The Waiting

I cannot begin to tell you how excited I am for Test cricket to be back. Only five more days until Australia versus South Africa.

Five measly more days.

Totally doable considering it has been almost two months since the last Test (India versus New Zealand in Bangalore).

The longest wait between Test matches was of course during World War Two.

I have written about the last match before the war previously, but I have never explored the first match to take place after the fighting was over: New Zealand versus Australia at Wellington on 29 and 30 March, 1946.

It was Australia’s first Test match in New Zealand, and the visitors won the one-off match by an innings and 103 runs.

The hosts won the toss and chose to bat, only to collapse for only 42 all out. The highest score for the Kiwis was a measly 14 for Verdun Scott. Australia went on to amass only 199 before declaring (I think) and forcing the follow on – and promptly bowling out their hosts for only 52.

The match was a disaster for New Zealand, and there is really not a whole lot more to say about it.

The match did feature Walter Hadlee for the Kiwis, who would go on to be one of the most powerful men ever when it comes to cricket in New Zealand until a poorly thought out recomendation in 1980 that South Africa be granted Test status put a black mark on his legacy.

Mr. Hadlee was also, of course, the father of Sir Richard Hadlee, the greatest New Zealand cricketer of all time.

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