The Tangiwai train disaster was a deadly railway accident that occurred at 10:21 p.m. on 24 December 1953, when a railway bridge over the Whangaehu River collapsed beneath an express passenger train at Tangiwai, North Island, New Zealand. The locomotive and the first six carriages derailed into the river, killing 151 people. The subsequent board of inquiry found that the accident was caused by the collapse of the tephra dam holding back nearby Mount Ruapehu's crater lake, creating a rapid mudflow (lahar) in the Whangaehu River, which destroyed one of the bridge piers at Tangiwai only minutes before the train reached the bridge. The volcano itself was not erupting at the time. The disaster remains New Zealand's worst rail accident.
The New Zealand national cricket team represents New Zealand in men's international cricket. Nicknamed 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. New Zealand are the inaugural champions of WTC which they won in 2021 and they have also won ICC CT in 2000. They have played in the CWC final twice and the T20 WC final once.
The South Africa men's national cricket team, also known as the Proteas, RSA, represents South Africa in men's international cricket and is administered by Cricket South Africa (CSA). South Africa is a full member of the International Cricket Council (ICC). Its nickname derives from South Africa's national flower, Protea cynaroides, commonly known as the "King Protea".
John Dyson is a former international cricketer (batsman) who is now a cricket coach, most recently in charge of the West Indies.
Bert Sutcliffe was a New Zealand Test cricketer. Sutcliffe was a successful left-hand batsman. His batting achievements on tour in England in 1949, which included four fifties and a century in the Tests, earned him the accolade of being one of Wisden's Five Cricketers of the Year. He captained New Zealand in four Tests in the early 1950s, losing three of them and drawing the other. None of Sutcliffe's 42 Tests resulted in a New Zealand victory. In 1949 Sutcliffe was named the inaugural New Zealand Sportsman of the Year, and in 2000 was named as New Zealand champion sportsperson of the decade for the 1940s.
The South Africa women's national cricket team, nicknamed the Proteas, represents South Africa in international women's cricket. One of eight teams competing in the ICC Women's Championship, the team is organised by Cricket South Africa (CSA), a full member of the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Luteru Ross Poutoa Lote Taylor is a former New Zealand international cricketer and former captain of the New Zealand national team. Batting predominantly at number four, when he announced his retirement from international cricket at the end of 2021, he was the leading run-scorer for New Zealand in Test and One Day International cricket. Taylor was a key member of the New Zealand team that won the 2019–2021 ICC World Test Championship, where he scored the winning boundary in the final. He was also a part of the New Zealand squads to finish as runners-up in two Cricket World Cup finals in 2015 and 2019.
Robert William Blair is a former cricketer who played 19 Test matches for New Zealand.
Timothy Grant Southee, is a New Zealand international cricketer who captains for New Zealand cricket team in all formats of the game. He is a right-arm medium-fast bowler and a hard-hitting lower order batsman. The third New Zealand bowler to take 300 Test wickets, he was one of the country's youngest cricketers, debuting at the age of 19 in February 2008. On his Test debut against England he took 5 wickets and made 77 off 40 balls in the second innings. He plays for Northern Districts in the Plunket Shield, Ford Trophy and Super Smash as well as Northland in the Hawke Cup. He was named as New Zealand's captain for the first T20I against West Indies in place of Kane Williamson, who was rested for that game. The Blackcaps won that match by 47 runs. Southee was a member of the New Zealand team that won the 2019–2021 ICC World Test Championship. Southee currently has the highest (international) test batting strike rate among the batsmen with a minimum of 2000 test runs. His (batting) career strike rate is 83.12. He was also a part of the New Zealand squads to finish as runners-up in two Cricket World Cup finals in 2015 and 2019.
The New Zealand national cricket team toured South Africa from October 1953 to February 1954 and played a five match Test series against the South Africa national cricket team. South Africa won the Test series 4–0. The tour was the first by a representative New Zealand side to South Africa and the tourists embarked on their visit without having won a Test match since they had been granted full member status of the Imperial Cricket Conference in 1930.
William Edgar Richard Somerville is a New Zealand former professional cricketer who made his international debut for New Zealand in December 2018. He played domestically for Otago and Auckland and in Australia for New South Wales and Sydney Sixers. He retired from professional cricket in April 2023.
Thomas William Maxwell Latham is a New Zealand international cricketer who is the vice captain of New Zealand cricket team in Test matches and One Day Internationals. He is the son of former cricketer Rod Latham. He has the most Test centuries for New Zealand opening batsmen. Latham was a member of the New Zealand team that won the 2019–2021 ICC World Test Championship. He was also a part of the New Zealand squads to finish as runners-up in two Cricket World Cup finals in 2015 and 2019.
Ashton Charles Agar is an Australian cricketer who plays all forms of the game at international level. Agar plays domestically for Western Australia and the Perth Scorchers. A left-handed spin bowler, he played two Test matches for the Australian national side during the 2013 Ashes series and 5 Test matches in his career. Agar was also a member of the Australian team that won the 2021 T20 World Cup in Dubai and Oman.
Inderbir Singh "Ish" Sodhi is a New Zealand cricketer born in Punjab, India who represents the New Zealand national cricket team in all formats, and Canterbury in domestic cricket. He bowls right-arm leg spin, and bats right-handed. He reached the no.1 ranking for T20I bowlers in January 2018, jumping from no.10 at the end of the previous year. He was a part of the New Zealand squad to finish as runners-up at the 2019 Cricket World Cup.
Devon Philip Conway is a New Zealand cricketer who plays for the New Zealand cricket team in all formats. In March 2020, the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed that Conway, who was born in South Africa, would be eligible to play for New Zealand from 28 August 2020. In May 2020, New Zealand Cricket awarded him a central contract, ahead of the 2020–21 season.
Lachlan Hammond "Lockie" Ferguson is a New Zealand cricketer who represents the New Zealand national team and plays first-class cricket for Auckland. He is able to bowl at speeds in excess of 90 mph, his fastest being 157.3 km/h (97.7 mph). Known for his searing pace and lethal bouncers, he is one of the world's fastest bowlers to have ever played the game. He was a part of the New Zealand squad to finish as runners-up at the 2019 Cricket World Cup.
Henry Michael Nicholls is a New Zealand cricketer who represents the New Zealand national team and plays for Canterbury in domestic first-class cricket. He has two older brothers, one of whom, Willy Nicholls, is a media correspondent for the Black Caps and White Ferns. He has also been the captain of the reserve A side since 2017. Nicholls was a member of the New Zealand team that won the 2019–2021 ICC World Test Championship. He was a part of the New Zealand squad to finish as runners-up at the 2019 Cricket World Cup.
Blair Marshall Tickner is a New Zealand cricketer who plays for Central Districts. He made his international debut for the New Zealand cricket team in February 2019.
Glenn Dominic Phillips is a New Zealand cricketer, born in South Africa, who represents the New Zealand national cricket team and plays for Otago domestically. He made his international debut for New Zealand in February 2017. In December 2015, he was named in New Zealand's squad for the 2016 Under-19 Cricket World Cup. In December 2017, his younger brother, Dale was named in New Zealand's squad for the 2018 Under-19 Cricket World Cup.
The South Africa cricket team toured New Zealand in February 2024 to play two Test matches. The Test matches formed part of 2023–2025 ICC World Test Championship.
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