| Tour of England
1949 Captain :
Walter Hadlee | |
| | | | |
| Third New Zealand
Test tour ( April - October 1949) Third Test-playing tour of England by New Zealand
(previous tour 1937)
| As on their previous tours, the
New Zealanders did not win a Test match (it would not be until 1983 that they
won in England). However, they went undefeated in the
four-Test series and on the tour as a whole, apart from losing to Oxford University,
and showed that they were strong enough to resist England over three days with no
time lost to the weather. Before this, three days were allowed for all Test
matches in England except
against Australia, but New Zealand would
now be granted full five-day Test matches which became the arrangement for their
next tour in 1958. The summer of 1949 was hot and
dry for long periods and the pitches became ideal for batting, playing to the
strength of the team - the three star
batsmen, Wallace, Donnelly and Sutcliffe.
Hadlee was a shrewd tactician and he needed to develop his side into a
strong fielding unit to support the team's bowling attack which was weakened
by Hayes's lengthy absence with a groin injury. After drawing the first two Test
matches the New Zealanders were asked to add an extra day to the next two Tests
but their programme of county matches prevented this from happening. | All New Zealand
tours Previous tour England 1937 Next tour South Africa 1953-54 Next tour of
England 1958 | |
| Members of the Test
tour party (15) Opening batsmen Verdun Scott, Bert Sutcliffe Middle-order batsmen Martin Donnelly, Walter Hadlee, Merv
Wallace, John Reid, Brun Smith Wicket-keeper Frank Mooney All-rounder:Geoff
Rabone Spin bowlers Cec Burke, Tom Burtt Medium-pacer Fen Cresswell Fast bowlers Harry
Cave, Jack Cowie, John
Hayes. | C C Burke | A | 35 | LBG | | T B Burtt | C | 34 | SLA | | H B Cave | W | 26 | RFM | | J Cowie | A | 37 | RFM | | G F Cresswell | - | 34 | RM | | M P Donnelly | W | 31 | LHB (SLA) | | W A Hadlee | C | 34 | RHB captain | | J A Hayes | A | 22 | RFM | | F L H Mooney | W | 28 | WK | | G O Rabone | W | 27 | RHB opener OB | | J R Reid | W | 21 | RHB RFM second WK | | V J Scott | A | 32 | RHB opener | | F B Smith | C | 27 | RHB | | B Sutcliffe | A | 25 | LHB opener (SLA) | | W M Wallace | A | 32 | RHB vice-captain | |
|
Provincial
representation (Plunket Shield teams) A - Auckland (6) C - Canterbury (3) O - Otago (0) W - Wellington (5) Fen Cresswell had played for
Marlborough Cricket Association Average age of team at time of first Test match (11 June 1949) : 30 yrs 1
month | |
| Test Appearances
made before the tour | Cowie 5, Hadlee 5,
Wallace 5, Donnelly 3, Scott 2,
Burtt 1, Sutcliffe 1, Smith 1,
Burke 0, Cave 0, Cresswell 0, Hayes, 0,
Mooney 0, Rabone 0, Reid
0. | | |
| Tour Officials | Jack Phillips | Manager | Warwick A Watts | Baggage / Scorer | L Donne | Transport |
| | |
| Selectors | Walter Hadlee, Jack
Kerr, Merv Wallace. | | |
| Selection | There were trial matches
before the tour, culminating in New
Zealand XI v Rest of New Zealand at Christchurch on 27 January. Unavailable
: Tom Pritchard, fast bowler playing for Warwickshire, was not
considered. Tour Party Announced : 30 January 1949. Not selected:
Don Taylor (Otago), opening batsman;
Arthur Cresswell (the 1948-49 ‘Bowler of the Year’ Supporters
of Arthur Cresswell said they would guarantee his tour expenses but the NZCC
rejected this offer Five
players with a good chance of selection did not pass the medical examination
(George Mills of Otago; Colin Snedden of Auckland;
and three from Canterbury:
W M 'Mac' Anderson, Noel V Burtt and Roy
H Scott). Mooney
took the place of Mills and Rabone replaced Snedden. The
selection of Mooney in preference to George Mills, who was a stevedore,
caused a rumpus at the Dunedin Waterside Workers Union which suspected prejudice
against one of their members even when the medical reason came to light. | Time
between selection and departure from New Zealand 27 days (30
January to 26 February) | |
| Travel WellingtonT Southampton | The team sailed from Wellington on the 'Dominion Monarch' on 26
February 1949. Bert Sutcliffe, a PE
instructor, organised keep fit routines onboard the ship. The team spent six hours ashore at Durban (Soputh Africa) on 17 March before sailing on to Southampton, arriving on 2 April. They continued their journey by train to
Waterloo Station, London. Martin Donnelly was already in England. The team remained in London
