World Series Cricket tour of New Zealand

Australia against World XI in New Zealand
Australia against World XI in New Zealand
	Australia
Dates	4 November 1978 – 19 November 1978
Captains	Ian Chappell
Test series
Result	Australia won the 1-match series 1–0
Most runs	Greg Chappell (163)
Most wickets	Dennis Lillee (12)
One Day International series
Results	World XI won the 9-match series 5–3
Most runs	Ian Chappell (164)
Most wickets	Max Walker (17)

Last updated November 29, 2025

In 1978, prior to the start of the second season of World Series Cricket, the Australian and World XI teams embarked on a brief tour of New Zealand, the first time that WSC teams had played outside Australia. A four-day game played in Auckland was to be followed by a three-day single innings game and a total of six one day games between the two sides over a 16-day period. The abandonment of the third one-day game led to the scheduling of an additional game at the same venue later in the tour. The planned three-day game became a pair of one-day games after the first day was washed out, which led to a final total of nine one-day games on the schedule.

Itinerary

Date	Fixture	Venue
4 Nov 1978	4-day game	Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
8 Nov 1978	1st ODI	Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
9 Nov 1978	2nd ODI	Tauranga Domain Outer Ground, Tauranga
10 Nov 1978	3rd ODI	Pukekura Park, New Plymouth
12 Nov 1978	3-day game	Cooks Gardens, Wanganui
16 Nov 1978	4th ODI	Te Whiti Park, Lower Hutt
18 Nov 1978	5th ODI	Nelson Cricket Ground, Hastings
19 Nov 1978	6th ODI	Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland

Four Day Game

4–6 November 1978 (4 Day Match)
scorecard

Australia	v	World XI
184 (56.1 overs) Greg Chappell 74 Bernard Julien 3/19 (10.1)		128 (36 overs) Dennis Amiss 43 Dennis Lillee 7/59 (18)
196 (58.4 overs) Greg Chappell 89 Richard Hadlee 5/26 (15)		87 (27.2 overs) Richard Hadlee 21 Dennis Lillee 5/30 (14)

Australia won by 167 runs
Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland

World XI won the toss and chose to field

Three Day Game

12–14 November 1978
Scorecard

Australia	v	World XI

No Result
Cooks Gardens, Wanganui

First day lost to rain; remaining two days rescheduled as ODIs

ODI Series

1st ODI

8 November 1978
Scorecard

Australia 136 (49.1 overs)	v	World XI 106 (30.2 overs)
Rick McCosker 39 Albert Padmore 4/28 (10)		Dennis Amiss 63* Max Walker 5/26 (9.2)

Australia won by 30 runs
Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland

50 over match

2nd ODI

9 November 1978
Scorecard

World XI 178 (46.3 overs)	v	Australia 94 (37.3 overs)
Lawrence Rowe 52 Dennis Lillee 3/15 (8.3)		Ian Davis 30 Derek Underwood 3/12 (8.3)

World XI won by 84 runs
Tauranga Domain Outer Ground, Tauranga

50 over match

3rd ODI

10 November 1978
Scorecard

World XI	v	Australia

Match abandoned without a ball being bowled
Pukekura Park, New Plymouth

Rescheduled for New Plymouth on 15 November
50 over match

4th ODI

13 November 1978
Scorecard

World XI 149/7 (30 overs)	v	Australia 124 (28.1 overs)
Barry Richards 51 Ray Bright 2/34 (6)		Rod Marsh 45 Richard Hadlee 3/8 (5.1)

World XI won by 25 runs
Cooks Gardens, Wanganui

The rain of the previous day meant a new wicket was required; the delayed start led to the game being reduced to 30 overs each
50 over match

5th ODI

14 November 1978
Scorecard

Australia 178 (49.5 overs)	v	World XI 75 (31.2 overs)
Ian Chappell 66 Collis King 5/47 (9.5)		Clive Rice 36* Mick Malone 4/9 (10)

Australia won by 103 runs
Cooks Gardens, Wanganui

50 over match

6th ODI

15 November 1978
Scorecard

World XI 156 (42.5 overs)	v	Australia 68 (37.2 overs)
Dennis Amiss 71 Doug Walters 4/17 (4.5)		Ian Davis 20 Mike Proctor 4/6 (9)

World XI won by 88 runs
Pukekura Park, New Plymouth

50 over match

7th ODI

16 November 1978
Scorecard

Australia 171/8 (40 overs)	v	World XI 164 (37.2 overs)
Ian Chappell 49 Collis King 3/27 (6)		Lawrence Rowe 36 Max Walker 4/36 (8)

Australia won by 7 runs
Te Whiti Park, Lower Hutt

Match reduced to 40 overs per side prior to start
50 over match

8th ODI

18 November 1978
Scorecard

World XI 147/3 (37 overs)	v	Australia 107 (31 overs)
Barry Richards 64 Mick Malone 2/23 (10)		Rick McCosker 31 Collis King 5/36 (10)

World XI won by 40 runs
Nelson Cricket Ground, Hastings

Match reduced to 37 overs per side prior to start
50 over match

9th ODI

19 November 1978
Scorecard

Australia 118 (40.4 overs)	v	World XI 122/9 (39.3 overs)
Doug Walters 29 Rod Marsh 29 Richard Hadlee 4/25 (10)		Clive Rice 46 Max Walker 3/19 (9.3)

World XI won by 1 wicket
Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland

50 over match

References

External links

World Series Cricket in New Zealand 1978 – ESPNCricinfo

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Australia against World XI in New Zealand

	Australia	World XI
Dates	4 November 1978 – 19 November 1978
Captains	Ian Chappell	Tony Greig
Test series
Result	Australia won the 1-match series 1–0
Most runs	Greg Chappell (163)	Dennis Amiss (48)
Most wickets	Dennis Lillee (12)	Richard Hadlee (7)
One Day International series
Results	World XI won the 9-match series 5–3
Most runs	Ian Chappell (164)	Dennis Amiss (181)
Most wickets	Max Walker (17)	Richard Hadlee (18)