The BLACKCAPS were welcomed home to Auckland in style this morning, after a memorable two months on the road that saw them win the Crowe Thorpe Trophy for the historic 2-1 Test series victory over England, and complete just their second ODI series win in the Caribbean.
The Crowe Thorpe win carries extra weight: it's only the second time New Zealand has won a Test series of three or more in England, and the first since 1999.
Test captain Tom Latham led the group through the arrival doors at Auckland International just after 7.45am with the special taonga in hand, along with Test team-mates Henry Nicholls and Will Young, and coaches Rob Walter and Jacob Oram, along with the remainder of the ODI squad.
Alongside members of the public, NZC CEO Geoff Allott and the trophy carver David Ngawati were on hand to welcome the team home, as were the Auckland Grammar boys 1st XI in a nod to Martin Crowe’s old high school.
"It's great to be home and we really wanted to bring the Crowe Thorpe Trophy back with us,” Latham said to media on arrival.
“From when we were first shown it, we weren't allowed to touch it because we weren't the holders, and now we can. That's really special."
The Test squad had already celebrated the England win as a group before heading on to the Caribbean, but Latham said this homecoming carried its own weight.
"Cricket moves on pretty quickly, but we did take the time to celebrate what we'd achieved in England before moving on to the West Indies. Bringing the trophy back home brings those memories back a little. Everyone played a role across that series — we used almost every player across the three Tests, and with everything going on around Kane's retirement, the boys did a great job to get it done."
It was a rare and richly deserved double celebration. Only twice has New Zealand won an ODI series on West Indian soil and this one wasn't won easily, with the BLACKCAPS having to dig deep to close out a nail-biting decider.
"It's critically important we acknowledge an amazing achievement - both the West Indies series and the Test series in England. We know the history, we know how hard it is to win over there, and it's a real credit to this team,” Allott said.
Allott, who was himself part of New Zealand's last series-winning side in England in 1999, said the achievement would stay with the players for the rest of their careers.
"This is only the second time we've won a series over there. I know how special this will be for these players, not just now, but well into the future. The way this group went about it makes you proud."
“It was fantastic to see the Auckland Grammar First XI out here - that's the grassroots link we've all come from. Getting a group of teenage boys up early to help set the scene will be a big connection for this team," Allott said.
There was a formal moment too. NZC Pou Tikanga David Bhana and Master carver David Ngawati, who crafted the Crowe Thorpe Trophy, welcomed the taonga home in the hands of Latham in a nod to the tikanga and craftsmanship behind the trophy itself, and a reminder of what it represents beyond the scoreline.
For a group that's spent weeks on the road, it was a homecoming worth savouring and with a blockbuster series against India on the horizon, Allott said it was an exciting time to be involved.
"There's already huge hype building around the Indian series,” he said.
"It's critically important to New Zealand cricket, our relationship with India is long-standing and hugely valued, and this will be a true test for our team.
"The players will get a bit of time to rest and recover before it's on to the next challenge."