Ross Taylor defies injury to play the "innings of a lifetime"

New Zealand drew level in the series with Dunedin victory.

Taylor scored an unbeaten 190. (HT Media)

New Zealand middle-order batsmen, Ross  Taylor batted through cramps and carried his bat through registering his highest ODI scored in an effort to get New Zealand over the line to set up the series decider in Christchurch on Saturday. 

The facts alone are remarkable -  147 deliveries; 17 boundaries; six sixes; his 19th ODI hundred; his highest ODI score and a victory to top it all gave his innings all the more weightage. 

Talking to SkySports in the post-match presentation Taylor reflected on his mammoth innings and said "It's right up there," admitted Taylor to Sky Sport after today's match. "It's still sinking in I think. It's nice to be there at the end. I thought I batted OK in Hamilton but I got out and wasn't there at the end."

"You've got to give yourselves a chance [at 2-2]. We knew it was a good wicket and we just had to set those little goals along the way. You never win a game like that in the first ten overs but you certainly do lose it. Just try and take it as deep as we can."

Taylor scored  " 72 runs from 41 deliveries after suffering the quad injury. England captain Eoin Morgan said after the match that he thought it might have actually helped Taylor as it meant he had to put the foot down earlier, helping propel New Zealand to their target and the 33 year-old, whose birthday is on Thursday, agreed saying that it "kick-started his momentum".

"It was about 110 or 120 and the physio came out and said 'Do you want to come off or keep going?' so I was glad that I made the decision to stay out there and swing," Taylor said. "I couldn't run any twos and you're going to put pressure on the other guy so I thought if I could get a couple out of the screws, but as it worked out I was there at the end and we won."

Taylor had partnerships of 84 with New Zealand captain Kane Williamson and 187 with Tom Latham, adding to the 178 they put on in Hamilton. "They're a great two to bat with," said Taylor. "The communication is there and we probably complement each other as well."

Williamson thought this was Taylor's best one-day innings. "After a tough start, he got himself in and played his best one-day knock," Williamson said. "One of the great one-day knocks we've seen in a chasing effort. It was a tough total to chase, far from easy and we needed him to be out there. An outstanding performance from him. He's kind of been batting like that all year and hopefully his injuries are minor and we can see him in the next game."

New Zealand drawing level at Dunedin in the series thus sets up the decider at Christchurch nicely. Post his quad cramp it will be interesting to see if he takes the field for the final ODI. 

 
 

By Anshuman Roy - 07 Mar, 2018

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