England vs New Zealand Test Cricket History and Records

                  

England and New Zealand have a long and storied history in test cricket. The two sides have played each other in 107 test matches, with England winning 48, New Zealand winning 12, and 47 matches ending in a draw.

Here are some notable records and moments in the history of England vs. New Zealand test cricket:

1. The first test match between the two sides was played in Christchurch, New Zealand in January 1930. England won the match by eight wickets.
2. New Zealand's first ever test victory came against England in March 1978 in Wellington. They won by an innings and 105 runs.
3. In July 1994, Graham Gooch scored an incredible 333 and 123 in the first and second innings respectively, helping England win the match by 124 runs. This remains the highest ever individual score by an English batsman in test cricket.
4. In 2013, England and New Zealand played out a thrilling test match at Auckland's Eden Park. The match ended in a draw, but not before both sides scored over 450 runs in their first innings. The result meant that England retained the series.
5. In May 2015, New Zealand recorded their highest ever test score of 680/8 declared against England in the first test of a two-match series. The match ended in a draw.
6. In March 2018, New Zealand defeated England by an innings and 49 runs in Auckland. This was their first test victory against England in seven years.
7. In June 2021, New Zealand defeated England by eight wickets in the second test of a two-match series, winning the series 1-0. This was their first test series victory in England since 1999.
8. Currently, the highest run-scorer in England vs. New Zealand test matches is England's Graham Gooch with 2,523 runs in 40 matches. The leading wicket-taker is New Zealand's Richard Hadlee with 97 wickets in 22 matches.
9. In February 2013, New Zealand defeated England by an innings and 49 runs in the first test of a three-match series, which was played in Dunedin. This was New Zealand's first test victory over England in 14 years.
10. In May 2015, England and New Zealand played out a high-scoring draw in the second test of a two-match series at Headingley. England scored 350 in their first innings, while New Zealand declared their first innings on 454/8. England then declared their second innings on 255/6, setting New Zealand a target of 455. New Zealand finished on 220/5.
11. In March 2018, New Zealand defeated England by an innings and 49 runs in the first test of a two-match series, which was played in Auckland. New Zealand bowler Trent Boult took 6 wickets in England's first innings, while batsman Ross Taylor scored a century in New Zealand's first innings.
12. In November 2019, England and New Zealand played a two-match series in New Zealand. New Zealand won the first test by an innings and 65 runs, with Tim Southee taking 5 wickets in England's second innings. The second test was drawn.
13. In June 2021, New Zealand won the first ever World Test Championship final against India at the Rose Bowl in Southampton. New Zealand qualified for the final ahead of England due to a better percentage of points earned in the World Test Championship.\
14. In August 2021, England and New Zealand played a five-match test series in England, which was drawn 1-1. The series was notable for the return of crowds to test cricket following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Overall, England has a much better record against New Zealand in test cricket, but recent results suggest that the two sides are more evenly matched than ever before.