Martin Guptill returns to the Auckland ACES as Boxing Day cricket comes to Seddon Park, Hamilton, with a Super Smash doubleheader against Northern rivals the Northern Brave Men and Northern Brave Women on 26 December.

Guptill’s return headlines a big day of T20 action, with the ACES opening the doubleheader at 2.10pm against the Northern Brave Men. Auckland enter the Super Smash in strong form, sitting top of the Plunket Shield table and second on the Ford Trophy ladder, and will be looking to transfer that momentum into the T20 competition.

Guptill bolsters an ACES squad that blends proven experience with emerging talent, with Rohit Gulati earning selection in the T20 squad after impressing in the longer formats this season and adding further depth to a lineup ready for the Super Smash challenge. Sitting just 100 runs shy of 10,000 career runs, Guptill is poised for a significant milestone that would be all the more fitting in Auckland colours, having first appeared for the ACES in 2005/06 and built a career spanning 21 seasons, even though he has not featured for Auckland in every one of them.

The second match of the day sees the HEARTS take on the Northern Brave Women at 6.20pm. Currently third on the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield table, the HEARTS will be eager to respond after two recent losses to Northern Districts, with Boxing Day offering an immediate opportunity to hit back.

The HEARTS arrive with a settled squad from the HBJ campaign, led by skipper and talismanic allrounder Maddy Green, and will be aiming to make a strong statement under lights in Hamilton.

Fans can look forward to a full day of Super Smash cricket as Auckland and the Brave go head to head in a Boxing Day doubleheader at one of New Zealand’s great cricket venues.

Tickets are available now, with live coverage beginning at 2.10pm.

Super Smash Boxing Day Doubleheader
ACES vs Northern Brave Men | 2.10pm
HEARTS vs Northern Brave Women | 6.20pm
26 December | Seddon Park, Hamilton

Auckland ACES squad:

Adi Ashok - Suburbs New Lynn
Cam Fletcher - Suburbs New Lynn
Rohit Gulati - Papatoetoe
Martin Guptill - Suburbs New Lynn
Ryan Harrison - East Coast Bays
Harjot Johal - Eden Roskill
Bevon Jacobs - Hibiscus Coast
Simon Keene - North Shore
Angus Olliver - Suburbs New Lynn
Dale Phillips - Howick Pakuranga
Sean Solia - Suburbs New Lynn
Lachie Stackpole - Howick Pakuranga

Unavailable due to injury: Mark Chapman, Ben Lister, Jock McKenzie, Jordan Sussex.

Auckland HEARTS squad:

Olivia Anderson - Takapuna
Bella Armstrong - Cornwall
Elizabeth Buchanan - Auckland University
Prue Catton - Auckland University
Lauren Down - Takapuna
Maddy Green - Cornwall
Brooke Halliday - Howick Pakuranga
Amie Hucker - Cornwall
Bree Illing - Cornwall
Ayaan Lambat - Howick Pakuranga
Josie Penfold - Howick Pakuranga
Molly Penfold - Howick Pakuranga

Unavailable due to injury: Izzy Gaze, Fran Jonas.

Article added: Tuesday 23 December 2025