Wellington have been crowned double champions at the national over 60's provincial cricket tournament in Hamilton, winning both Division 1 and Division 2.

It is the first time in the 10 year history of the tournament that Wellington has won the top prize.

Wellington, Auckland and Canterbury were all level at the end of the tournament, each with four wins from five games, with the trophy ultimately decided on run rate.

In their final match, the Division One Wellington Firehawks restricted Auckland to just 156 in 40 overs and then knocked off the target in just 32 overs for the loss of only four wickets, surpassing Auckland on run rate in the process.

The standout performer for Wellington at the tournament was allrounder Robbie Kerr, father of White Ferns Melie and Jess Kerr.

In five innings at the IPT, Kerr was never dismissed. His wicketkeeping was top notch and he also had a couple of stints at the bowling crease, picking up three wickets.

The leading wicket takers for the Division One team at the IPT were David Goldingham and Stephen Hewson, who took six wickets apiece.

The Division Two side went into the tournament as defending champions, chasing a third straight title.

They achieved that with a narrow win over Auckland in their last match.

Set 172 to win, Auckland needed 12 off the final over for victory but could only manage three, with canny left arm slow bowler Rupert Crichton proving too difficult for the Auckland batters to get away and conceding just three runs in the last six balls.

Crichton was the leading wicket taker for the side, with eleven across the tournament, finishing second in the bowling statistics across the division.

Batter Bryan Lilley was the top run scorer in Division Two.

The success of the two teams at the tournament has seen several players named in a variety of New Zealand representative teams.

Four Wellington players have been named in the New Zealand Over 60's World Cup team to play in Canada, with left arm pace bowler Duncan Hutchinson, who was among the most economical bowlers at the tournament, selected along with fellow bowler Scott McCallum and batters Martin Pike and Richard Calkin.

It will be Hutchinson's second World Cup, having played at the last tournament in India in 2024.

Robbie Kerr was unavailable for the World Cup but was named in the New Zealand team, along with Calkin, Pike and McCallum, for the Australian State Champs in Victoria in November.

David Goldingham and Stephen Hewson were named in the New Zealand A team to play in Australia in November.

Meanwhile, the captain of the Wellington Division One side, Brent Stephen, was named in the New Zealand B team, along with Warrick Bowden, Graham Chote, Ron Heywood, Carl Adams and Tim Hyndman.

Adams, Kevin Goldsbury and David Vance were also named in the New Zealand Over 65 side for a Quad Series involving Australia, Australia A and Sri Lanka in Brisbane in June.

Wellington Over 60's Division 1 Team. 

Wellington Over 60's Division 2 Team. 

Article added: Wednesday 18 February 2026