New Zealand veteran Ross Taylor is playing the last game of his international career against Netherlands on April 4 (Monday). He had announced his retirement in December 2021 itself stating two Tests against Bangladesh and white-ball series against Australia and Netherlands would be his last. While the six white-ball games against Australia didn’t happen due […]
New Zealand veteran Ross Taylor is playing the last game of his international career against Netherlands on April 4 (Monday). He had announced his retirement in December 2021 itself stating two Tests against Bangladesh and white-ball series against Australia and Netherlands would be his last.
While the six white-ball games against Australia didn’t happen due to COVID restrictions, Taylor did feature in Bangladesh Tests and Netherlands ODIs. The third ODI of the three-match series is currently being played at the Seddon Park in Hamilton and no wonder, Taylor got emotional when he walked out for one final time to play for his country.
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When the national anthem of New Zealand was being played ahead of the start of the game, the veteran Taylor had tears in his eyes having represented his country for a whopping 17 years.
Ross Taylor was in tears during the New Zealand anthem – he is playing his final International match for New Zealand. pic.twitter.com/Y4oxmYQlOd
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) April 4, 2022
Netherlands team, in a kind gesture, also gave Taylor a guard of honour when he walked out to bat for one last time for the BlackCaps. Even the jam-packed crowd at the Seddon Park gave a deserved standing ovation to the Kiwi legend. However, Taylor couldn’t make his final game a memorable one for himself.
He came out to bat after centurion Martin Guptill got out in the 39th over but could only muster 14 runs off 16 deliveries with a six to his name. He was dismissed by Logan van Beek who took a good return catch off his own bowling to end one of the most celebrated careers in international cricket. Overall, in his last international series, Taylor scored only 26 runs in three innings but that doesn’t make him an ordinary player.
He featured in 112 Tests for New Zealand amassing 7684 runs at an average of 44.16 with 35 fifties and 19 centuries including three double tons. In 236 ODIs that he played wearing the BlackCaps jersey, Taylor scored 8602 runs at an average of 47.52 with 21 tons and 51 fifties with 181 being his highest score.
Taylor played a whopping 102 T20Is as well for New Zealand mustering 1909 runs at a strike-rate 122.37. While he was dropped from the shortest format of the game after the series against West Indies in November 2020, he was still a vital cog of the team in ODIs and Tests.
