Cricket fans in New Zealand may still be reeling from the recent test loss to Australia in Christchurch. However, it’s worth remembering that exactly 50 years ago, in the same city, New Zealand celebrated a historic victory against their rivals. This was the first time New Zealand had beaten Australia in a test match.
The game took place at Lancaster Park on a sunny day. New Zealand’s wicket keeper, Ken Wadsworth, hit a four to secure the win, causing wild celebrations. At the other end of the pitch, New Zealand’s opener, Glenn Turner, was not out with his second century of the test. His scores of 101 and 110 not out were the highest aggregate in the match.
Turner, now 76, looks back on the event with modesty, saying he’s not one for celebration. He likened the victory to ‘just another day at the office.’ However, the win was significant for the thousands of fans who watched New Zealand successfully chase down 228 runs to win in the final innings on March 13, 1974.
Turner played for more than 11 hours and faced over 600 balls in a match that was low-scoring due to a pitch that favored bowlers. Despite this, he managed to see it through by five wickets, making the end quite comfortable.
Test wins against Australia are rare for New Zealand, with only one win in the past 31 years. In 1974, even playing tests against Australia was a big deal. Until that summer, the two countries had only played once before, in 1945/6, which ended in a heavy defeat for New Zealand.
John Parker, who opened the batting with Turner in the Christchurch win, recalls how Australia didn’t think New Zealand was important enough to play tests against. This lack of respect was a motivating factor for the New Zealand team.
The victory was also a personal triumph for Turner, who faced verbal abuse from Australian captain Ian Chappell on the final day. Despite this, Turner remained cool and led New Zealand to victory.
The win marked a new era for New Zealand cricket, led by a young Richard Hadlee who took seven wickets. This victory was a bright spot in Christchurch’s history, which was still celebrating hosting the Commonwealth Games.
Despite the celebrations, the players had little time to rest. They all flew out of Christchurch that night to return to work the next day.
Since the 1993 win at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand has only won one test against Australia – in Hobart in 2011.
