.

10Matches

3Wins

6Losses

14Points

Performance leaders

WF's Super Smash 2025/26 leaders

NZC's completed Wellington averages establish every T20 total. Nick Kelly's season-leading innings is retained as historical performance even though he is not in the current squad. The all-rounder card is a transparent comparison, not an official award.

Top run-scorer364 runs

Tom Blundell

Nine innings, average 40.44, strike rate 154.89 and three fifties

Second run-scorer212 runs

Jesse Tashkoff

Average 26.50, strike rate 157.03 and a top score of 83

Top wicket-taker15 wickets

Ben Sears

Average 17.93, strike rate 12.06 and best figures of 4/25

Second wicket-taker9 wickets

Logan van Beek

Ten matches and best figures of 3/14

Leading all-rounder102 runs · 9 wickets

Logan van Beek

The strongest balanced runs-and-wickets contribution

Highest individual score95 not out

Nick Kelly

The former captain's unbeaten season-high innings against Northern Districts

Table3 wins · 6 losses · 1 AT6th · 14 pts

Most catchesTom Blundell5

Highest team total195/7 vs CentralBasin Reserve

Completed scores

All 10 Wellington Firebirds outcomes in Super Smash 2025/26

Every fixture is listed in order, including the Auckland match abandoned after the toss. Wellington finished sixth and did not enter the finals.

Result	Date	Opponent & venue	Scores	Outcome
L	27 Dec 2025Match 1	Central StagsFitzherbert Park	WF 142 all outCentral Stags 188/7	Lost by 46 runs
L	29 Dec 2025Match 2	Auckland AcesCello Basin Reserve	WF 187/7Auckland Aces 189/5	Lost by 5 wickets
W	31 Dec 2025Match 3	Northern Brave MenBay Oval	WF 194/3Northern Brave Men 181 all out	Won by 13 runs
NR	02 Jan 2026Match 4	Auckland AcesEden Park Outer Oval	WF No playAuckland Aces No play	Abandoned after toss · rain
L	07 Jan 2026Match 5	Central StagsCello Basin Reserve	WF 195/7Central Stags 197/3	Lost by 2 runs
L	09 Jan 2026Match 6	Otago VoltsCello Basin Reserve	WF 150/7Otago Volts 152/4	Lost by 6 wickets
L	11 Jan 2026Match 7	Northern Brave MenCello Basin Reserve	WF 185/7Northern Brave Men 189/4	Lost by 6 wickets
L	15 Jan 2026Match 8	Otago VoltsUniversity Oval	WF 132/7Otago Volts 136/5	Lost by 5 wickets
W	19 Jan 2026Match 9	Canterbury KingsCello Basin Reserve	WF 193/6Canterbury Kings 105 all out	Won by 88 runs
W	23 Jan 2026Match 10	Canterbury KingsHagley Oval	WF 178/5Canterbury Kings 136/8 in 16 overs	Won by 13 runs (DLS)

Final 2026/27 Firebirds tracker

Wellington Firebirds 2026/27 squad tracker

Cricket Wellington completed its domestic list when Amogh Paranjpe received the 16th contract. Six separately contracted BLACKCAPS—Rachin Ravindra, Nathan Smith, Ben Sears, Devon Conway, Tom Blundell and Michael Bracewell—are included as availability-based Wellington players. Nick Kelly moved to Northern Districts and Michael Snedden retired; neither is presented as current. The next captain and 2026/27 fixtures remain pending.

Batters

Tim Robinson portrait in Official Seattle Orcas 2026 squad shirt

BatterTim Robinson

BatterGareth Severin

BatterMuhammad Abbas

BatterSam Mycock

BatterSamuel Morgan

Wicketkeeper-batters

WK-BatterDevon Conway

WK-BatterCallum McLachlan

WK-BatterTom Blundell

All-Rounders

Rachin Ravindra portrait in Official Washington Freedom squad shirt

All-RounderRachin Ravindra

All-RounderMichael Bracewell

Logan van Beek portrait in Official Yorkshire player-directory playing image

All-RounderLogan van Beek

All-RounderHenry Shipley

All-RounderJesse Tashkoff

All-RounderNick Greenwood

All-RounderOscar Jackson

All-RounderNathan Smith

Bowlers

BowlerJames Hartshorn

BowlerLiam Dudding

BowlerPeter Younghusband

BowlerYahya Zeb

BowlerAmogh Paranjpe

BowlerBen Sears

Competition record

League and season history

Wellington's four national men's T20 titles came in 2014/15, 2016/17, 2019/20 and 2020/21. The Firebirds also contest the Ford Trophy and Plunket Shield; these separate-format outcomes are not mixed into the Super Smash record.

