A day to remember

When the Australian cricket team toured New Zealand in 1928 Donald Bradman made the squad as a non-travelling reserve. Had any batsman suffered an injury it is possible he would have played in Hamilton, given the two-day game against Waikato on March 7 and 8 was deemed a lesser fixture, suitable for emerging players.

The then Waikato Cricket Association was defensive as to their side’s chances, electing to select six players from Auckland and Wellington and only five from local clubs.

The resulting team was described as the ‘North Island’, despite the fact that it had not been chosen by the New Zealand selectors and likely omitted several other cricketers from outside the Waikato region that would have made a true representative side.

Hamilton Mayor John R. Fow took out advertisements in the Waikato Times, urging those employers with staff interested in cricket to allow them to take the match days off. Special trains were run from Mercer, Taumarunui, Thames, Rotorua and all intermediary lines. At a time when the population of Hamilton was no more than 15,000, to draw a crowd of 2000 to Seddon Park was a considerable achievement.

The Australians were unbeaten on tour, having triumphed against Wellington, Otago and Canterbury and drawn in North Otago and Southland.

With heavy rain two days out and light showers on the game’s eve, play was delayed on the first day until just after 2pm. Australia won the toss and elected to bowl.

Whatever the challenges of the Seddon Park pitch, open to the elements as was the custom of the era, the home side did surprisingly well, being dismissed for 190 early on the second morning. Australia were then in trouble on a wicket described as ‘‘treacherous’’, managing a mere 144 in reply, their first time in deficit on tour.

Unfortunately, the North Island also dropped eight catches, limiting the advantage. In their second innings the composite side scored a brisk 117, setting the visitors 163 for victory.

When stumps were drawn, Australia had lost two wickets for five runs. The Waikato Times declared that ‘‘morally, they were defeated’’.

The Australian cricket team were unbeaten on their New Zealand tour in 1928. That was until they hit Hamilton. On a challenging Seddon Park pitch 2000 cricket fans turned out to watch the North Island team beat their Tasman visitors.