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Cricket is the most popular summer sport in Australia at international, domestic and local levels. It is regarded as their national summer sport, and widely played across the country, especially from the months of September to April. The peak administrative body for both professional and amateur cricket is Cricket Australia. The 2017–18 National Cricket Census showed 1,558,821 Australians engaged in cricket competitions or programs – an increase of 9% from the previous year. 30% of cricket's participants are now female, and 6 in every 10 new participants are female, one of the highest year-on-year participation growth figures. In terms of attendance figures, more than 2.3 million people attended cricket during the 2017–18 summer, surpassing the record of 1.8 million set in 2016–17.
This article describes the history of New Zealand cricket from the 1945–46 season until 1970.
This article is part of a series on the history of Australian cricket; it covers the period from the 1970–71 season until 1985. Notable Australian players during this period include brothers Ian and Greg Chappell, Jeff Thomson, Dennis Lillee, Rod Marsh and Doug Walters.
Cricket is the most popular summer sport in New Zealand, second only in total sporting popularity to rugby. New Zealand is one of the twelve countries that take part in Test match cricket.
An Australian national cricket team captained by Ian Craig toured New Zealand between February and April 1957. They played 12 matches, seven of which were first-class, including three matches against New Zealand, but these were not granted Test status. The Australians won one and drew two of the international matches, and won the other four first-class matches.
While the Australia national cricket team was touring South Africa in February and March 1967, another Australian team captained by Les Favell toured New Zealand to play each of the six provinces and four matches against New Zealand, but these matches did not have Test status. The Australians won against Auckland and Otago but lost to Canterbury and in the first international match against New Zealand; the other six matches were drawn.
References
- ↑ CricketArchive – tour itinerary
- ↑ Wisden 1961, pp. 847-53.
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