ABSTRACT
From the arrival of George Parr's All England XI in February 1864 to the departure of Arthur Sim's Australian XI in March 1914, New Zealand retained a fascination with touring cricket teams that generally transcended any notion of victory or even of competitive play. During these five decades provincial and national teams secured only 12 victories from 175 matches against touring teams. Of these, three were against Tasmania, two against Fiji and two against the weak MCC team of 1906–07. Almost two—thirds of the fixtures pitted touring teams against local XVs, XVIIIs or XXIIs. No English team played on even terms until 1902–03, and New Zealand did not meet Australia on even terms until 1905. What, then, was so peculiarly important and attractive about these tours? Touring Teams in New Zealand, 1864– 1914 https://www.niso.org/standards/z39-96/ns/oasis-exchange/table"> First—class All matches P W L D P W L D 1863–64 G.Parr's England XI − − − − 4 3 − 1 1876–77 J.Lillywhite's England XI − − − − 8 6 − 2 1877–78 Australia − − − − 7 6 1 1 1880–81 Australia − − − − 10 6 1 1 1881–82 A.Shaw's England XI − − − − 7 5 − 2 1883–84 Tasmania 4 − 3 1 7 2 3 2 1886–87 Australia − − − − 5 2 − 3 1887–88 C.A.Smith's England XI − − − − 3 − − 3 1888–89 English Football Team − − − − 1 − − 1 1889–90 New South Wales 5 4 − 1 7 6 − 1 1893–94 New South Wales 7 4 1 2 8 4 1 3 1894–95 Fiji 6 2 2 2 8 4 2 2 1895–96 New South Wales 5 3 1 1 5 3 1 1 1896–97 Australia − − − − 5 3 − 2 1896–97 Queensland 5 3 1 1 8 4 1 3 1899–00 Melbourne CC − − − − 7 6 − 1 1902–03 Lord Hawke's England XI 7 7 − − 18 18 − − 1904–05 Australia 4 3 − 1 6 4 − 2 1905–06 Melbourne CC − − − − 10 8 − 2 1906–07 MCC 11 6 2 3 16 10 2 4 1909–10 Australia 6 5 − 1 9 7 − 2 1913–14 Sim's Australian XI 8 6 − 2 16 8 − 8
