This article describes the history of New Zealand cricket from the 1890–91 season until 1918. Administration The New Zealand Cricket Council was formed at a meeting of provincial delegates from around New Zealand at the City Hotel in Christchurch on 27 December 1894. Its main purposes were to co-ordinate domestic cricket and to organize tours of New Zealand teams abroad and of foreign teams to New Zealand. Domestic cricket There was no formal championship competition in New Zealand until the Plunket Shield was inaugurated in 1906. Until then, regular first-class matches were played by Canterbury, Otago, Auckland, Wellington, Hawke's Bay, Nelson (until 1891) and Taranaki (until 1898). The 1906–07 season featured the inaugural Plunket Shield, which is still New Zealand's domestic first-class competition. The Plunket Shield was presented by the then governor-general, Lord Plunket, and was played on a challenge basis until 1920–21, since when it has been a league. In its early years it was always won by either Canterbury or Auckland. Plunket Shield winners 1906–07 – Canterbury 1907–08 – Auckland 1908–09 – Auckland 1909–10 – Auckland 1910–11 – Auckland, Canterbury 1911–12 – Canterbury, Auckland 1912–13 – Auckland, Canterbury 1913–14 – Canterbury 1914–15 – Canterbury 1915–18 – no competition due to World War I International tours of New Zealand New South Wales 1893–94 New South Wales toured New Zealand in January and February 1894, playing seven first-class matches. The match in Christchurch against New Zealand was the New Zealand national team's first first-class match; New South Wales won. See: New South Wales cricket team in New Zealand in 1893-94 Fiji 1894–95 Fiji toured New Zealand in January and February 1895, playing matches against eight provincial sides. Six of these matches are now regarded as first-class. New South Wales 1895–96 New South Wales toured New Zealand in December 1895 and January 1896, playing five first-class matches. They again played New Zealand in Christchurch; this time New Zealand won. Australia 1896–97 Australia toured New Zealand in November 1896, playing five matches. All their matches were against teams of more than 11 players, so they are not regarded as first-class. Australia won the match against a New Zealand XV. See: Australian cricket team in New Zealand in 1896–97 Queensland 1896–97 Queensland toured New Zealand in December 1896 and January 1897, playing five first-class matches, including one against New Zealand, which New Zealand won. Lord Hawke's XI 1902–03 An English team managed by