title: English cricket team in New Zealand in 1977–78
text: # English cricket team in New Zealand in 1977–78
  
  The England national cricket team toured New Zealand in February and March 1978 and played a three-match Test series against the New Zealand national cricket team. The series was drawn 1–1.
  
  ## Tour match summary
  
  ### England vs Auckland
  
  * 27–29 January 1978 (3-day match)
  * Match drawn Eden Park, Auckland Umpires: WRC Gardiner and RL Monteith
  * Auckland won the toss and decided to field
  * JR Wiltshire retired hurt in the Auckland first innings having scored 3 (team score 42/2)
  
  ### England vs Northern Districts
  
  * 30 January 1978 (35-over match)
  
  | England 164/9 (35 overs) | v | Northern Districts 83/3 (20.3 overs) |
  | - | - | - |
  | DW Randall 24 CW Dickeson 3/58 (7 overs) | | JG Wright 24 RGD Willis 1/10 (5 overs) |
  
  * England won via faster scoring rate Seddon Park, Hamilton Umpires: BA Bricknell and JBR Hastie
  * Northern Districts won the toss and decided to field
  * When play was halted Northern Districts needed to have scored 97 runs to win
  
  ### England vs Central Districts
  
  * 1–3 February 1978 (3-day match)
  * Match tied Pukekura Park, New Plymouth Umpires: David Kinsella and Steve Woodward
  * England won the toss and decided to bat
  
  ### England vs Canterbury
  
  * 5–7 February 1978 (3-day match)
  * Match drawn Lancaster Park, Christchurch Umpires: Fred Goodall and DC Wilson
  * Canterbury won the toss and decided to field
  
  ## Test series summary
  
  ### First Test
  
  * 10–15 February 1978 (5-day match)
  * New Zealand won by 72 runs Basin Reserve, Wellington Umpires: WRC Gardiner and RL Monteith
  * England won the toss and elected to field.
  * 13 February was taken as a rest day.
  * SL Boock and JG Wright (both NZ) made their Test debuts.
  
  ### Second Test
  
  * 24 February–1 March 1978 (5-day match)
  * England won by 174 runs Lancaster Park, Christchurch Umpires: FR Goodall and RL Monteith
  * England won the toss and elected to bat.
  * 27 February was taken as a rest day.
  * CT Radley (ENG) made his Test debut.
  
  ### Third Test
  
  * 4–10 March 1978 (6-day match)
  * Match drawn Eden Park, Auckland Umpires: WRC Gardiner and JBR Hastie
  * New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat.
  * 7 March was taken as a rest day.
  
  ## Gallery
  
  * Ian Botham, Wellington test
  * Richard Hadlee bowling. Botham at non-strikers end, Wellington
  * Richard Hadlee bowling and Ian Botham (non-striker), Wellington
  * Ian Botham batting in Wellington
  * Bob Willis bowling in Wellington
  * Bob Willis batting in Wellington
  * New Zealand celebrate victory in Wellington
  * Mike Hendrick batting in Wellington
  * Phil Edmonds batting in Wellington
  * Bob Taylor (cricketer) batting in Wellington
  * Geoffrey Boycott in Wellington
  * Boycott dismissed in Wellington
  * The final scoreboard from Wellington
  