However, the tour was most popular as 22 matches were played in the first full tour undertaken for 25 years by an England side. In many ways the tour was a forerunner to the 'A' team tours so common nowadays. The team did have a New Zealand manager, Jack Phillipps, and for the country matches the side was billeted in private homes.

In the first international at Carisbrook, New Zealand scored 313, courtesy of 78 scored by Zin Harris and 75 not out by John Sparling.

The MCC declared at 277/5 and then put the acid on New Zealand who had lower order master blaster Dick Motz to thank for reaching 169. He scored 60, including three sixes in one over from David Allen. The game ended in a draw with MCC 38 runs short, and New Zealand three wickets short, of victory.

The second match at Wellington was notable for Motz coming to the rescue again with the bat by scoring 49 of New Zealand's 148 with Harris also scoring 34.

Motz and Frank Cameron then got stuck to have the MCC all out for 111, with Motz taking five for 34 and Cameron three for 46. New Zealand's second innings was spear-headed by John Sparling's 60 in an opening stand of 89 with Graham Dowling. However, three wickets fell for five runs and it took 83 from John Reid to get New Zealand to what proved a significant advantage in reaching 228.

New Zealand's spin bowlers were right into the action with Jack Alabaster taking five for 71 and left-armer Les Butler two for eight, from 16 overs, dismissing MCC for 132, a win to New Zealand by 133 runs.

It was five weeks before the teams faced each other again, this time in Christchurch but the match was affected by bad weather and petered out to a tame draw with New Zealand having declared 26 runs ahead on the first innings and MCC were 45/1 when the game was abandoned. But not before Gary Bartlett had made his presence felt with some fearsome speed which drew British critics to complain that he was throwing the ball.

When Ted Dexter's team arrived for their three-match tour, New Zealand was still enjoying the aftermath of their 2-2 series in South Africa the previous summer and hopes were high that New Zealand might push the English.

That notion was soon quashed at Eden Park for the first Test when Ken Barrington (126), Peter Parfitt (131 not out) and Barry Knight (125) each scored centuries before England declared at 562/7.

New Zealand could only reply with 258 and in the follow on was dismissed for a paltry 89 to give England a victory by an innings and 215 runs. David Larter took four for 26 and Ray Illingworth four for 34.

In the second Test New Zealand was put in and was all out for 194 as Fred Trueman and Knight got among the wickets. Trueman took four for 46 and New Zealand's total was boosted by 64 not out from No 9 batsman Bob Blair.

England replied with 428/8 declared with Colin Cowdrey 128 not out. Fred Titmus (4-50) and Barrington (3-32) then undid New Zealand's second innings where the main contribution was made by opener Bill Playle who scored 65 in the total of 187, a win to England by an innings and 47 runs.

Hopes of a better performance in Christchurch for the final Test were rocked by Trueman who took seven for 75 and relieved Brian Statham of his world Test wicket record of 242 wickets. Reid scored 74, as New Zealand made 266 and then rolled England for 253 with a good all-round bowling effort.

Despite a fine century by Reid in the second innings New Zealand could score only 159, leaving England a target of 173 for the win, a target it achieved for the loss of three wickets.

Having had the benefits of a lengthy tour of India, Pakistan and England, New Zealand had blooded a new crop of players, although this was the first summer since 1949 that a team would take the field without either Bert Sutcliffe or John Reid, both of whom had retired. Murray Chapple was selected as captain to face Mike Smith's tourists.

Having seen Bevan Congdon score his maiden Test century, New Zealand finished their first innings five runs in front of England, and when England declared their second innings at 201/5, New Zealand were left to bat for 140 minutes with the winning target at 196. However, calamity overtook the home team as six middle-order wickets were ripped out for three runs and it took defiant innings by Vic Pollard and Bob Cunis to stave off defeat, the game ending with New Zealand 48/8.

A leg injury meant Chapple was replaced as captain by Barry Sinclair for the second Test. He decided to bat first, a decision he had cause to ponder when New Zealand were 100/7. But then Motz produced another of his blockbusters to score 57, including a world record 22 runs off a six-ball David Allen over. New Zealand were all out for 192.

Colin Cowdrey scored 89 not out in England's reply of 254/8 declared and John Murray scored 50. New Zealand's second innings was another grim fight for survival as only Barry Sinclair made anything like a reasonable score of 39. Allen was among the wickets again taking four for 46. Wicket-keeper Eric Petrie and Tom Puna batted out the last half hour to save the day for New Zealand.

It seems amazing now, but when the third Test started at Eden Park, Sinclair won the toss and batted and when he scored 15 he became only the third New Zealand batsman to have reached 1000 runs in Test cricket. He celebrated in style by scoring his third Test century and ending on 114. New Zealand were all out for 296, Allen having to pay more dearly for his wickets this time. He took five for 123.

Bruce Taylor, recalled after injury to Gary Bartlett, took three for 46 and Vic Pollard three for three as England were all out for 222. Russell and Cowdrey each scored half centuries for England.

Another batting collapse followed however with both Terry Jarvis and Mike Shrimpton back in the pavilion before a run had been scored. Congdon, who had shown consistency throughout the series scored 23, and Ross Morgan and Pollard 25 each, but New Zealand were all out for 129. Jones and Higgs took three wickets each.

New Zealand had a 203-run lead and England had 272 minutes to score the runs, but in the end could not reach the target finishing on 159 as New Zealand could only pick up four wickets.