History of cricket in New Zealand from 1945–46 to 1970

This article describes the history of New Zealand cricket from the 1945–46 season until 1970.

Domestic cricket

Domestic first-class cricket in New Zealand during this period centred on the Plunket Shield, which was the State Championship from 1906 to 1975.

Plunket Shield winners

1945–46 – Canterbury

1946–47 – Auckland

1947–48 – Otago

1948–49 – Canterbury

1949–50 – Wellington

1950–51 – Otago

1951–52 – Canterbury

1952–53 – Otago

1953–54 – Central Districts

1954–55 – Wellington

1955–56 – Canterbury

1956–57 – Wellington

1957–58 – Otago

1958–59 – Auckland

1959–60 – Canterbury

1960–61 – Wellington

1961–62 – Wellington

1962–63 – Northern Districts

1963–64 – Auckland

1964–65 – Canterbury

1965–66 – Wellington

1966–67 – Central Districts

1967–68 – Central Districts

1968–69 – Auckland

1969–70 – Otago

International tours of New Zealand

Australia 1945–46

1st Test at Basin Reserve, Wellington – Australia won by an innings and 103 runs

England 1946–47

1st Test at Lancaster Park, Christchurch – match drawn

Australia 1949–50

Between mid-February and early April, while the Australian Test team was touring South Africa, an Australian team captained by Bill Brown played 14 matches, five of which were first-class. They beat Canterbury, Otago and Wellington, and drew against Auckland and New Zealand (not a Test match).

England 1950–51

1st Test at Lancaster Park, Christchurch – match drawn

2nd Test at Basin Reserve, Wellington – England won by 6 wickets

West Indies 1951–52

1st Test at Lancaster Park, Christchurch – West Indies won by 5 wickets

2nd Test at Eden Park, Auckland – match drawn

South Africa 1952–53

1st Test at Basin Reserve, Wellington – South Africa won by an innings and 180 runs

2nd Test at Eden Park, Auckland – match drawn

England 1954–55

1st Test at Carisbrook, Dunedin – England won by 8 wickets

2nd Test at Eden Park, Auckland – England won by an innings and 20 runs

West Indies 1955–56

1st Test at Carisbrook, Dunedin – West Indies won by an innings and 71 runs

2nd Test at Lancaster Park, Christchurch – West Indies won by an innings and 64 runs

3rd Test at Basin Reserve, Wellington – West Indies won by 9 wickets

4th Test at Eden Park, Auckland – New Zealand won by 190 runs

Australia 1956–57

Between mid-February and early April an Australian team captained by Ian Craig played 12 matches, seven of them first-class. The Australians won one and drew two of the three matches against New Zealand (which were not classed as Tests, although both sides were at or close to Test strength), and won the other four first-class matches.

England 1958–59

1st Test at Lancaster Park, Christchurch – England won by an innings and 99 runs

2nd Test at Eden Park, Auckland – match drawn

Australia 1959–60

An Australian team captained by Ian Craig toured New Zealand in February and March. None of the Australian players who had been on the recently completed Test tour of India and Pakistan took part. The Australians won one of the four non-Test matches against New Zealand; the other three were drawn. There were two other first-class matches.