The William Jordan Trophy

The William Jordan Trophy.

What is it? Who was he? Who holds it?

Three fair questions because the William Jordan Trophy is one of the more anonymous trophies on the New Zealand sports scene.

What is it?

It is the trophy contested whenever New Zealand and England meet in a cricket Test series in New Zealand.

It was first contested in 1955, an inauspicious occasion when New Zealand were dismissed for 26 in the second Test at Eden Park.

New Zealand has only won the trophy once, in 1984, in the famous Test at Lancaster Park where England were twice dismissed for less than 100 runs as New Zealand claimed an innings victory.

Who was he?

Sir William Jordan was an Englishman who migrated to New Zealand in 1904. By 1907 he was the first secretary of the New Zealand Labour Party. He became MP for Manukau in 1921, a seat he held until 1935 when Labour gained office for the first time.

For his efforts he was made High Commissioner to Britain in 1936, and he held the position until 1951. He died in 1979, aged 80 years.

In his role as High Commissioner he was highly supportive of both the 1937 and 1949 New Zealand cricket teams on their tours of Britain, along with many other New Zealand sports teams and servicemen during the Second World War.

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