Since hosting its first cricket game in 1868, the Hawkins Basin Reserve has been the venue of 408 first class matches and 52 Tests.
More run-scoring records and a Men's domestic One-Day competition triumph mark this week in history at the Basin Reserve.
1987: Andrew Jones scores his maiden first-class century for Wellington, against Otago, and his highest score for Wellington, two seasons after scoring his first first-class century at the Basin Reserve whilst playing for Otago against Wellington.
Jones cracks 163 not out for Wellington in their second innings to help Wellington to a 94-run win over their southern foe.
Batting first, Wellington scores 297 for 6 declared (Bruce Edgar 110, Jeremy Coney 62) and then bowls Otago out for 267 (Ewen Chatfield 7 for 65 off 35 overs) for a first innings lead of 30 runs.
Jones then amasses his unbeaten 163 and puts on 168 for the third wicket with Robert Vance (77). This enables captain Vance to declare a second time for 264 for 2 and set Otago 295 to win.
But Otago folds for just 200, handing Wellington the victory. The wickets are shared and there are two run outs.
Jones is in imperial form for Wellington all summer, in his second year in the side since transferring from Dunedin at the end of the 1984-85 season. He is Wellington’s leading run scorer of 1986-87 with 676 runs at an average of 62.7.
Two weeks prior to this knock of 163 he had scored 54 and 86 against Otago in Dunedin and had scored 74 the previous week against Auckland at Eden Park. Following this match, Jones goes on to score his second century of the season (105) against Northern Districts in Hamilton and is selected for New Zealand for the first time to tour Sri Lanka.
In all, Jones scores seven centuries and 2978 first-class runs for Wellington in 39 matches until his retirement in 1995-96.
1990: Bruce Edgar scores 125 for Wellington against Central Districts, his 15th and last century for Wellington before retiring at the end of this season as Wellington’s leading all-time run scorer and the highest run-scorer for all provinces in New Zealand (now occupied by Central's Matthew Sinclair, ahead of recently retired former Firebirds skipper Matthew Bell who has 20).
Bruce Edgar batting for Wellington in the 1980s.
Edgar, who made his debut in 1975-76, scores his second century of the season to lead Wellington to a 49-run win over Central Districts.
Following his highest score for Wellington of 162 against Otago in Invercargill before Christmas, Edgar leads Wellington to 397 for 7 in the first innings. Wellington’s score also features a maiden first class century in his first first-class innings to number eight Brett Williams (103) and a third wicket partnership of 149 with Gavin Larsen (69).
In reply Central declare 107 runs behind at 290 for 7 (Patrick O’Rourke 5 for 71) and Wellington then declares again at 154 for 5. This leaves Central needing 262 to win. But English professional and future Canada World Cup coach Andy Pick takes 5 for 57 and they fall short on 212.
Wellington draws its final two matches of the season, but wins the Shell Trophy for the fourth time since its instigation in 1981-82.
Edgar retires with 6494 runs, becoming the highest run-scorer for all provinces in New Zealand. He remains Wellington’s second most prolific batsman, behind Bell (6565) and ahead of Robert Vance (6440).
He had become the highest run scorer in Wellington Cricket in 1987-88, finishing that season with 5012 runs to his credit, beating the record then set by John Morrison.
Edgar’s mark of 15 centuries for Wellington has now been bettered by Bell (20).
2002: Wellington beats Canterbury by 53 runs to win the Men's domestic One-Day title, their first domestic limited overs title for 11 seasons.
Doug Sales (69) and Richard Jones (71) steer the Firebirds to exactly 200 and a superb all-round team bowling performance restricts Canterbury to 147 all out in reply (Mark Jefferson 3 for 19 off 8.3 overs).
The Firebirds had qualified for a home final by winning eight of their 10 round-robin matches. Another against Canterbury had been abandoned by rain, while Canterbury were the only team to beat them during the regular season.
Features of the One-Day success were the bowling of Paul Hitchcock and Matthew Walker who provided the best combination in the country, and the batting of Chris Nevin and Walker.
The side had earlier won the 'State Max' title for a record third consecutive time in Auckland in November. This is the last season of Max cricket and until recently this trophy sat proudly in the boardroom of Cricket Wellington’s offices at the Hawkins Basin Reserve.
2009: Wellington wins the toss and inserts the Northern Knights into bat in this Men's domestic Twenty20 match. The Knights are quickly in trouble when Hamish Marshall and Daniel Flynn are back under the stand with the score on 4 - both dismissed by bustling English professional Graham Napier.
Hamish's brother James (or is it Hamish in disguise) comes out and scores 58 not out to hold the innings together and the Knights reach 163 for 7 off their 20 overs. Napier has 2 for 25 off 4 and attacking left arm spin option Luke Woodcock 3 for 27.
Chris Nevin and Stephen Fleming attack Northern's bowling like a Scarlet Events lunch in the Longroom and take Wellington's score to 54 before the first wicket has fallen. First drop James Franklin carries on the onslaught and his unbeaten 64 ensures a 6-wicket win for the Firebirds.