The New Zealand national cricket team represents New Zealand in men’s international cricket. Named the Black Caps, they played their first Test against England in Christchurch in 1930, becoming the fifth country to play Test cricket. From 1930, New Zealand had to wait more than 26 years, until 1956, to win its first Test against the West Indies at Auckland’s Eden Park. He made his ODI debut against Pakistan in the 1972-73 season in Christchurch. New Zealand Cricket History.
The current captain in all formats of the game is Ken Williamson, who replaced Brendon McCullum after the latter’s retirement in December 2015. The national team is organized by New Zealand Cricket.
The New Zealand cricket team became known as the Black Caps in January 1998, when its sponsor, Claire Communications, held a competition to select a name for the team. This is one of the many nicknames of the national team for all blacks. New Zealand Cricket History.
As of March 2, 2022, New Zealand has played 1390 international matches, of which it has won 541, lost 622, drawn 15 and drawn 168, with 44 matches ending in a draw. The team is ranked third in Tests, first in ODIs and fourth in T20s by the ICC.
The team has competed in all 28 ICC Men’s competitions since 1975 and has participated in six finals, including two ODI WC finals and a T20 WC final. In October 2000, he defeated India to win the Knockout Trophy, his first ICC title. They beat South Africa in 2015 to reach their first ICC Cricket World Cup Final. In the next edition, they defeated India and reached the second consecutive final. Then in June 2021 they won the inaugural WTC by defeating India and five months later they reached their first T20 WC final by defeating England.
Starting Cricket in New Zealand
The venerable Henry Williams provided the date with the first report of the game of cricket in New Zealand, when he wrote in his diary in December 1832 about the boys playing cricket around Paihia on Horototo Beach. In 1835, Charles Darwin and HMS Beagle were called to the Gulf of the Islands in their epic orbit of the Earth, and Darwin witnessed the game of cricket played by freed Maori slaves and the son of a missionary in Weymouth North. In The Voyage of the Beagle, Darwin wrote:
Many young men freed from slavery by missionaries were employed on farms. In the evening I saw one of their cricket parties.
The first recorded game of cricket in New Zealand was played in Wellington in December 1842. The Wellington Spectator reports a game played on December 28, 1842, by a Wellington Club “Red” team and a “Blue” team. The first fully recorded match was reported by Nelson Examiner in March 1844 between Surveyors and Nelson.
The first team to visit New Zealand was the All England XI, crossed in 1863-64. Between 1864 and 1914, 22 foreign teams visited New Zealand. England sent six, Australia 15 and Fiji one.
1st National Team
The first team representing New Zealand competed against New South Wales at Lancaster Park in Christchurch on 15-17 February 1894. New South Wales won by 160 runs. New South Wales returned in 1895-96 and New Zealand won the lone game by 142 runs, their first victory. The New Zealand Cricket Council was formed in late 1894.
New Zealand played their first two internationals (not Tests) in 1904-05 against a star-studded Australian team that included players such as Victor Trumper, Warwick Armstrong and Clem Hill. Rain saved New Zealand from defeat in the first match, but not the second, which New Zealand lost by an innings and 358 runs – currently the second biggest defeat in New Zealand’s first-class history.
Inter-War Period
In 1927 the NZ visited England. He played 26 first-class matches, mostly against the county sides. He won seven matches, including against Worcestershire, Glamorgan, Somerset and Derbyshire. New Zealand was give Test status on the basis of the performance of this tour.
In 1929/30, M.C.C visited NZ and played 4 Tests in a period of 3 days. New Zealand lost their first Test match but drew the next three. In the second Test, Steve Dempster and Jackie Mills scored 276 for the first wicket. This is still New Zealand’s biggest partnership against England. New Zealand first played a three-match series against South Africa in 1931-32, but failed to secure a Test match against any team other than England before the end of all Test cricket for seven years after World War II. A Test tour of Australia, schedule for February and March 1940, was cancel following the outbreak of WA. New Zealand Cricket History.
After World War II
New Zealand’s first post-war Test was against Australia in 1945/46. The game was not consider a “test” at the time, but in March 1948, the International Cricket Council had previously given it Test status. The New Zealand players who appear in the match probably did not appreciate the ICC’s move as New Zealand were bowl out for 42 and 54. The New Zealand Cricket Council’s willingness to pay a reasonable allowance to Australian players for a tour of New Zealand ensured that this was Australia’s only Test against New Zealand between 1929 and 1972.
In 1949, New Zealand sent one of their best teams to England. They included Burt Stuckliff, Martin Donnelly, John R. Reid and Jack Covey. Many consider the 1949 tour of England to be one of New Zealand’s best touring performances. Despite all four Test draws, Martin Donnelly’s 206 at Lord’s was consider one of the best innings ever. Despite the victory, New Zealand did not lose any test. Earlier, only the great Australian team of 1948, led by the great Don Bradman, had achieved this feat.
