This article describes the history of New Zealand cricket from the 1945–46 season until 1970. Domestic cricket Domestic first-class cricket in New Zealand during this period centred on the Plunket Shield, which was the State Championship from 1906 to 1975. Plunket Shield winners 1945–46 – Canterbury 1946–47 – Auckland 1947–48 – Otago 1948–49 – Canterbury 1949–50 – Wellington 1950–51 – Otago 1951–52 – Canterbury 1952–53 – Otago 1953–54 – Central Districts 1954–55 – Wellington 1955–56 – Canterbury 1956–57 – Wellington 1957–58 – Otago 1958–59 – Auckland 1959–60 – Canterbury 1960–61 – Wellington 1961–62 – Wellington 1962–63 – Northern Districts 1963–64 – Auckland 1964–65 – Canterbury 1965–66 – Wellington 1966–67 – Central Districts 1967–68 – Central Districts 1968–69 – Auckland 1969–70 – Otago International tours of New Zealand Australia 1945–46 1st Test at Basin Reserve, Wellington – Australia won by an innings and 103 runs England 1946–47 1st Test at Lancaster Park, Christchurch – match drawn Australia 1949–50 Between mid-February and early April, while the Australian Test team was touring South Africa, an Australian team captained by Bill Brown played 14 matches, five of which were first-class. They beat Canterbury, Otago and Wellington, and drew against Auckland and New Zealand (not a Test match). England 1950–51 1st Test at Lancaster Park, Christchurch – match drawn 2nd Test at Basin Reserve, Wellington – England won by 6 wickets West Indies 1951–52 1st Test at Lancaster Park, Christchurch – West Indies won by 5 wickets 2nd Test at Eden Park, Auckland – match drawn South Africa 1952–53 1st Test at Basin Reserve, Wellington – South Africa won by an innings and 180 runs 2nd Test at Eden Park, Auckland – match drawn England 1954–55 1st Test at Carisbrook, Dunedin – England won by 8 wickets 2nd Test at Eden Park, Auckland – England won by an innings and 20 runs West Indies 1955–56 1st Test at Carisbrook, Dunedin – West Indies won by an innings and 71 runs 2nd Test at Lancaster Park, Christchurch – West Indies won by an innings and 64 runs 3rd Test at Basin Reserve, Wellington – West Indies won by 9 wickets 4th Test at Eden Park, Auckland – New Zealand won by 190 runs Australia 1956–57 Between mid-February and early April an Australian team captained by Ian Craig played 12 matches, seven of them first-class. The Australians won one and drew two of the three matches against