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]
The 1906–07 season featured the inaugural Plunket Shield, which is still New Zealand's domestic first-class competition. The Plunket Shield was presented by the then governor-general, Lord Plunket, and was played on a challenge basis until 1920–21, since when it has been a league. In its early years it was always won by either Canterbury or Auckland.
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 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.
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.
Australia played two first-class matches against New Zealand, first-class matches against Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago, and three minor matches.
When the cricket historian Tom Reese compiled his history of early New Zealand cricket, New Zealand Cricket, 1841–1914, in 1927, he selected a 14-man team of the best New Zealand cricketers of the period from 1860 to 1914. His idea was that the team would be a touring team to England or elsewhere.[7]