Ross Taylor believes that the huge scores posted in the ongoing ODI series against Sri Lanka are allowing New Zealand with adequate practice for similar conditions expected during the ICC Cricket World Cup in England.
The hosts scored 371 and 319 in the first two games at Mount Maunganui respectively and yet, clinched victories only by margins of 45 and 21 runs sealing the three-match series, 2-0, with still one game left.
"There's still a lot of cricket to be played before that and it's a long tournament - guys are going to IPL, warm-up games beforehand. As we've seen even in the last two games, we know our home conditions well and play very well at home," said Taylor, who has totalled 144 runs at an average of 72.00 and strike-rate of 101.41 in the series so far, on Sunday, January 6.
"In England, there are similar conditions but there are intricate differences in those UK venues. I think the guys who have played county cricket, their experience will come to the fore. Those England grounds are generally high-scoring too so it's quite good practice for the World Cup."
While Taylor himself has played knocks of 54 and 90, it is Jimmy Neesham's breath-taking sojourns of 47 from 13 and 64 off 37 that have actually been the major difference between the two sides.
34-year-old reckon Jimmy Neesham's ways are perhaps important to be followed as they are suitable with the flat nature of pitches where 350 seems to be the on par total.
"Players have got to play their natural game but at the end of the day you get yourself in trouble in ODI cricket when you're four or five down at the 25-30 over mark, then you're playing catch-up and you don't give yourself a chance to express yourself," Taylor further said.
"You've got to earn the right to do that and I think we've done so in the last two games. It'll probably a high-scoring game again in Nelson."
"Even though 300 is a par score, sometimes chasing 300 can be pretty intimidating. You've got to go about it in a certain way. We've got to find ways of getting to the big scores, and also of restricting the opposition as well," he signed off.
(Inputs from Cricbuzz)
