The England cricket team vs New Zealand national cricket team timeline begins in 1930, when both teams met for the first time in New Zealand to establish their supremacy in the sport. From bone-chilling finishes to iconic moments, ENG vs NZ cricket matches are full of intense rivalry and competition. Although England always has an edge over New Zealand, particularly in Tests, the Kiwis have sometimes outperformed the Three Lions, demonstrating their cricketing skills. The two nations have played crucial matches, etched with celebrated occasions.
Their fixtures have produced spellbinding actions, with historical encounters shaping their rivalry and making the two sides giants of cricket. In this guide, we will review the England Cricket Team vs. New Zealand National Cricket Team timeline from the beginning of their contests to their recent encounters, which have taken their fans on a roller coaster of emotions.
Early Encounters: 1930s to 1950s
- 1929-1930 New Zealand v England: The two teams first encountered in Christchurch for their first match of a 4-match Test series. England won the first game by 8 wickets, while the remaining three matches of the series ended in a draw.
- 1937 England v New Zealand: The 3-match Test series was won by England 1-0. While England won the second Test by 130 runs, the first and third were drawn. Joseph Hardstaff, Wally Hammond, Leonard Hutton, Edward Paynter, Charles Barnett, Robert Robins, and Thomas Goddard were significant players in England’s win. Walter Hadlee, Albert Roberts, Denis Moloney, Henry Vivian, and John Cowie were important contributors from the New Zealand side.
- 1954-1955 New Zealand v England: The Kiwis and the Three Lions played a two-match Test series on New Zealand soil. Winning both matches, England demonstrated its dominance over the Kiwis on the hosts’ ground. England won the first game by 8 wickets and the second game by an innings and 20 runs. For New Zealand’s total of 125 & 132, English batters produced 209/8 dec & 49/2 in game 1. English bowlers highlighted their explosive bowling by dismissing the Kiwis at 200 & 26 in game 2.
- 1958 England v New Zealand: England won the 5-match Test series 4-0. While English cricketers showed prowess by winning the first 4 matches, the last game was drawn.
Middle Clashes: 1960s to 1980s
- 1962-1963 New Zealand v England: The Three Lions and the Black Caps met for a three-match Test series, again clinched by England. For New Zealand’s 258 & 89, England produced a total of 562, winning the first game by an innings and 215 runs. Colin Cowdrey’s unbeaten 128 saved England from playing another innings and giving them a victory by an innings and 47 runs. They won the third game by 7 wickets.
- 1969 England v New Zealand: The first match of this series was played at Lord’s and went in favor of England. Opting to bat first, the Englishmen scored 190 in the first innings, to which the Kiwis retaliated with 169 runs. In the second innings, England scored 340, led by John Edrich (115), and restricted New Zealand to 131, winning the match by 230 runs.
- 1973 England v New Zealand: New Zealand and England played their first ODI match in Swansea on 18th July, 1973. Decided to bat first, the Kiwis scored 158, while England completed the run chase of 159 in 45.3 overs, with 3 wickets down, led by Dennis Amiss, who scored a century.
- 1975 Prudential World Cup: The 5th match of the 1975 World Cup was played between New Zealand and England in Nottingham. England, led by Keith Fletcher (131), gathered 266 in the first innings. New Zealand batters were bowled out for 186, losing the game. England went on to play the 1st semi-final against Australia.
- 1977-1978 New Zealand v England: The first match of the series was iconic in the England-New Zealand rivalry as New Zealand won its first match against England, and that too on its home soil by 72 runs. Invited to bat first, New Zealand scored 228 in the first innings, to which England replied with 215. In the second innings, New Zealand gathered 123, while they bowled out the English players for 64.
- 1979 Prudential World Cup: England faced New Zealand in the 1st Semi-Final of the 1979 World Cup, where they won the match by 9 runs, anchored by Graham Gooch (71). Despite John Wright’s knock of 69 runs, New Zealand were dismissed at 212.
- 1983 England v New Zealand: The Black Caps won the 2nd Test of the series in Leeds on 28th July, 1983. Welcomed to bat first, England accumulated 225 in the first innings. New Zealand retaliated with 377 runs. England scored 252 in the second innings, while the Kiwis registered 103 runs.
- 1982-1983 Benson & Hedges World Series Cup: England and New Zealand, along with the host Australia, participated in the Tri-Series. New Zealand demonstrated its cricketing skills as it defeated England in several matches of the series. NZ prevailed by 2 runs in the third match, 4 wickets in the eleventh, and 7 wickets in the fourteenth. England prevailed by 54 runs and 8 wickets in the fourth and seventh games, respectively.
- 1987-1988 New Zealand v England: New Zealand and England played a 4-match ODI series that concluded in New Zealand winning the series 2-2. Englishmen clinched victory in the first two games, while New Zealand leveled the series in the next two games. Chris Broad’s 106 and John Wright’s 101 in the third game are iconic in the NZ-ENG rivalry.
