The first of the seven New Zealand Cricket provincial cricket games to be played at the Bay of Plenty Cricket Oval is on today.

The Northern Spirit plays its first game of the NZC Action Cricket Twenty20 against the Central Hinds at the BOP Oval.

Northern Spirit player Anna Peterson is playing Central Hinds today at Bay Oval. Photo: Annette Johnston

The shortened version of the game suits a mid afternoon start with Friday's match starting at a spectator friendly hour of 4pm.

One Spirit player, who has played on the BOP Oval at Blake Park on numerous occasions, is Anna Peterson.

Selected for the New Zealand Women's Emerging Players team last season, Anna has held a regular place in the Spirit, since earning a spot in the side four seasons ago.

The last 12 months have seen Anna develop into a true all rounder, who now has a record of 20 limited over and 15 Twenty20 games for the Northern Spirit.

She has scored nearly 350 runs in the two forms of the game with a handy average of 15.31 in the one-day arena.

In addition, she has taken six wickets for the Northern Districts side in both forms of the game.

Just two days after the Northern Spirit visit, the Northern Knights hit town for the first of six appearances at the Bay Oval this summer.

On Sunday, December 4, one-day provincial cricket returns to Blake Park for the first time since 2002.

The catalyst for the development of the BOP Cricket Oval was the provincial one-day games that were held at Blake Park from 1987 to 2002.

Held during the holiday season that always attracts a huge visitor influx, the ND home games would see crowds in there thousands flock to Blake Park.

In 2003, Blake Park was dropped by New Zealand Cricket as a one-day venue because of its supposed sub-standard pitches.

However, the vision of the ground at Blake Park being capable of again hosting first class cricket in the region has become a reality with seven top class matches scheduled for the summer season.

Northern Spirit 2011 Squad

Heidi Arndt, Natalie Dodd, Caitlin Dodunski, Natalie Edwards, Felicity Leydon-Davis, Morna Neilson (Hamilton) Nicola Brown, Brook Kirkbride, Rhiana Vincent (Waikato Valley) Jordy Hardacre (Poverty Bay) Anna Peterson (BOP) Katie Johnson (Counties Manukau) Hannah Trollip (Overseas player).

Bay of Plenty Cricket Oval Games 2011/12

NZ Cricket Women's Twenty20

December 2 Northern Spirit v Central Hinds commencing at 4pm

National One-Day Competition

December 4 Northern Knights v Canterbury Wizards

December 7 Northern Knights v Auckland Aces

HRV Twenty20 Competition

December 31 Northern Knights v Canterbury Wizards

January 4 Northern Knights v Wellington Firebirds

January 5 Northern Knights v Central Districts Stags

January 8 Northern Knights v Auckland Aces