London New Zealand Cricket Club

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

London New Zealand Cricket Club (LNZCC) is a cricket club based in London, founded in December 1951 at the New Zealand High Commission. Its colors are red, pacific blue and silver, and its striped blazers are a well-known sight at matches and social events.

The club’s home ground has changed over the years; it originally played at Aorangi Park in Wimbledon until 1981, and since then has used various grounds, often playing friendly games at the venues of other clubs.

LNZCC welcomes players from New Zealand or with strong New Zealand connections, of all abilities. The club forms its own teams and plays non-competitive as well as competitive fixtures, often on the grounds of other clubs. Notable venues and matches have included games against Wimbledon, the Artillery Ground, The Hurlingham Club, Ripley and other historic grounds, as well as tours and fixtures against touring New Zealand teams and the Marylebone Cricket Club.

The club was created after World War II by Trevor Campbell, who proposed using cricket to express gratitude to Britain. With the support of the NZ High Commission and the MCC, LNZCC was formed in December 1951. The first club captain was Roger Blunt and the first president Errol Holmes. The club was soon listed in the MCC’s Register of Clubs.

LNZCC has celebrated important anniversaries, including its 50th in 2002 and its 60th (Diamond Jubilee) in 2012, both marked at The Oval. The club’s enduring tradition includes the iconic red, silver and Pacific blue striped blazers. Ripley Cricket Club has been a longtime fixture for LNZCC since 1952. Since 2008, players earn a Nottman Cap after five games, named after long-time member Harold Nottman.

The club runs overseas tours, with trips to Porto, Denmark, Monte Carlo, and since 2013 to Ibiza in the Mediterranean. LNZCC remains active thanks to volunteers and maintains strong ties with New Zealand cricket, with branches and participation from New Zealanders in the UK. Members often travel to support New Zealand cricket, and the club’s colors are worn by players at venues around the world.