This article describes the history of New Zealand cricket from the 1890-91 season until 1918.
Contents
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.
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
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