On 13 March 1956 at Eden Park, New Zealand beat West Indies by 190 runs to record their first Test victory in their 45th match — 26 years after Test debut. Wicketkeeper Sam Guillen, a former West Indian himself, stumped Alf Valentine off Harry Cave to seal the result. Captain John Reid's first-innings 84 was the platform.
Captains John Reid and Walter Hadlee had spent the 1950s rebuilding the side from the wreckage of the 1955 26-all-out humiliation. The home advantage of an Auckland March pitch and a depleted West Indian touring side gave them their best chance.
After three drawn-or-lost matches in the four-Test series, the home side had nothing to lose. Selectors picked a balanced attack and gave Reid licence to bat aggressively at No. 4.
New Zealand had been admitted to Test status in 1929-30 and had spent a quarter of a century as easy fodder for Australia, England and South Africa. By the 1955-56 home series against West Indies, they had drawn 14 and lost 31 of 45 matches. The visiting West Indians, captained by Denis Atkinson without Worrell, Walcott and Weekes (all touring elsewhere or rested), were beatable.
Reid won the toss and chose to bat. His 84 in 168 minutes anchored New Zealand's 255. West Indies replied with 145 — Tony MacGibbon 4 for 44, Cave 3 for 31. New Zealand made 157 in their second innings (John Beck 38) to set 268. West Indies, on a pitch increasingly favouring spin, were dismissed for 77. Cave took 4 for 21 and Don Beard 3 for 22. The final wicket fell when Sam Guillen — born in Trinidad and capped by West Indies in 1951 before emigrating to New Zealand — stumped Valentine.
Reid was carried off the field. The crowd of 9,000 sang 'Now is the Hour'. Telegrams from the Prime Minister and the Governor-General arrived within an hour.
Day 1: Reid 84; New Zealand 255.
Day 2-3: West Indies 145; New Zealand lead by 110.
Day 3-4: New Zealand 157; West Indies need 268.
Day 4 afternoon: West Indies 22 for 3.
Day 5 morning: West Indies 77 all out.
Sam Guillen stumps Valentine to seal win.
New Zealand win by 190 runs — first Test victory in 45 matches.
1929-30
New Zealand begin Test cricket against England.
9 March 1956
Auckland Test against West Indies begins.
13 March 1956
Guillen stumps Valentine; New Zealand win by 190 runs.
1957
Reid leads the side to South Africa for their first away Test win.
“Today the boys have done what we have all dreamed of for so long.”
“Sammy Guillen had a tear in his eye when he gave up the ball.”
New Zealand still lost the series 1-3. They would not win another Test for five years. But the win established a precedent and Reid in particular went on to become a national figure, captaining 34 of his 58 Tests.
Sam Guillen's role in stumping the final wicket — having played for West Indies a few years earlier — became one of the great human anecdotes of the early Test era.
The end of cricket's longest wait for a first Test victory. New Zealand had been written off as a Test minnow many times. Reid's batting and Cave's seam ended that argument and began the long, slow climb to becoming a competitive Test side.
The 1956 Auckland Test is a foundational moment for New Zealand cricket. The 26-year wait remains the longest of any Test nation. Modern New Zealand sides, World Test Championship winners in 2021, can trace their heritage to Reid's Eden Park innings.
A blue plaque commemorating the match was unveiled at Eden Park in 1996, on the 40th anniversary.
Yorkshire v Essex
1932-06-16
On 15-16 June 1932 Herbert Sutcliffe (313) and Percy Holmes (224*) put on 555 for the first wicket against Essex at Leyton, breaking the world first-class record for any wicket and adding a layer of folklore — including a scoreboard that read 554 for several minutes and a hastily reversed declaration — that has clung to the partnership ever since.
Australia v England
1933-02-14
With the fate of the Bodyline series in the balance and England 216 for 6 chasing 340, Eddie Paynter checked himself out of a Brisbane hospital where he was being treated for acute tonsillitis, taxied to the Gabba in pyjamas and a dressing gown, and batted for nearly four hours to score 83. England drew level on first innings, won the Test by six wickets and the series 4-1.
Australia
1934-09-25
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