TheNew Zealand cricket team toured Australia from early December 1925 to mid-January 1926, playing fourfirst-class matches against state teams and five other matches.[1]
The selectors were hampered by the unavailability of many players. Four leading players (David Collins,Herb McGirr,James Shepherd andNessie Snedden) had announced that they were unavailable, four (Stewie Dempster,George Dickinson,Syd Hiddleston andRichard Rowntree) withdrew from the subsequently selected team, and two (John Banks andMatt Henderson) of their replacements also withdrew.[1][2] Fourteen players toured:
The team was managed by Frank Peake, the secretary of theNew Zealand Cricket Council.
The New Zealanders lost their first first-class match, againstQueensland, by an innings, 227 and 94 to 413 for seven declared.[3]
After easy victories over teams fromGoulburn andWagga Wagga, they drew their game againstVictoria. They scored 314 (Allcott scoring 107) and 231 for six, against Victoria’s 592 for seven.[4]
They thrashed a team fromBallarat before playingSouth Australia. South Australia scored 351 and 293 for five declared, and the New Zealanders made 339 (Lowry made 123, reaching his century in 81 minutes) and 192 for seven.[5]
In the next match,New South Wales made 531 and 205 for 3, the New Zealanders 455 (Patrick made 143 and Allcott 116, putting on 244 for the seventh wicket after the New Zealanders were 162 for six).[6] The last two country matches, inNewcastle andMaitland, were drawn.
Allcott scored the most first-class runs, with 298 at an average of 59.60. Cunningham took most wickets, 13 at 48.84; no bowler averaged less than 46.[1]
Only six of the team (Allcott, Blunt, Cunningham, Dacre, James and Lowry) touredEngland in 1927.