New Zealand played its first match against West Indies in 1951-52 and against Pakistan and India in 1955/56.
In 1954/55, New Zealand recorded the lowest ever innings of 26 against England. Next season, New Zealand won their first Test. The West Indies won the first three Tests of the four-Test series easily. But New Zealand won their first Test by winning the fourth. It took him 45 matches and 26 years to get it. New Zealand Cricket History.
1970 to 200
Richard Headley made his debut in 1973 and the rate at which New Zealand won Tests increased dramatically. Headley was one of the best fast bowlers of his generation. Who played 86 Tests for New Zealand before retiring in 1990. Of the 86 Tests that Headley play in New Zealand, 22 win and 28 lost. New Zealand won its first Test in 1977/78. Against England, in the 48th attempt. Headley took 10 wickets in the match.
During the 1980’s, New Zealand had some of the best batsmen of all time. Including Martin Crow and John Wright, Bruce Edgar, John F. Reid, Andrew Jones, Jeff Howarth, Jeremy Connie, Ian Smith. Were , John Bracewell, Lance Cairns, Stephen Bock, and Avon Chatfield. Who were able to perform occasionally match-winning performances and consistently make valuable contributions to Test matches.
The best example of the match winning performances of two New Zealand star players (R. Hadlee and M. Crowe) and the good partnership of other players is New Zealand v Australia, Brisbane in 1985. Headley took 9-52 wickets in Australia’s first innings. In New Zealand’s only innings, M Crow scored 188 and John F. Reid 108 runs. Edgar, Wright, Connie, Jeff Crow, V Brown, and Headley all scored between 17 and 54 *. In Australia’s second innings, Headley won 6–71 and Chatfield won 3–75. New Zealand won by innings 41 runs.
21st Century
New Zealand started the new millennium by winning the 2000 ICC Knockout Trophy in Kenya to claim its first ICC tournament.It was a knockout tournament where teams were seed according to their performance in the 1999 Cricket World Cup. With the top five teams in the World Cup qualifying directly for the quarter finals. And the remaining six teams to play in the pre-quarterfinals. New Zealand made a direct entry into the quarter-finals.
Where they face Zimbabwe, against whom they recently lost an ODI series. Achieved a great victory of 64 runs. In the semi-finals, they faced Pakistan. A team that had managed to knock New Zealand out of the previous World Cup at the same stage. This time New Zealand reached the final by defeating Pakistan in a chase. In the final, they faced India, who knocked out world champions Australia and defending champions South Africa.
New Zealand won the toss and elected to bowl. But the decision seemed to backfire as India had an opening partnership of 141 runs in 27 overs. Was, and in response he struggled. Most of his innings but in the end, it was a 122-run partnership between Chris Cairns and Chris Harris. That brought him closer to the target. Before Cairns finished the game with two balls to spare and New Zealand Wins its first ICC event. New Zealand Cricket History.
2019 Cricket World Cup Final
The 2019 Cricket World Cup Final one-day international cricket match play at Lord’s Ground in London. It was contest by runners-up New Zealand and host nation England in the previous tournament. It was the fifth time Lord’s host the Cricket World Cup Final, the most at any ground.
At the end of the match, both the teams were tie for 241 runs. As a result of which a super over was play to break the tie. Martin Guptill tried to score the winning run after England equalize 15 runs in the last ball of the New Zealand Super Over. But Jason Roy and Jose Butler ran out. Meaning the Super Over was also tie.
It was the first time a Super Over need in a one-day international final. And for the first time since then it was decide by a boundary count. The match has describe as the biggest and most dramatic match in the history of the game. With some analysts calling it the biggest match in the history of one-day cricket. New Zealand Cricket History.
New Zealand vs Australia T20 World Cup Final in 2021
Australia beat New Zealand by 8 wickets in the final to win their first T20 World Cup. Chasing a target of 173, Australia won the match with seven balls to spare thanks to half-centuries from Mitchell Marsh. And David Warner.
Earlier, Kane Williamson played a brilliant innings of 85 off 48 balls. Which gave New Zealand a total of 172/4 in their quota of 20 overs. Australia’s Josh Hazelwood scored 3 for 16 while Adam Zampa returned 1/26.Australia won the toss and elected to field in the T20 World Cup final. At the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday. With captain Aaron Finch deciding to bowl against New Zealand. Both teams finished second in their groups after table toppers England and Pakistan. New Zealand had beaten England in the first semi-final at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Followed by Australia in the second semi-final in Dubai, beating the Pakistani team in form. For more details click here.