until 12 April when they left for eleven days of training and practice at Eastbourne. | Time
spent in England 174 days (2
April - 23 September) | |
| On-tour selection
panel | Walter Hadlee, Merv Wallace, Martin Donnelly. | 28 123 23 | |
| Reinforcements | None. John Hayes could not
play after the Northampton
game because of a groin strain. Although the team management had said that
another player could be flown out if necessary through injury, no-one was
summoned. The manager Jack Phillips
played against Durham. | | |
| Fixtures/Results | a | † Eastbourne
| Col L C Stevens XI | Drawn | b | † Eastbourne
(21 April) | WA Hadlee's XI v WM Wallace's
XI (practice) | Drawn | c | Bradford | Yorkshire | Drawn | d | † Worcester
Park, Surrey | Maori Cricket Club XII | Won 96 r | e | Worcester | Worcestershire | Won 150 r | f | Kennington Oval | Surrey | Won 149 r | g | Leicester | Leicestershire | Drawn | h | Cambridge | Cambridge University | Won inns 50 r | i | Lord’s | M C C | Drawn | j | Oxford | Oxford University | Lost 83 r | k | Hove | Sussex | Won 5 w | l | Taunton | Somerset | Drawn | m | Cardiff | Glamorgan | Drawn | n | HEADINGLEY | ENGLAND (First Test) | DRAWN | o | Southampton | Hampshire | Won 7 w | p | Kennington Oval | Surrey | Drawn | q | † East Moseley | East Molesey(festival match played on
rest day) | Won 3 w | r | LORD’S | ENGLAND (Second Test) | DRAWN | s | Gillingham | Combined Services | Won inns 50 r | t | Bristol | Gloucestershire | Won 7 w | u | Old Trafford | Lancashire | Drawn | v | Derby | Derbyshire | Won 7 w | w | Northampton | Northamptonshire | Drawn | x | Glasgow | Scotland | Won 10 w | y | OLD TRAFFORD | ENGLAND (Third Test) | DRAWN | z | Sheffield | Yorkshire | Drawn | a’ | Swansea | Glamorgan | Drawn | b’ | Edgbaston | Warwickshire | Drawn | c’ | Trent Bridge | Nottinghamshire | Drawn | d’ | Southend | Essex | Drawn | e’ | KENNINGTON OVAL | ENGLAND (Fourth Test) | DRAWN | f’ | † Sunderland | Durham (2-day) | Drawn | g’ | Liverpool | Lancashire | Won 9 w | h’ | Canterbury | Kent | Drawn | I’ | Lord’s | Middlesex | Won 9 w | j’ | † Guildford | Club Cricket Conference | Drawn | k’ | Hastings | South of England | Won inns 3 r | l’ | Scarborough | H D G Leveson-Gower's XI | Won 6 w | m’ | † Bad Oeynhausen | Combined Services (2-day, 12-a-side) | Won 7 w |
| † not first-class Time spent in England
before First Test: 70 days (2 April - 11 June) | |
| Test appearances on
tour | 4 - Burtt, Cave,
Cowie, Donnelly, Hadlee,
Rabone, Scott, Sutcliffe, Wallace. 3 - Mooney 2 - Reid,
Smith 1 - Cresswell. 0 - Burke, Hayes. | | |
| Match
appearances T Test match o one-day international x other match ⊕ T/20 international ∙ played for opposition W won L lost D drawn N no
result A abandoned u unknown
result | | a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | i | j | k | l | m | n | o | p | q | r | s | t | u | v | w | x | y | z | a ‘ | b ‘ | c ‘ | d ‘ | e ‘ | f ‘ | g ‘ | h ‘ | I’ | j’ | k’ | l’ | m’ | C C Burke | | | | x | x | x | x | x | | | x | | x | | x | | x | | x | x | | x | x | | | x | x | | x | x | | x | x | | x | x | | x | | T B Burtt | x | | x | | x | x | | x | x | x | | x | x | T | x | x | x | T | | x | x | x | x | x | T | | x | x | x | x | T | | | x | x | x | x | x | x | H B Cave | | | x | x | | x | x | | x | x | | x | | T | | x | x | T | | | x | | x | x | T | x | | | x | x | T | | x | x | | x | | x | x | J Cowie | x | | x | x | | | x | | | | x | x | x | T | | | | T | x | | x | x | | x | T | | | x | | | T | x | x | x | x | | x | | | G Cresswell | x | | x | x | x | x | | x | x | | x | x | | | x | | | | x | x | | x | | x | | x | x | x | x | x | T | x | | | | x | x | | x | M P Donnelly | x | | x | | | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | T | x | x | x | T | x | x | x | | x | x | T | x | x | x | | x | T | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | W A Hadlee | x | | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | | x | x | T | x | x | | T | | x | x | x | x | | T | x | x | x | x | x | T | | | x | x | x | x | x | x | J A Hayes | x | | | x | x | | | x | | x | x | | | | x | x | x | | x | x | | | x | | | | | | | | | | | | | x | | | x | F L Mooney | x | | x | x | x | x | x | | x | x | x | x | x | T | | | x | T | x | x | x | x | x | | T | x | x | x | x | x | | x | x | x | x | | x | x | | G O Rabone | | | x | x | | | x | x | x | x | x | | x | T | x | x | | T | | x | x | | | x | T | x | x | x | x | | T | x | x | x | x | | x | x | x | J R Reid | x | | | x | x | | x | x | x | x | x | x | | | x | x | x | | x | x | x | x | x | x | T | x | | x | x | x | T | x | x | | x | x | x | x | x | V J Scott | x | | x | x | x | x | x | | x | x | | x | x | T | x | x | | T | x | | x | x | x | x | T | x | x | | x | x | | x | x | x | x | | x | | x | F B Smith | | | | x | x | x | | x | | x | x | x | x | T | x | x | x | T | x | | x | x | | x | | x | x | x | x | x | T | x | x | x | | x | x | x | x | B Sutcliffe | x | | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | | x | x | x | T | x | x | | T | x | x | | x | x | x | T | x | x | x | | x | T | | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | W M Wallace | x | | x | | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | | x | T | | x | x | T | x | x | x | x | x | x | T | | x | x | x | | T | x | x | x | x | x | | x | x | J Phillips | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | x | | | | | | | | R E S U L T
S | D | u | D | W | W | W | D | W | D | L | W | D | D | D | W | D | W | D | W | W | D | W | D | W | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | W | D | W | D | W | W | W | | a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | i | j | k | l | m | n | o | p | | q | r | s | t | u | v | w | x | y | z | a ‘ | b ‘ | c ‘ | d ‘ | e ‘ | f ‘ | g ‘ | h ‘ | I’ | j’ | k’ | l’ |
| |
| Highlights | • Scott and Sutcliffe made century opening
partnerships in the Tests at Headingley and at The Oval. • Brun Smith scored 96 at Headingley. • Martin Donnelly's innings of 206 was hailed
as one of the finest innings ever seen at Lord's • Tom Burtt took 6 -162 in 45 overs at Old Trafford, and Cresswell
equalled this feat with six wickets on debut at The Oval. • John Reid marked himself out for the future
with an innings of 93 in 130 minutes at The Oval. | New Zealand’s previous Test tour results: in England
1937 (3 Tests) - lost 0-1 in England
1931 (3 Tests) - lost 0-1 | |
| Tour Summary | | P | W | L | D | Aban | Test Matches | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | - | Other first-class matches | 28 | 13 | 1 | 14 | - | Minor matches | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | - | All Matches | 39 | 16 | 1 | 22 | - |
| |
| Return to New Zealand t London T Wellington ‘Rangitata’ | The New Zealanders took the evening train from Scarborough to London after their last
match, and caught the night boat from Harwich to The Hook of Holland on
x September. Next day they began their European tour,
travelling by train via Munster and Hamm to Bad Oeynhausen,
arriving late that evening. They went sightseeing to Hanover
and Celle and saw the palace of George
I. A match against Combined Services
took place on 13 and 14 September, followed by a night train journey to Berlin. Returning via the Mohne Dam, Dusseldorf
and Cologne, the tourists next visited Paris. However, because
of the devaluation of sterling, they found they were unable to pay their
hotel bill without the help of the New Zealand Legation. Their visit
coincided with a New
Zealand wreath-laying ceremony which they
attanded at the Arc de Triomphe. They
left Paris by the night boat train and got
back to England
on 19 September. Arthur Sims,
journalist Charles Bray and Flt-Lt A J Holmes had accompanied the team but
Mooney did not. Martin Donnelly, who was employed by Courtaulds, remained in England when the touring party sailed from London for home on the 'Rangitata' on 23 September. When the ship berthed at
King's Wharf, Wellington,
on 25 October, Jack Hayes was kept in isolation with influenza. The whole
tour had taken exactly eight months. | Time
away from New Zealand 241
days (26
February to 25 October) | |
| Finances | Profit £16 800 (the first New Zealand
touring team to make a profit). | | |
| Written accounts of
the tour | "Halo
for Hadlee" by George A Wycherley (Otago Times, Dunedin, 1960) "Gone
with the Cricketers"
by John Arlott (Longmans, Green
& Co, 1950) "Cricket Companions" (1950)
by Alan W Mitchell (pub T
Werner Laurie, 1950) The tour was also described in: “Merv
Wallace - A Cricket Master” by Joseph Romanos (Joel
Publishing, 2000) “The Mantis and the Cricket”
Jeremy Coney (Sky TV series
2001). | | |
| Postscript
Other Test tours in 1949
| After holding England to a draw in the four Test matches on this
tour, the New Zealanders had made a case for their itinerary in 1958 to include
Test matches scheduled for five days instead of three - but that side was no match for a very
strong England bowling attack (Trueman, Statham, Lock, Laker, Bailey and so
on). None | | |