The Hawke Cup, which is the symbol of New Zealand Cricket minor association superiority, will be on show in Rotorua from March 8-10 when the Bay of Plenty Cricket host a defence of the Hawke Cup at Smallbone Park in the Sulphur City.

Just three Hawke Cup matches, have been played in Rotorua since Bay of Plenty first challenged South Auckland in 1932.

In March 1986, Bay of Plenty wrested the Hawke Cup from Hawkes Bay, then defended the prestigious New Zealand cricket prize at Smallbone Park on the 22/24 March 1986, against Central Otago.

The Bay team ensured that the Hawke Cup would spend the winter in the Bay of Plenty, taking first innings points from the match.

A Successful first defence in 1987 against Horowhenua saw the visitors bat first and crumble for just 87 – with Kiwi legend lance Cairns taking four wickets and Glamorgan professional John Derrick returning 3/9.

However two weeks later the last Hawke Cup match to be played in Rotorua, resulted in Hawkes Bay taking the cricket prize away from the Bay.

The Rotorua Hawke Cup encounter gives local cricket fans the opportunity to watch one of the best Bay of Plenty representative sides of all time in action.

Since taking the Hawke Cup prize from Hamilton in January 2013, the Bay side have obliterated a number of Bay of Plenty all-time records.

The 701 all out posted by the Bay side against Hamilton, shattered the previous highest score. The Hamilton score and last weekend's successful defence against Canterbury Country (559) has beaten the Bays previous best total of 553/9, set in a Hawke Cup defence in 1997.

Joe Carter sailed past the previous highest score set by Simon Winter of 181 when the New Zealand Under 19 rep blasted 189 against Hamilton.

However the record lasted less than a couple of hours going when Brett Hampton set a new mark of 194 in the same game.

In the bowling ranks Tony Goodin is closing in the most wickets in a season record of 33, set by Bay skipper Jono Boult last season.

With two Bay games remaining in the current season, Goodin he has taken 30 wickets including 14 in the three Hawke Cup games.

Hawke Cup Defence – Bay of Plenty v South Canterbury 8/10 March 2013 @ Smallbone Park, Rotorua.