History of cricket in New Zealand from 1918-19 to 1945

This article describes the history of New Zealand cricket from the 1918-19 season until 1945.

Domestic cricket

Plunket Shield winners

* 1918-19 – Wellington (Dec 1918 to Jan 1919) and Canterbury (from Jan 1919)
* 1919-20 – Auckland
* 1920-21 – Wellington
* 1921-22 – Auckland
* 1922-23 – Canterbury
* 1923-24 – Wellington
* 1924-25 – Otago
* 1925-26 – Wellington
* 1926-27 – Auckland
* 1927-28 – Wellington
* 1928-29 – Auckland
* 1929-30 – Wellington
* 1930-31 – Canterbury
* 1931-32 – Wellington
* 1932-33 – Otago
* 1933-34 – Auckland
* 1934-35 – Canterbury
* 1935-36 – Wellington
* 1936-37 – Auckland
* 1937-38 – Auckland
* 1938-39 – Auckland
* 1939-40 – Auckland
* 1940-45 – no competition due to World War II

International tours of New Zealand

Australia 1920-21

An Australian team toured New Zealand in 1920-21 to play first-class matches versus New Zealand national team (twice) and provincial teams including Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago. See : [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Seasons/Tours_1920-21.html CricketArchive 1920-21]

MCC 1922-23

An English team raised by Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) played three first-class matches versus the New Zealand national team. MCC also played twice against Auckland and once each versus Wellington, Canterbury and Otago. The MCC team was captained by Archie MacLaren and included Tich Freeman, Freddie Calthorpe, Percy Chapman and Clement Gibson. See : [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Seasons/Tours_1922-23.html CricketArchive 1922-23]

For the Australian leg of this tour, see : History of Australian cricket from 1918-19 to 1930

Australia 1927-28

The Australian team played first-class matches versus the New Zealand national team (twice) and the main provincial teams Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago. See : [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Seasons/Tours_1927-28.html CricketArchive 1927-28]

England 1929-30

The England cricket team toured Australia and New Zealand in the 1929-30 season to play a Test series against New Zealand. This was the first Test series ever played in New Zealand. The England team was captained by Arthur Gilligan and included Frank Woolley, Duleep and Stan Nichols. See : [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Seasons/Tours_1929-30.html CricketArchive 1929-30] .

England won the series 1-0 with three matches drawn:
* [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/13/13346.html 1st Test] @ Lancaster Park, Christchurch – England won by 8 wickets
* [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/13/13356.html 2nd Test] @ Basin Reserve, Wellington – match drawn
* [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/13/13369.html 3rd Test] @ Eden Park, Auckland – match drawn
* [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/13/13375.html 4th Test] @ Eden Park, Auckland – match drawn

England began the tour in October 1929 in Australia where they played five first-class matches. For the Australian leg of the tour, see : History of Australian cricket from 1918-19 to 1930.

The New Zealand section of the tour began in December and, in addition to the Test series, England played each of Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago.

outh Africa 1931-32

The inaugural Test series between New Zealand and South Africa took place in New Zealand in 1931-32. South Africa won the two-match series 2-0 with no matches drawn:

* [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/14/14165.html 1st Test] @ Lancaster Park, Christchurch – South Africa won by an innings and 12 runs
* [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/14/14167.html 2nd Test] @ Basin Reserve, Wellington – South Africa won by 8 wickets

See [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Seasons/Tours_1931-32.html CricketArchive tour itinerary] .

England 1932-33

Douglas Jardine's England toured New Zealand as an aftermath to its infamous "bodyline" tour of Australia. England and New Zealand played a two-match Test series which was altogether more peaceful than the one in Australia. Both Tests were drawn:
* [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/14/14552.html 1st Test] @ Lancaster Park, Christchurch – match drawn
* [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/14/14553.html 2nd Test] @ Eden Park, Auckland – match drawn

See [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Seasons/Tours_1932-33.html CricketArchive tour itinerary] .

England 1936-37

The MCC team that toured Australia in the 1936-37 season also played three matches in New Zealand at the end of the tour. They played no Test matches in New Zealand, although one of the matches was against a representative New Zealand XI, all of whose team members went on tour of England barely six weeks later and played three Test matches there. See : [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Seasons/Tours_1936-37.html CricketArchive 1936-37] .

ir Julien Cahn’s XI 1938-39

Sir Julien Cahn's cricket team toured New Zealand in the 1938-39 season to play four first-class matches versus the New Zealand national team at Basin Reserve; and provincial teams Auckland, Canterbury and Otago. See http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Seasons/Tours_1938-39.html CricketArchive tour itinerary] .

References

External sources

* [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Events/NZ.html CricketArchive – New Zealand season itineraries]

Annual reviews

* Wisden Cricketers Almanack 1919 to 1945 editions

Further reading

* Bill Frindall, "The Wisden Book of Test Cricket 1877-1978", Wisden, 1979