Where does Ross Taylor rank?

[Fiery]

Not really, Astle's the only one who comes close. And they were totally different players.

I couldn't give a ****. Taylor hasn't even played a Test yet, I wasn't discussing his prowess in Tests, I was discussing it in ODIs.

Not really, an average in the mid-40s is about as good as anyone but Michael Bevan can hope for.

Nathan Astle is without question our greatest ever ODI batsman, followed by Martin Crowe, Glenn Turner, Stephen Fleming and Andrew Jones. Twose ranks below all those players imo. And Twose didn't average in the mid-40s, he averaged 38.81 (or are you using one of those average systems like 1st-chance or excluding certain teams?)

 

[Jono]

(or are you using one of those average systems like 1st-chance or excluding certain teams?)

Lol, Fiery slowly getting used to how Richard works on CW.

 

[Bahnz]

There's no doubt that Taylor's a special talent, everyone in New Zealand has known that for 2 or 3 years now. However, I agree the true test will come when his turn comes to join the ranks in test cricket. Only then will we know whether he's a Brian Lara or a Chris Gayle.

 

[Perm]

Richard, how come you don't rate Martin Crowe as one of our best ODI batsman?

 

[Natman20]

Taylor is a confident young player with a future. I just don't know if his form will continue for a long period of time or whether it would drop off like some other NZ players.

 

[Macka]

Twose, Astle, and Crowe are the all-time best 3.

Taylor... he potential for sure. Appears to have all the shots, good seletion of when to play them, and can handle the pressure well. His century yesterday wasn't as good as Hussey's technically -- he got a few leading edges, inside edges for four, etc. -- but it was still an excellent knock from a guy not even 23.

Time will tell, but a lot of people are expecting big things from him. And they're not without their reasons.

 

[vic_orthdox]

The only qualm I have about Taylor is how strong he is through covers. Very adept at taking balls from off stump and outside to the leg-side, but in Test cricket, where bowlers get more latitude, can work him over a bit more and try and exploit / work over areas where batsmen find it harder to score.

 

[Fiery]

The only qualm I have about Taylor is how strong he is through covers. Very adept at taking balls from off stump and outside to the leg-side, but in Test cricket, where bowlers get more latitude, can work him over a bit more and try and exploit / work over areas where batsmen find it harder to score.

Agreed, he favours the leg-side a lot but because his eye is so good and hand-speed so quick he generally gets away with all those slog-sweeps. Test cricket will be the....ummm....test

 

[Perm]

I have seen him slay quite a few balls through point, he has quite a good square drive.

 

[vic_orthdox]

I have seen him slay quite a few balls through point, he has quite a good square drive.

Definitely has a great square drive, and is very proficient between cover point and backward point. It's through extra cover that international bowlers will try to work him over.

May also have a fair bit to do with his unorthodox grip.

 

[Steulen]

While he has shown potential to be a great ODI batsman he is yet to play test cricket and has a fairly average FC record, which is littered with quick 30s and 40s. I'll wait to see him play test cricket before I'm convinced he will excel there.

New Zealand doesn't play Tests.

 

[Craig]

New Zealand doesn't play Tests.

Later this year they will.

 

[marc71178]

Richard, how come you don't rate Martin Crowe as one of our best ODI batsman?

To be fair he said modern era, which I believe is after Crowe from what he's said elsewhere.

 

[aussie]

Third behind Astle & Twose for Kiwis batsmen who could take an opposition attack with classy strokeplay. Taylor is just the player NZ were looking for IMO, especially in a post WC period IMO where i wasn't seeing enough talented NZ players coming up.

 

[Smudge]

especially in a post WC period IMO where i wasn't seeing enough talented NZ players coming up.

Watch a lot of NZ domestic cricket, do ya?

 

[aussie]

a fair amount, when i made the thread about the future of NZ cricket thats was the basis of my argument. Placing emphasis on test cricket pretty soon you will losing your most influential captain & you have already lost Astle. Thats two of NZ's batting pillars in a period when NZ have always been a very competitve team. You don't have a settled opening pair & other than Taylor you have got a lot of young batsmen who need haven't convinced, an all-rounder who has potential but has to convince & a keeper that needs to play to potential.

Bowling wise Bond could go anytime which would take the sting out of NZ's attack, but hopefully for NZ sake he stays fit for another 2-3 years.

 

[Richard]

Nathan Astle is without question our greatest ever ODI batsman, followed by Martin Crowe, Glenn Turner, Stephen Fleming and Andrew Jones. Twose ranks below all those players imo.

Jones, Turner, