It competes in the Plunket Shield first class competition, the Ford Trophy domestic one day competition and the HRV Cup Twenty20 competition. It is one of six teams that make up New Zealand Cricket. It was the fifth of the current teams to compete in the Plunket Shield, which it entered for the first time in the 1950-51 season. As well as the high performance programme for the Stags, Central Districts is also responsible for the representative women’s team the Central Hinds.