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 – Canterbury
- 1911-12 – Auckland
- 1912-13 – Canterbury
- 1913-14 – Canterbury
- 1914-15 – Canterbury
- 1915-18 – no competition due to World War I
International tours of New Zealand
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 : CricketArchive 1902-03
Australia 1904-05
Australia toured New Zealand in the 1904-05 season to play first-class matches versus the New Zealand national team (twice), Canterbury and Otago.
See : CricketArchive 1904-05
Marylebone Cricket Club 1906-07
MCC played two first-class matches versus New Zealand national team and also played twice against each of the four main provincial teams: Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago. A further match was played 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 : CricketArchive 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.
See : Australian cricket team in New Zealand in 1909–10
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.
See : Australia in New Zealand 1913-14, CricketArchive
References
- ↑ "Cricket conference: Formation of a New Zealand council". The Press. LI (8987). 28 December 1894. p. 3.
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