History of cricket in New Zealand from 1890–91 to 1918
This article describes the history of New Zealand cricket from the 1890-91 season until 1918.
Administration
The New Zealand Cricket Council was formed at a meeting of provincial delegates from around New Zealand at the City Hotel in Christchurch on 27 December 1894. Its main purposes were to co-ordinate domestic cricket and to organize tours of New Zealand teams abroad and of foreign teams to New Zealand.[1]
Domestic cricket
There was no formal championship competition in New Zealand until the Plunket Shield was inaugurated in 1906. Until then, regular first-class matches were played by Canterbury, Otago, Auckland, Wellington and occasionally by Hawke's Bay.
The 1906-07 season featured the inaugural Plunket Shield which was the New Zealand State Championship from 1906 to 1975.
The Plunket Shield was presented by the then governor-general, Lord Plunket, and was played on a challenge basis until 1920-21, since which time it has been a league. It was usually won by either Canterbury or Auckland.
Plunket Shield winners
- 1906-07 – Canterbury
- 1907-08 – Auckland
- 1908-09 – Auckland
- 1909-10 – Auckland
- 1910-11 – Auckland, Canterbury
- 1911-12 – Canterbury, Auckland
- 1912-13 – Auckland, Canterbury
- 1913-14 – Canterbury
- 1914-15 – Canterbury
- 1915-18 – no competition due to World War I
International tours of New Zealand
New South Wales 1893-94
New South Wales toured New Zealand in January and February 1894, playing seven first-class matches. The match in Christchurch against New Zealand was the New Zealand national team's first first-class match; New South Wales won.[2]
Fiji 1894-95
Fiji toured New Zealand in January and February 1895, playing matches against eight provincial sides. Six of these matches are now regarded as first-class.[3]
New South Wales 1895-96
New South Wales toured New Zealand in December 1895 and January 1896, playing five first-class matches. They again played New Zealand in Christchurch; this time New Zealand won.[4]
Australia 1896-97
Australia toured New Zealand in November 1896, playing five matches. All their matches were against teams of more than 11 players, so they are not regarded as first-class. Australia won the match against a New Zealand XV.[5]
Queensland 1896-97
Queensland toured New Zealand in December 1896 and January 1897, playing five first-class matches, including one against New Zealand, which New Zealand won.[6]
Lord Hawke's XI 1902-03
An English team managed by Lord Hawke played the New Zealand national team (twice) and the main provincial teams: Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago.
The MCC team was captained by Plum Warner and included Bernard Bosanquet, Frederick Fane, Cuthbert Burnup and George Thompson.
See: Lord Hawke's XI cricket team in Australia and New Zealand in 1902–03
Australia 1904-05
Australia toured New Zealand in the 1904-05 season to play first-class matches against the New Zealand national team (twice), Canterbury and Otago.
See: Australian cricket team in New Zealand and Fiji in 1904–05
Marylebone Cricket Club 1906-07
MCC played two first-class matches against New Zealand and also played two first-class matches against each of the four main provincial teams, Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago, and one first-class match against Hawke's Bay.
The MCC team was captained by Teddy Wynyard and included future Test players like Johnny Douglas and George Simpson-Hayward.
See: Marylebone Cricket Club cricket team in New Zealand in 1906–07
Australia 1909-10
Australia played first-class matches against the New Zealand national team (twice), Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury, Otago and Hawke's Bay.
Australia 1913-14
Australia played two first-class matches against New Zealand, first-class matches against Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago, and three minor matches.
References
- ↑ "Cricket conference: Formation of a New Zealand council". The Press. LI (8987). 28 December 1894. p. 3.
- ↑ "New South Wales in New Zealand 1893-94". CricketArchive. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
- ↑ "Fiji in New Zealand 1894-95". CricketArchive. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
- ↑ "New South Wales in New Zealand 1895-96". CricketArchive. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
- ↑ "Australia in New Zealand 1896-97". CricketArchive. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
- ↑ "Queensland in New Zealand 1896-97". CricketArchive. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
Further reading
- Greg Ryan, The Making of New Zealand Cricket, 1832-1914, Cass, 2004
- Don Neely & Richard Payne, Men in White: The History of New Zealand International Cricket, 1894–1985, Moa, 1986