Although the first recorded women's cricket match was played in Nelson Province in 1886, the sport did not become firmly established until the late 1920s and early 1930s, when competitions were arranged in the four main centres as well as at Wanganui and Invercargill. Since then, for short periods, it has been played at Napier, Matamata, on the West Coast, and, regularly, at Hamilton, Nelson, and Timaru.
In 1934, when it was learned that an English team would visit Australia and New Zealand in the following year, the New Zealand Women's Cricket Council was inaugurated in Christchurch. At first the council was centred in Christchurch and consisted of local members who also represented the affiliated associations in other centres. The Council remained at Christchurch until about 1948, when it was decided that the associations in the four main centres should each hold office for two years in rotation. This arrangement ended in 1953 when the council became permanently established in Wellington.
Although nearly 1,000 New Zealand women play cricket, two-thirds of these are schoolgirls and most competitions have necessarily to be arranged to suit their needs. Each year, during the summer holiday period, tournaments are held for the first and second XIs of all associations. Provincial teams from Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury, and Otago compete for the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield in a series of two-day matches. At the same time the second XIs from the four main centres and the first XIs of their affiliated associations compete, in a series of one-day matches, for the premier trophies of each island. These are the Amalgamated Theatres Shield, for North Island teams; and the Mary Machin Shield, for South Island teams. In addition to these annual fixtures, representative matches are arranged from time to time between teams in lower grades.
Although financial considerations rather than any dearth of players have tended to curtail New Zealand's activities in international play, several overseas tours, and tours by overseas teams, have been arranged. English teams have visited New Zealand on three occasions: in 1935 (B. Archdale, captain); in 1949 (M. Hide, captain); and in 1957–58 (M. Duggan, captain); while a New Zealand team visited England in 1954 (R. McKenzie, captain). On three occasions New Zealand teams have toured Australia, the first being in 1938 when a New Zealand team, under I. Lamason, played in Sydney during the 150th Anniversary celebrations. Since then New Zealand teams have toured Australia in 1956–57 (R. McKenzie, captain), and Australian teams have toured New Zealand in 1948 (M. Dive, captain) and 1961 (M. Picton, captain).
by Jean Melva Stonell, Secretary, New Zealand Women's Cricket Association, Wellington.
| 1935 | N.Z. v. England at Christchurch | Lost |
| 1948 | N.Z. v. Australia at Wellington | Lost |
| 1949 | N.Z. v. England at Auckland | Lost |
| 1954 | N.Z. v. England at Leeds | Lost |
| 1954 | N.Z. v. England at Worcester | Drawn |
| 1954 | N.Z. v. England at The Oval | Drawn |
| 1956–57 | N.Z. v. Australia at Adelaide | Lost |
| 1957–58 | N.Z. v. England at Christchurch | Drawn |
| 1957–58 | N.Z. v. England at Auckland | Drawn |
| 1961 | N.Z. v. Australia at Dunedin | Drawn |
| 1935–36 | Wellington | 1950–51 | Wellington |
| 1936–37 | Wellington | 1951–52 | Auckland |
| 1937–38 | Wellington | 1952–53 | Wellington |
| 1938–39 | Wellington | 1953–54 | Wellington |
| 1939–40 | Auckland | 1954–55 | Auckland |
| 1940–41 | Auckland | 1955–56 | Canterbury |
| 1941–42 | No play | 1956–57 | Auckland |
| 1942–43 | Auckland | 1957–58 | Auckland |
| 1943–44 | Canterbury | 1958–59 | Wellington |
| 1944–45 | Canterbury | 1959–60 | Wellington |
| 1945–46 | Canterbury | 1960–61 | Canterbury |
| 1946–47 | Auckland | 1961–62 | Canterbury |
| 1947–48 | Auckland | 1962–63 | Otago |
| 1948–49 | Auckland | 1963–64 | Canterbury |
| 1949–50 | Wellington | 1964–65 | Auckland |