Turner's Tonnes

It was not until the 1970’s that Australia took NZ serious in test match cricket. Arranging the home and away test series of 1973 and 1974 had taken much persuasion. And there was not much expectation around NZ winning a test match. Fictional or not, the Australian arrogance prevailed. The NZ team did push Australia close in Sydney, ultimately being denied by rain. A few weeks later, at Lancaster Park, it was Glenn Turner who gave NZ cricket a huge and unexpected boost. It was March 1974, and on a difficult wicket and in a low-scoring match he was immovable. So stubborn that Australian captain Ian Chappell resorted to verbal efforts to upset Turner. It was suitably vile that Turner was to demand an apology. None was forthcoming. Turner won the battle, becoming the first NZ cricketer to score two centuries in a test match - and NZ won, recording its first ever victory over Australia. And Lancaster Park chalked up yet another memorable occasion to add to the annals.