A piece of New Zealand’s cricket history returned home this week when Black Cap Number 1 was presented to the New Zealand Cricket Museum at the Basin Reserve.
The cap is a replica of the one worn by New Zealand’s first Test player, FT (Ted) Badcock.
New Zealand Cricket issued replica caps to honour past players a decade ago, and Badcock was assigned cap number one by being the first named player – in alphabetical order – in the country’s first Test match, against England at Christchurch, on 10, 11 and 13 January 1930.
With Badcock having no surviving family remaining in New Zealand, the cap was initially presented to the South Perth Cricket Club in Australia, where he had enjoyed a long association as a coach, and where he had retired.
Future New Zealand Test players Paul Barton and Rodney Redmond also later had connections with the South Perth club.
Badcock was a highly respected figure at South Perth, with the club rooms housing a collection of memorabilia associated with its famous former member.
In a generous gesture, South Perth has agreed to present the cap back to New Zealand on a long-term loan.
The presentation was an appropriate one on the day when the Basin Reserve marked its 50th Test match – Badcock was also a member of the New Zealand side that played in the ground’s very first Test.
The cap was presented by New Zealand Cricket past-president Don Neely to Ross McDonald, chairperson of the New Zealand Cricket Museum Board, during the tea break on day one of the second Test.
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