History of cricket in New Zealand to 1890
Encyclopedia
This article describes the history of New Zealand cricket to 1890.
The earliest definite reference to cricket
in New Zealand appears in 1832 in the diary of Archdeacon Williams. Three years later, HMS Beagle
visited the Bay of Islands
on its voyage round the globe. Charles Darwin
watched a game of cricket at Waimate North being played by freed Maori slaves and the son of a missionary. In The Voyage of the Beagle
he wrote: "Several young men redeemed by the missionaires from slavery were employed on the farm. In the evening I saw a party of them at cricket."
on 28 December 1842. The Wellington Spectator reported the game, played between a “Red” team and a “Blue” team from the Wellington Club. In March 1844 the Examiner in Nelson
reported a match between the Surveyors of the Land Company and Nelson.
In March 1860, the first inter-provincial match was played between teams representing Wellington and Auckland. Other games soon followed but they were all one day matches that were not first-class.
The inaugural first-class match in New Zealand was Otago v Canterbury at the South Dunedin Recreation Ground
on 27–29 January 1864. It was arranged as a 3-day match with 4-ball overs. Canterbury won the toss and decided to field but Otago won by 76 runs.
Despite this being the inaugural first class match in New Zealand, five of the Otago players had previous first class experience, from intercolonial cricket in Australia
with Victoria. Nevertheless, it was a debutant, 32-year-old James Fulton who passed 25 for the first time. John Mace, a former Victoria player, and MacDonald, born in Victoria, then bowled Canterbury out for 34 by the end of the first day. On the second day, Otago batted out 65.1 overs to make 74, before Mace and MacDonald struck with four and six wickets each to win the game.
The Otago v Canterbury fixture was played annually from 1864 onwards and became part of the Plunket Shield in the 1911-12 season.
. It was the second Canterbury v Otago game. The match took place on 6 & 7 February 1865 at Hayley Park in Christchurch
. Canterbury won by 4 wickets. Otago scored 73 & 61; Canterbury scored 80 & 55-6.
In 1864, Otago had fielded five players with first class experience in Victoria; and a sixth who was born in Victoria. In 1865, those players were gone and the teams were more balanced. As in 1864, Otago captain James Fulton top-scored with 22 in the first innings, but four Canterbury players (including both openers) made double-figure scores and Canterbury took a first innings lead of seven. Canterbury captain Henry Lance then had Fulton stumped for seven, and made 12 in the chase of 55 after coming in at 27 for three. Andrew Bloxham, who played his one and only first-class game, made 18 in the first innings and 10 in the second and was Canterbury's top scorer.
Arthur Powys, recalled as captain of Canterbury after missing the 1865 fixture, chose to bat. Otago took a first innings lead of 37 on the first day. Augustus Tennant, playing in his final game, made 24 for Canterbury in the second innings, but a 17-run partnership between Worthington and Murison took Otago within two runs of victory and Worthington managed to get the winning runs.
This was the first match played at the Hagley Oval, which became a regular venue up to 1881. The Canterbury totals of 25 and 32 were record lows in New Zealand first-class cricket, while John Hope hit a new first-class best of 28 for Otago as they managed 94 in their first innings, having being asked to bat second. Otago bowler William Downes took 10-22 in the match, while 20-year-old debutant George Young took six wickets for Canterbury.
.
made the first overseas tour of New Zealand. The team also toured Australia. None of its matches in New Zealand are rated first-class.
CricketArchive tour itinerary
Historical background
European colonisation of New Zealand, particularly by British settlers, began in earnest after 1800. It may safely be assumed that cricket was first played there soon after the English arrived.The earliest definite reference to cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
in New Zealand appears in 1832 in the diary of Archdeacon Williams. Three years later, HMS Beagle
HMS Beagle
HMS Beagle was a Cherokee-class 10-gun brig-sloop of the Royal Navy. She was launched on 11 May 1820 from the Woolwich Dockyard on the River Thames, at a cost of £7,803. In July of that year she took part in a fleet review celebrating the coronation of King George IV of the United Kingdom in which...
visited the Bay of Islands
Bay of Islands
The Bay of Islands is an area in the Northland Region of the North Island of New Zealand. Located 60 km north-west of Whangarei, it is close to the northern tip of the country....
on its voyage round the globe. Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
watched a game of cricket at Waimate North being played by freed Maori slaves and the son of a missionary. In The Voyage of the Beagle
The Voyage of the Beagle
The Voyage of the Beagle is a title commonly given to the book written by Charles Darwin and published in 1839 as his Journal and Remarks, bringing him considerable fame and respect...
he wrote: "Several young men redeemed by the missionaires from slavery were employed on the farm. In the evening I saw a party of them at cricket."
Early developments to 1863-64
The first recorded formal game of cricket in New Zealand took place in WellingtonWellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
on 28 December 1842. The Wellington Spectator reported the game, played between a “Red” team and a “Blue” team from the Wellington Club. In March 1844 the Examiner in Nelson
Nelson, New Zealand
Nelson is a city on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay, and is the economic and cultural centre of the Nelson-Tasman region. Established in 1841, it is the second oldest settled city in New Zealand and the oldest in the South Island....
reported a match between the Surveyors of the Land Company and Nelson.
