New Zealand cricket team in England in 1927

The three were invited to organise themselves into cricket boards that could, in future, select representative teams to take part in Test matches, which had hitherto been restricted to sides from England, Australia and South Africa.

A non-Test playing visit from a side from New Zealand had already been arranged for the 1927 season, paid for by a private finance deal involving the sale of £1 shares,[1] and it was agreed that this tour should go ahead without Test matches before a decision was taken on whether New Zealand was ready for Test cricket.

In the event, the 1927 side did well enough to get an official (though scarcely full-strength) MCC tour agreed for 1929–30, in which the first New Zealand Tests were played.

The team was captained by Tom Lowry, who had played first-class cricket in England for Somerset and Cambridge University.

The 14 players who made up the regular side were: The three who played just one game each were: James was originally selected as second wicketkeeper, but made such a strong impression that he played in almost every match; only in some minor matches did Lowry deputise for James as wicketkeeper.

New Zealand then made a rapid 371, with Dempster making 101 and McGirr 66, and Merritt reduced Surrey to 207 for 8, taking five wickets.

[4] Other first-class matches included the usual touring side games with the universities and end-of-season festival cricket.

Wisden Cricketers' Almanack for 1928, reporting on the tour, singled out the batting for special praise.

"With scarcely an exception they played an enterprising game and in most instances made their runs in a style which told of intelligent coaching," it said.

On 8 October, they played a one-day single-innings match against the Ceylon national team, which at that time did not have Test status.