A dismal start to trans-Tasman tests
NEW ZEALAND was completely bowled over in less than two days at Wellington’s Basin Reserve in their first five-day cricket international against Australia in March 1946.
Until then, matches against Australia had largely been limited to games against state sides and the occasional Australian B side.
Although the 1946 international was not officially a test, it was billed by The Dominion as ‘‘the greatest sporting event of the year’’.
More than 20,000 turned up to the Basin, bursting with excitement, eager to watch New Zealand take on the Australians.
It was the first five-day international cricket game played anywhere in the world after World War II.
The New Zealand team looked good, with Walter Hadlee (captain), mediumpace bowler Jack Cowie, and heavy hitter Merv Wallace.
But Australia, captained by Bill Brown, was bursting with even more talent. Their team included Sid Barnes, Keith Miller, Lindsay Hassett, Don Tallon, Ray Lindwall, Bill O’Reilly, and Ernie Toshack.
Unfortunately, heavy rain in the leadup to the match had left the pitch in a poor state.
In fact, it was deemed too poor to play on, requiring a second wicket to be prepared so the match could proceed.
Hadlee won the toss and selected to bat first, on the basis that the pitch would deteriorate.
Australia dispatched New Zealand for 42 runs in just 39 overs.
The second innings was hardly any better, with New Zealand scoring 52 off 32 overs.
‘‘It was the shortest known test match, lasting 11⁄2-days. It was the first occasion on which a New Zealand side had been dismissed for under 100 runs in two innings,’’ The Dominion reported on April 1.
Australia suffered on the sticky wicket too, losing five batsmen in 80 minutes for a paltry 53 runs. But they pulled together, and took just 41⁄4 hours to score 199 for eight wickets, beating New Zealand by an innings and 103 runs.
‘‘NZ cricket has worst defeat in history of game,’’ screamed The Dominion headline.
New Zealand just didn’t have the ability to cope with ‘‘the special set of circumstances’’ of poor weather, a poor pitch, and ‘‘formidable’’ opposition, the newspaper went on to say.
‘‘Australia won a victory so overwhelming that it almost had a hollow ring. This was an unforeseeable quantity in the form of a highly concentrated Australian attack.
‘‘Viewed in retrospect, it is significant that the Australians looked almost formidable.’’
The only redeeming feature, according to the paper’s report, was John Cowie’s ‘‘magnificent bowling’’.
In a ‘‘world-class display of bowling’’ Cowie took 6 for 64.
The Evening Post dished out even harsher criticism of the New Zealand team.
‘‘Over-riding almost every other consideration, however, was the patent inability of the New Zealand batsman to display anything like assurance.
‘‘Maybe we should never have had the temerity to tackle the price of Australia. Maybe we should accept only state and club teams from across the Tasman.’’
The apparent imbalance in the strength of the two sides dissuaded the Australians from test cricket against New Zealand for the next 25 years.
The Australians sent over ‘‘B’’ teams until 1973, when they finally deigned to play an official test against New Zealand. GET THE BOOK The Dominion Post – 150 Years of News is available via dompost.co.nz or 0800 50 50 90. Priced at $34.95 + $3 postage and handling or $29.95 + $3 p&h for subscribers.