Aotearoa's best cricketers are knocking around in the Plunket Shield and there are a few lads on the fringes who came back from India in sizzling form. 

Plunket Shield cricket is back and looking as glorious as ever. Get some meaty thoughts about Auckland Aces, Neil Wagner and a few more bits-n-bobs in you after round one.

Jacob Duffy has some other young seamers hot on his heels down at the Volts and they've got a few angry Blackcaps ready to bully domestic battlers.

Canterbury have been struck hard by injury, but they still hold plenty of funk. Andrew Ellis better get back fit and firing quickly though.

Wellington Firebirds have recruited Dutch international Logan van Beek from Netherlands, I mean Canterbury along with Michael Bracewell from Otago. This is the pivot folks.

Central Districts Stags have a roster full of young guns, young guns who know all about domestic cricket though. Now is the time for them to step into their power, plus they've got a few funky blokes to keep tabs on.

Northern Districts are going to have a wicket-keeping conundrum this season and they'll also be hoping that Bharat Popli finds his runs. Anyone know where Popli's runs went?

Lockie Ferguson is a Plunket Shield phenom and Auckland Aces will need him to serve up another fantastic season. There's a few youngsters to keep a close eye on also, well the whole Auckland squad's pretty young.