2025/26 · New ZealandSuper SmashCompetition hub →

Season	Finish	Record	Top scorer	Most wickets
2025/26	6th	3 wins · 6 losses · 1 toss-made abandonment	Tom Blundell · 364	Ben Sears · 15
2025/26 Ford Trophy	Elimination Final	6 regular-season wins	Official season archive	Official season archive
2023/24 Plunket Shield	Champions	First-class national title	Official season archive	Official season archive
2020/21	T20 champions	Back-to-back Super Smash titles	Official title archive	Official title archive
2019/20	T20 champions	Third national men's T20 title	Official title archive	Official title archive

Team operations

WF coaching and support staff

Head coach

Shane Jurgensen

Leads the Firebirds programme and the 2026/27 contracted group.

Departing white-ball captain

Nick Kelly

Captained the 2025/26 Super Smash and Ford Trophy sides before moving to Northern Districts in July 2026.

2026/27 captain

To be announced

Cricket Wellington had not named Kelly's successor at this update.

Home venue

Cello Basin Reserve

Wellington, New Zealand

The Cello Basin Reserve is the Firebirds' principal home and staged five 2025/26 Super Smash fixtures. It also hosted Wellington's 2025/26 Ford Trophy Elimination Final, while the regional programme can use additional Wellington venues in longer formats.

Open the official venue source ↗

Team news

Latest WF updates

Official updates covering the final current contract, BLACKCAPS availability and the open leadership transition after Nick Kelly's departure.

Contracts · 21 Jul 2026

Official destinations

WF website and social handles

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

Official association websitecricketwellington.co.nzOfficial destination ↗Instagram@firebirds_blazeOfficial destination ↗Facebook@wgtnfirebirdsandblazeOfficial destination ↗

Reader questions

Wellington Firebirds FAQ

Who captains Wellington Firebirds in 2026/27?

Cricket Wellington had not announced Nick Kelly's successor at this update. Kelly captained the 2025/26 white-ball sides before moving to Northern Districts.

Who coaches Wellington Firebirds?

Former New Zealand bowling coach Shane Jurgensen is the Firebirds head coach.

Is the Wellington Firebirds 2026/27 squad final?

Yes for domestic contracts: Amogh Paranjpe completed the 16-player list. Six BLACKCAPS are tracked separately when available.

Who scored the most Firebirds runs in 2025/26?

Tom Blundell led Wellington with 364 Super Smash runs at an average of 40.44 and strike rate of 154.89.

Who took the most Firebirds wickets in 2025/26?

Ben Sears led Wellington with 15 wickets.

Who was Wellington Firebirds' leading all-rounder?

Logan van Beek combined 102 runs with nine wickets, the strongest balanced two-skill contribution.

Where do Wellington Firebirds play home matches?

The Cello Basin Reserve in Wellington is their principal home and hosted five 2025/26 Super Smash fixtures.

How many men's Super Smash titles have Wellington won?

Wellington have won four national men's T20 titles: 2014/15, 2016/17, 2019/20 and 2020/21.

Which other competitions do the Firebirds play?

They contest the Ford Trophy and Plunket Shield. They reached the 2025/26 Ford Trophy Elimination Final and finished sixth in the Plunket Shield.

References

Sources for this team page

Updated 2026-08-09. Cricket Wellington and NZC lead for the final current roster, every T20 result, completed averages, coach, leadership transition, venue, title history and other-format outcomes. The 2026/27 captain and fixtures remain pending and are not guessed.

Cricket WellingtonFinal 16-player 2026/27 domestic contract list

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Cricket WellingtonFirst-round contracts, roles, departures and six BLACKCAPS

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New Zealand CricketOfficial 2025/26 Super Smash table

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New Zealand CricketWellington batting and fielding averages

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New Zealand CricketWellington bowling averages

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Cricket WellingtonAll 2025/26 T20 fixtures and Basin Reserve home allocation

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