The New Zealand national cricket team represents New Zealand in men's international cricket. Named the Black Caps, they played their first Test in 1930 against England in Christchurch, becoming the fifth country to play Test cricket. From 1930 New Zealand had to wait until 1956, more than 26 years, for its first Test victory, against the West Indies at Eden Park in Auckland. They played their first ODI in the 1972–73 season against Pakistan in Christchurch.
The New Zealand national cricket team toured South Africa from November 1994 to January 1995 and played a three-match Test series against the South Africa national cricket team. The tour was the third time that New Zealand had visited South Africa and their first tour to the country since the end of the apartheid regime which had led to a sporting boycott of South Africa. South Africa won the Test series 2–1, despite New Zealand having won the first match of the series - the first time that a side had lost a three-match series after having led since 1888 when Australia had lost against England. New Zealand also competed in the Mandela Trophy with South Africa, Sri Lanka and Pakistan but were eliminated in the group stage, not winning any of their matches.
The New Zealand cricket team toured England in the 1937 season. The team was the third from New Zealand to tour England, following those of 1927 and 1931, and the second to play Test matches. Three Tests were arranged: England won the second match at Manchester, and the games at Lord's and The Oval were drawn, the latter affected by rain. On the tour as a whole, the New Zealanders played 32 first-class matches, winning nine and losing nine, with 14 ending as draws.
The New Zealand cricket team toured England in the 1958 season. In a notably wet summer when the touring side lost the equivalent of 29 full days of cricket, the side lost four of the five Test matches. In first-class matches, they won six of their first nine games, but then won only one more all season, although they only lost two matches outside the Tests, both of them to Surrey.
The New Zealand cricket team toured England in the 1969 season to play a three-match Test series against England. The New Zealanders played in the second half of the English season: the England cricket team played three Test matches against the West Indies cricket team in the earlier part of the season, winning that series by 2–0 with one match drawn - see the article West Indian cricket team in England in 1969.
The New Zealand cricket team toured England in the 1973 season to play a three-match Test series against England. England won the series 2–0 with 1 match drawn.
The New Zealand cricket team toured England in the 1978 season to play a three-match Test series against England. England won the series 3-0 with no matches drawn. New Zealand played two matches in The Netherlands on their way home.
The New Zealand cricket team toured England in the 1983 season to play a four-match Test series against England. England won the series 3-1 with no matches drawn. New Zealand won the second Test of the series, their first Test win in England. In the same match, Bob Willis became the fourth bowler to take 300 Test wickets.
The New Zealand cricket team toured England in the 1986 season to play a three-match Test series against England. New Zealand won the series 1–0 with two matches drawn.
The New Zealand cricket team toured England in the 1990 season to play a three-match Test series against England. England won the series 1-0 with 2 matches drawn.
The Australian cricket team toured New Zealand in the 1973-74 season to play a three-match Test series against New Zealand. The series was drawn 1-1. It was the first time New Zealand had beaten Australia in a Test match, and the first time they had won a Test match since 1969.
The India cricket team toured New Zealand in the 1980–81 season to play a three-match Test series and a two-match One Day International (ODI) series against New Zealand. The tour also included two tour matches against New Zealand's first-class sides. After the tour ended, India played Fiji in a two-day game in Lautoka, defeating them by 220 runs. New Zealand won the ODI series 2–0 and the Test series that followed 1–0. It was their first series win against India in Tests in seven attempts.
The India national cricket team toured New Zealand from 22 January to 27 February 1990 and played a three-match Test series against New Zealand. New Zealand won the series 1–0.
The Pakistan national cricket team toured Australia in the 1972–73 season and played three Test matches against the Australian national cricket team. After an inadequate preparation against weak teams, Pakistan lost by an innings in the first Test in Adelaide. While Australia won the series 3–0, the last two tests were competitive, with Pakistan seeming the likely winner on the second last days. The 2nd test in Melbourne was attended by 115,721. Pakistan also visited Sri Lanka and played a match against the Sri Lankan national cricket team and followed the tour with a series against New Zealand, where both teams played their first ODI.
The West Indies cricket team toured New Zealand and Australia from November 1930 to March 1931 and played a five-match Test series against the Australia national cricket team. Australia won the series 4–1. Australia were captained by Bill Woodfull, while the West Indies were coached by Jackie Grant. In addition, the West Indians played nine first-class matches against Australian state teams and, in November, one match in New Zealand against Wellington.
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.
The South Africa national cricket team toured New Zealand in February and March 1964 and played a three-match Test series against the New Zealand national cricket team. All three matches were drawn. The South Africans had just played a five-Test series in Australia.
The Pakistan national cricket team toured New Zealand in January and February 1973 and played a three-match Test series against the New Zealand national cricket team. Pakistan won the series 1-0. It was their first Test series win outside Pakistan. In addition, a Limited Overs International (LOI) took place between the second and third Tests; this match was the inaugural LOI of both teams.
The England national cricket team toured New Zealand in February and March 1975 and played a two-match Test series against the New Zealand national cricket team. England won the series 1–0 with one match drawn.
The England national cricket team toured New Zealand in February and March 1978 and played a three-match Test series against the New Zealand national cricket team. The series was drawn 1–1.