1990s to 2000s: The Era of Tough Challenges
- 1991-1992 New Zealand v England: The two teams met in New Zealand for a 3-match Test series. England claim the series 2-0. In the first game, Alec Stewart played an impressive innings of 148 to contribute significantly to England’s 580. Phil Tufnell took 4 and 7 wickets in New Zealand’s first and second innings, respectively, thus slowing down the Kiwis’ run chase, leading to England’s victory by an innings and 4 runs. England won the second match by 168 runs, while the third match finished in a draw.
- 1996 Wills World Cup: The Black Caps and the Three Lions played the inaugural match of the 1996 World Cup. New Zealand won the game by 11 runs. The Black Caps, led by Nathan Astle (101), were invited to bat first. They set a target of 240 for the English cricketers. England, however, could amass only 228 in the 50 overs.
- 1999 England v New Zealand: The 4-match Test series concluded with New Zealand winning the series 2-1. England won the first match by 7 wickets, thanks to the innings of 99 played by Alex Tudor. Matthew Horne’s century in New Zealand’s first innings led to their side’s victory by 9 wickets. The third match was a draw, while the fourth was won by the Kiwis by 83 runs.
- 2004 Natwest Series: New Zealand encountered England in the 4th and 7th matches of the tournament. The Black Caps won both games against the Three Lions. New Zealand won the 4th match by 7 wickets and the 7th match by 6 wickets. The Kiwis went on to win the title in the 2004 tournament.
- 2006-2007 Commonwealth Bank Series: The Three Lions and the Kiwis faced each other 4 times in the 2006-2007 Commonwealth Bank Series. In the battles fought, both teams claimed victory twice. While England won the 3rd and 12th matches of the series against New Zealand, the Kiwis ruled in the 6th and 9th matches. England went on to win the title that year.
- 2007-2008 ICC World Twenty20: New Zealand played the first T20 match against England and won the game, making it an iconic moment in their rivalry. Welcomed to bat first, New Zealand gathered 164, and they restricted England to 159. Craig McMillan won the player of the match title for his impressive batting performance of 57 off 31 balls.
- 2007-2008 New Zealand v England: England and New Zealand played a two-match T20I series in New Zealand. England dominated New Zealand on their home ground, achieving a clean sweep. They claimed the first game by 32 runs, and the second by 50 runs, thanks to Paul Collingwood’s half-century.
- 2007-2008 New Zealand v England: The two teams played a 5-match ODI series in New Zealand, where New Zealand won the series 3-1. England won the 3rd game, and the 4th game was a tie; the remaining matches were won by the Kiwis. Jesse Ryder and Brendon McCullum stand in a partnership for 165 to clinch a 10-wicket victory against England in the 2nd match. Although the 4th game was a tie, Jamie How’ innings of 139 off 116 balls was pivotal in his side’s run chase of 340.
2010s to Recent Encounters
- 2012-2013 New Zealand v England: In the 3rd game of the 3-match T20I series, England won by 10 wickets. While the Kiwis were bundled out at 139, Michael Lumb and Alex Hales stood in a partnership for 143 to claim victory for their side.
- 2013 England v New Zealand: This 3-match ODI series concluded with New Zealand winning the series 2-1. New Zealand, displaying their supremacy in the sport, defeated the Englishmen in the first two matches.. Martin Guptill’s unbeatable 103 in game 1 at Lord’s is unforgettable in the NZ vs Eng rivalry. In the second ODI match too, Martin Guptill completed a stunning knock of 189 off 155 balls to contribute significantly to the Black Caps’ total of 359.
- 2017-2018 New Zealand v England: The Three Lions and the Black Caps played a two-game Test series in 2018 in New Zealand. New Zealand, displaying their supremacy in the sport, defeated the Englishmen in the 1st match by an innings and 49 runs, while the 2nd match concluded in a draw.
- 2019 ICC World Cup: The 2019 World Cup Final, played between New Zealand and England, concluded in favor of England. After the scores were tied at 241, a super over was played, which also got tied at 15 runs, and the super over was also ended tied; in the end England were declared winner on boundary count. This match is iconic not only in the NZ-Eng rivalry but also in world cricket, and is considered one of the most thrilling and nail-biting cricket matches ever.
- 2021 ICC T20 World Cup: England and New Zealand played the 1st Semi-Final of the 2021 T20 World Cup in Abu Dhabi. New Zealand won the game by 5 wickets, thanks to Daryl Mitchell, who scored an unbeatable 72. New Zealand progressed to play the finals against Australia.
- 2022-2023 New Zealand v England: The second Test of the series was iconic as the Black Caps won the game by 1 run. Kane Williamson was named player of the match for his batting performance (132) that helped significantly to win the match.
- 2024-2025 New Zealand v England: The most recent battle between England and New Zealand took place in 2024 in New Zealand. The 3-match Test series concluded with England defeating the Kiwis in the first two games, while the third game was won by New Zealand. Brydon Carse and Harry Brook were named player of the match in the first and second matches, respectively.
Both teams produced unforgettable moments, displayed resilience, and competed with mutual respect and sportsmanship hand-in-hand. Their evolution has given birth to revered players who have become icons for many. Fans and cricket analysts are anticipating their upcoming matches to be filled with thrilling moments and nail-biting finishes. The ENG vs NZ rivalry is hence a story of tough competition, close chases, and significant twists and turns.
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