In March 1860, the first inter-provincial match was played between teams representing Wellington and Auckland. Other games soon followed but they were all one day matches that were not first-class.
The inaugural first-class match in New Zealand was Otago v Canterbury at the South Dunedin Recreation Ground
South Dunedin Recreation Ground
South Dunedin Recreation Ground is a cricket ground in South Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. The first recorded cricket match held on the ground came in February 1864 when Otago played Canterbury in a first-class match, in what was the first ever first-class match to be held in New Zealand...
on 27–29 January 1864. It was arranged as a 3-day match with 4-ball overs. Canterbury won the toss and decided to field but Otago won by 76 runs.
Despite this being the inaugural first class match in New Zealand, five of the Otago players had previous first class experience, from intercolonial cricket in Australia
Intercolonial cricket in Australia
Intercolonial cricket in Australia was the name used to describe first-class cricket matches played between the various colonies of Australia prior to federation in 1901. After federation, they became known as Interstate matches. By the 1880s regular intercolonials were being played, generally...
with Victoria. Nevertheless, it was a debutant, 32-year-old James Fulton who passed 25 for the first time. John Mace, a former Victoria player, and MacDonald, born in Victoria, then bowled Canterbury out for 34 by the end of the first day. On the second day, Otago batted out 65.1 overs to make 74, before Mace and MacDonald struck with four and six wickets each to win the game.
The Otago v Canterbury fixture was played annually from 1864 onwards and became part of the Plunket Shield in the 1911-12 season.
1864-65
The only first class match was the first to be played in Canterbury ProvinceCanterbury Province
The Canterbury Province was a province of New Zealand from 1853 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876. On the east coast the province was bounded by the Hurunui River in the north and the Waitaki River in the south...
. It was the second Canterbury v Otago game. The match took place on 6 & 7 February 1865 at Hayley Park in Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
. Canterbury won by 4 wickets. Otago scored 73 & 61; Canterbury scored 80 & 55-6.
In 1864, Otago had fielded five players with first class experience in Victoria; and a sixth who was born in Victoria. In 1865, those players were gone and the teams were more balanced. As in 1864, Otago captain James Fulton top-scored with 22 in the first innings, but four Canterbury players (including both openers) made double-figure scores and Canterbury took a first innings lead of seven. Canterbury captain Henry Lance then had Fulton stumped for seven, and made 12 in the chase of 55 after coming in at 27 for three. Andrew Bloxham, who played his one and only first-class game, made 18 in the first innings and 10 in the second and was Canterbury's top scorer.
1865-66
On 13 & 14 February at South Dunedin Recreation Ground, Otago v Canterbury. Otago won by 2 wickets. Canterbury scored 68 & 97; Otago scored 105 & 62-8.Arthur Powys, recalled as captain of Canterbury after missing the 1865 fixture, chose to bat. Otago took a first innings lead of 37 on the first day. Augustus Tennant, playing in his final game, made 24 for Canterbury in the second innings, but a 17-run partnership between Worthington and Murison took Otago within two runs of victory and Worthington managed to get the winning runs.
1866-67
On 7 & 8 February at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, Canterbury v Otago. Otago won by an innings and 37 runs. Canterbury scored 25 & 32; Otago scored 94.This was the first match played at the Hagley Oval, which became a regular venue up to 1881. The Canterbury totals of 25 and 32 were record lows in New Zealand first-class cricket, while John Hope hit a new first-class best of 28 for Otago as they managed 94 in their first innings, having being asked to bat second. Otago bowler William Downes took 10-22 in the match, while 20-year-old debutant George Young took six wickets for Canterbury.
1867-68 to 1872-73
The Otago v Canterbury series continued through these seasons as the only domestic first-class fixture.1873-74
The number of first-class teams was expanded to five. Otago and Canterbury continued their annual series and both played their inuagural first-class matches against Auckland. Auckland also played against Wellington and Wellington played the fifth debutant NelsonNelson cricket team
Nelson cricket team is a cricket team representing the Nelson Region of New Zealand and currently competes in the Hawke Cup.Cricket was first reported as being played in Nelson in the Nelson Examiner in March 1844, in a match between the Surveyors of the Land Company and Nelson...
.
1874-75 to 1889-90
Auckland, Canterbury, Otago and Wellington played regularly and became established first-class teams.- For details of the 1882-83 season, see: 1882-83 New Zealand cricket season1882-83 New Zealand cricket seasonDuring the 1882–83 New Zealand cricket season, the first class cricket consisted of six matches: an Auckland team went on a tour in December including three games, two on the South Island and in Wellington on the southern tip of the North Island, and three further local clashes.Canterbury won both...
George Parr's XI 1863-64
An English team led by George ParrGeorge Parr (cricketer)
George Parr was an English cricketer, whose first-class career lasted from 1844 to 1870....
made the first overseas tour of New Zealand. The team also toured Australia. None of its matches in New Zealand are rated first-class.
CricketArchive tour itinerary
James Lillywhite's XI 1876-77
Australia 1877-78
Australia 1880-81
Alfred Shaw's XI 1881-82
Tasmania 1883-84
Australia 1886-87
Arthur Shrewsbury's XI 1887-88
New South Wales 1889-90
External sources
Further reading
- Greg Ryan, The Making of New Zealand Cricket, 1832-1914, Cass, 2004