The team played its first representative match against Otago in 1864[1] but was not considered a Major Association until allowed to complete for the Plunket Shield for the first time during the 1914–15 season.
[2][3] It played eight first-class matches between then and the 1920–21 season, six of which were against the neighbouring Otago side.
[4][5] At the end of the 1920–21 season both Southland and Hawke's Bay were re-classified as Minor Associations, the New Zealand Cricket Council choosing to only include the four Major Associations that could reliably afford to travel to take part in an annual round robin tournament for the Plunket Shield.
[3][6] The province has played in the Hawke Cup since the inaugural competition in 1910–11 and were the first winners of the trophy.
[5] The details are the player's usual name followed by the years in which he played first-class matches for the team.