Another Plunket Shield season passes by and we wiggle our way towards Autumn, which means that it is time for a Plunket Shield All Stars team. I've attacked the Plunket Shield from multiple debriefing angles, so there shouldn't be any major surprises here and it's important to note that this is merely my All Stars team in the sense that I've built the team for what I want.

As opposed to a straight up collection of the five best batsmen and bowlers for example. This is perhaps most evident in selected Central Districts Stags seamer Blair Tickner ahead of guys like Wellington's Logan van Beek and Fraser Sheat from Canterbury; with Otago's Jacob Duffy and CD's Willem Ludick offering accurate swing/seam, Tickner's hostile lengths feels like a nice balance in my cricketing noggin'.

Then we have the abundance of opening batsmen involved, which saw me bump Northern Districts Knights opener Henry Cooper down to #4. It was between Cooper and Wellington’s Rachin Ravindra in a battle to open and this doesn’t mean that either is better/worse than the other, I referred back to Cooper scoring Ford Trophy runs in the middle order. Both Ravindra and Cooper had to be in this team, so that’s how it played out.

There is also the Plunket Shield All Stars and not a 'Blackcaps Battlers dominating Plunket Shield All Stars' which translates to not considering those who have recently played in the Blackcaps Test team. This rules out Neil Wagner who finished 2nd in wickets overall, with 22w @ 25.59avg/3.29rpo and Ajaz Patel with his 14w @ 26.07avg/2.82rpo, although both are welcome to join the coaching staff and share their wisdom.

I'd also extend that invitation to Martin Guptill, who scored 275 runs @ 45.83avg/59.65sr via a century and two half-century in 6inns. Guptill's doesn't fit that Blackcaps Test cricketer mould and there would be no arguments from me if you select Guptill in your Plunket Shield All Stars as he was an incredibly efficient Plunket Shield opener this season. I'm here to highlight those troopers in the Plunket Shield though and as such, I've leaned into other batsmen who are just as deserving. Between Guptill, Wagner and Patel on the coaching staff, cricket's the winner.

Below is the 1st 11 and then four squad members to plug any holes. Duffy captained Otago throughout the season and appears to have the correct mana to captain a Plunket Shield All Stars outfit.

Rachin Ravindra

Wellington Firebirds - 20yrs.

8th in runs, 414 runs @ 59.14avg/52.14sr, 1 x 100, 3 x 50.

Greg Hay

Central Districts Stags - 35yrs.

3rd in runs, 454 runs @ 41.27avg/48.76sr, 5 x 50.

Devon Conway

Wellington Firebirds - 28yrs.

1st in run, 701 runs @ 87.62avg/69.06sr, 1 x 100, 3 x 50.

Henry Cooper

Northern Districts Knights - 26yrs.

2nd in runs, 499 runs @ 49.90avg/50.10sr, 3 x 100.

Mark Chapman

Auckland Aces - 25yrs.

5th in runs, 432 runs @ 61.71avg/64.09sr, 2 x 100, 1 x 50.

Dane Cleaver (wk)

Central Districts Stags - 28yrs.

6th in runs 423 runs @ 38.45avg/75.13sr, 1 x 100, 1 x 50.

Brad Schmulian

Central Districts Stags - 29yrs.

7th in runs, 418 runs @ 52.25avg/58.70sr, 5 x 50.

28th in wickets, 8w @ 24avg/3.07rpo.

Willem Ludick

Central Districts Stags - 22yrs.

3rd in wickets, 21w @ 19.57avg/2.66rpo.

Louis Delport

Auckland Aces - 32yrs.

7th in wickets, 17w @ 24.11avg/2.63rpo.

Jacob Duffy (c)

Otago Volts - 25yrs.

1st in wickets, 22w @ 22.86avg/3.39rpo.

Blair Tickner

Central Districts Stags - 26yrs.

5th in wickets, 18w @ 25.22avg/3.20rpo.

Squad Members

Ken McClure

Canterbury - 25yrs.

11th in runs, 314 runs @ 62.80avg/67.38sr, 1 x 100, 2 x 50.

Logan van Beek

Wellington Firebirds - 29yrs.

4th in wickets, 19w @ 25.63avg/2.91rpo.

Fraser Sheat

Canterbury - 21yrs.

5th in wickets, 18w @ 20.38avg/3.19rpo.

Michael Rippon

Otago Volts - 28yrs.

18th in wickets, 12w @ 23.33avg/3.07rpo.

9th in runs, 364 runs @ 72.80avg/53.37sr.

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