The holiday season entertainment begins one week from today, on Boxing Day, and things are going to look a little different this summer - here's what it's all about!
Four teams are all looking to become this summer's first Dream11 Super Smash matchwinners at Seddon Park and they'll all be stepping out in RETRO threads as we mark 20 seasons of T20 cricket in Aotearoa New Zealand and the world.
New Zealand's premier T20 competition is poised to begin in Hamilton, 2.10PM on 26 December, with free, live-to-air coverage in New Zealand on TVNZ+
Molly Penfold and Jess Watkin model the 2025 look | PHOTOSPORT
Northern Brave's women, under new captain Jess Watkin, and the Auckland Hearts - making the trip down the motorway - are the first in action, followed by defending men's champion the Auckland Aces against hosts Northern Brave men, from 5.55pm under lights.
The doubleheader will set the stage for a fresh-look, or is that old-look, summer on a number of fronts. It's going to be the first time we see any of the 12 teams stepping out in the 'new' RETRO gear, in selected RETRO rounds across the country.
Northern Brave's teams are donning jerseys that are a nod to the glory days of the men's Shell Cup victories back in the 90s, back when modern-day Brave batter Henry Cooper's dad Barry Cooper was captain of the team, holding the massive silver trophy aloft, and onwards into the early years of Max.
The Aces are stepping out in RETRO stripes that throw it back to an era of USA baseball-inspired shirts that came in with Cricket Max when it was a brand new, revolutionary concept invented by NZ cricket legend Martin Crowe.
The very first Max uniforms - Martin Crowe modelling Auckland's at left. ND ended up switching to a V-neck design, so this is a rarity! PHOTOSPORT
Crowe's innovative brainchild carried on for some seven seasons, including an official domestic Max comp for a while and 'Max internationals', to eventually lay the foundation for New Zealand's first ever T20 domestic competition.
This season is officially the 20th summer of T20 cricket in New Zealand.
T20 pioneers! All images: PHOTOSPORT
The world's very first T20 International was held at Eden Park on 17 February 2005 between the BLACKCAPS and Australia - and then, the following season (19 years ago) we saw the very first men's T20 Domestic competition begin here in Aotearoa.
Back then, after the seasons of Max - and a quick burst of another contemporary short format idea, Action Cricket, that saw Auckland and Canterbury play a twin-innings short format game at Eden Park's Outer Oval, the New Zealand audience was ahead of the game and already switched on to the fun, freshness and brazen hitting that short format cricket would bring.
Mark Bailey hits out in vintage ND styles in Max | PHOTOSPORT
The Eden Park first T20i game was unforgettable, and a bit of a lark at the time in front of a very entertained crowd.
The BLACKCAPS players donned fancy dress, dressing up in the 1980s RETRO beige uniforms of their predecessors, with some brilliant 70s-inspired moustaches, sideburns and hairstyles, white floppies, medallions, and aviator glasses that wouldn't have looked out of place on Tom Cruise in Top Gun.
Who can forget when Hamish Marshall first stepped out onto the field in his disco-worthy affro?
Aussie quick Brett Lee reacts to Hamish Marshall 's new hairstyle | PHOTOSPORT
Australia didn't win any prizes on the dress-up front, but they did win the game, taking a 44-run win after legend Ricky Ponting quickly figured out what T20 was all about - blasting an unbeaten 98* off just 55 balls.
They put on 214/5 in their 20 overs and then the BLACKCAPS (Beigecaps?) got a promising start in the chase.
Baz McCullum blasted a quick 36 at the top and Scott Styris looked promising with 66 off just 39 balls - before an Aussie all-star attack including Michael Kasprowicz, Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath bowled the Aussies to victory.
Craig McMillan rocked the RETRO look | PHOTOSPORT
McGrath had got right into the fun spirit of the occasion, pretending to bowl underarm at the death - and umpire Billy Bowden pretending to show him a red card for harking back to that infamous moment in trans-Tasman cricket relations back in the day.
It was incredible to believe none of the players had played T20 before, such was the level of entertainment - but wow, has the format evolved over the two decades that have followed.
Dion Nash steps out in the 2000/01 summer for the Aces | PHOTOSPORT
Skills and plays specific to T20 cricket quickly developed to super-charge the format into the winning, tactically aware spectacle of fearless cricket and once innovative shots we enjoy today.
So this summer is paying it back to those brave pioneers at Eden Park.
Now we just need to bring back the Fro.