Despite some delay on the first day and the complete loss of Saturday owing to rain, the MCC, in the course of two days' cricket, won the first Test match by eight wickets with fifty-five minutes to spare - a remarkable occurrence in these times of prolonged struggles. New Zealand failed to recover from a disastrous start on a firm pitch. Blunt, very steady, Lowry, more restrained than usual, Dempster and Page - all well-known in England - were their only batsmen to show much skill. At the start Nichols took three wickets and then four men fell to Allom in five balls of one over, Lowry, James and Badcock being the victims in a hat trick. The seventh wicket went down with the total 21. Nichols bowled very fast and Allom, in making the ball swerve either way, also received help from a strong wind. England lost Dawson and Gilligan for 20 runs and Duleepsinhji and Woolley, although batting in their usual free style, left in turn at 71 and 113. On Monday morning in a bad light, when the drying pitch proved very treacherous, the last six wickets fell for 34 runs. Legge, who batted very well on Friday evening, had not settled down again when Blunt got through his defence. Nichols, last man out, played sound steady cricket, but several of the other batsmen showed little confidence. Blunt kept a fine length and turned the ball a lot.

The conditions increased the value of England's lead of 69 runs. Blunt, going in first, gave, soon after Woolley took the ball, a catch in the slips, Dempster having got most of the 28 runs registered at that point. After the luncheon interval Dempster and Page raised the total to 65, but, although Lowry showed his old power in driving, a cleverly varied attack prevented any further stand. Lowry, picking the right ball to hit, did not give a chance. England wanting only 63 to win, Gilligan and Dawson fell to Blunt with 14 scored, but Duleepsinhji and Woolley experienced little difficulty in hitting off the remaining runs. Allom in the whole match took eight wickets for 55 runs and Nichols six for 51. These two bowlers received good support from their colleagues, but New Zealand did not field well.