Pakistan matches allocated, and final returns to domestic series

Pakistan's tour of New Zealand will open on December 8 with a three-day match against Canterbury at Hagley Oval while Auckland will play the tourists in the second of their pre-Test warm-up matches. The first Test is scheduled to begin on December 19 in Hamilton.

As a bridge between the Tests and one-day internationals, a one-day match against Wellington will be played at the Basin Reserve, where Pakistan will have just completed the second Test match of the series. Northern Districts will host the opening one-day match against South Africa on February 12 while another major association side will play a three-day match as a warm-up for the South Africans before the Test matches from March 5-7.

New Zealand's domestic four-day programme, the State Championship will open on December 1 with matches continuing throught the Christmas-New Year period which has traditionally been when one-day matches have been played. However, Major Associations have been critical that they have suffered a drop-off in crowds in this period while State Shield one-day matches clash with New Zealand's international games. By staging the one-day programme between the Pakistan and South African series, although there is a conflict for the early part of the programme with the Pakistan tour, there should be a chance for greater local interest in the domestic matches.

When the Championship programme ends on January 9, the teams placed first, second and third will play their final three games against fourth, fifth and sixth, and with points carried on, the two highest scoring teams after eight rounds will play off in a final played from March 4-7.

The Shield programme will start on January 8 with the final scheduled for Waitangi Day, February 6, New Zealand's national holiday.

The State Championship programme is:

Monday Dec 1 - Canterbury v Otago, Aorangi Park, Timaru Thursday Dec 4 - Northern Districts v Auckland, Westpac Park, Hamilton; Wellington v Central Districts, Basin Reserve, Wellington

Sunday Dec 7 - Northern Districts v Central Districts, Harry Barker Reserve, Gisborne Wednesday Dec 10 - Auckland v Otago, Eden Park Outer Oval, Auckland

Friday Dec 12 - Wellington v Canterbury, Basin Reserve, Wellington

Thursday Dec 18 - Auckland v Wellington, Eden Park Outer Oval, Auckland Sunday Dec 21 - Central Districts v Canterbury, Fitzherbert Park, Palmerston North, Otago v Northern Districts, Carisbrook, Dunedin

Saturday Dec 27 - Auckland v Central Districts, Eden Park Outer Oval, Auckland Tuesday Dec 30 - Canterbury v Northern Districts, Hagley Oval, Christchurch, Otago v State Wellington, Carisbrook, Dunedin

Saturday Jan 3 - Canterbury v Auckland, Hagley Oval, Christchurch Tuesday Jan 6 - Central Districts v Otago, Pukekura Park, New Plymouth, Northern Districts v Wellington, Westpac Park, Hamilton

On the completion of the series of five rounds, all teams will be placed from 1 - 6 according to the points obtained. A draw for the remaining three rounds of the competition will be based on teams finishing 1, 2, 3 each playing the teams finishing 4, 5, 6. Points earned in the first five rounds will be carried forward to the remaining three rounds. At the conclusion of the eight rounds the two teams with the most points will play off in the final.

Saturday Feb 14 - 1 v 6 Tuesday Feb 17 - 2 v 5, 3 v 4

Friday Feb 20 - 1 v 5 Monday Feb 23 - 2 v 4, 3 v 6

Thursday Feb 26 - 1 v 4 Sunday Feb 29 - 2 v 6, 3 v 5

Thursday Mar 4 - Sunday Mar 7 FINAL

The State Shield draw is:

Thursday Jan 8 - Northern Knights v Wellington Firebirds, Westpac Park, Hamilton Friday Jan 9 - Central Stags v Auckland Aces, Pukekura Park, New Plymouth , Otago Volts v Canterbury Wizards, Molyneux Park, Alexandra

Sunday Jan 11 - Wellington Firebirds v Canterbury Wizards Basin Reserve, Wellington, Central Stags v Northern Knights Fitzherbert Park, Palmerston North, Otago Volts v Auckland Aces, Molyneux Park, Alexandra.

Tuesday Jan 13 - Canterbury Wizards v Auckland Aces, Rangiora Recreation Ground, Northern Knights v Otago Volts, Harry Barker Reserve, Gisborne, Wellington Firebirds v Central Stags Basin Reserve, Wellington.

Friday Jan 16 - Auckland Aces v Wellington Firebirds Eden Park, Auckland, Canterbury Wizards v Northern Knights, Rangiora Recreation Ground, Central Stags v Otago Volts Queen Elizabeth Park, Masterton.

Sunday Jan 18 - Auckland Aces v Northern Knights Eden Park, Auckland, Central Stags v Canterbury Wizards Waikanae Park, Waikanae, Otago Volts v Wellington Firebirds Centennial Park, Oamaru.

Wednesday Jan 21- Northern Knights v Canterbury Wizards Westpac Park, Hamilton (D/N), Otago Volts v Central Stags Carisbrook, Dunedin, Wellington Firebirds v Auckland Aces Basin Reserve, Wellington.

Friday Jan 23 - Central Stags v Wellington Firebirds New Plymout , Canterbury Wizards v Otago Volts Aorangi Park, Timaru, Northern Knights v Auckland Aces Westpac Park, Hamilton (D/N)

Sunday Jan 25 - Auckland Aces v Central Stags Eden Park Outer Oval, Auckland, Canterbury Wizards vWellington Firebirds, Hagley Oval, Christchurch, Otago Volts v Northern Knights, Queens Park, Invercargill

Tuesday Jan 27 - Auckland Aces v Otago Volts Eden Park Outer Oval, Auckland, Wellington Firebirds v Northern Knights Basin Reserve, Wellington, Canterbury Wizards v Central Stags Hagley Oval, Christchurch.

Friday Jan 30 - Auckland Aces vCanterbury Wizards Eden Park Outer Oval, Auckland, Northern Knights v Central Stags Westpac Park, Hamilton (D/N), Wellington Firebirds v Otago Volts Basin Reserve, Wellington.

Monday Feb 2 - Semi- Final (2 v 3) Tuesday Feb 3 - Reserve Day Friday Feb 6 - Final Saturday Feb 7 - Reserve Day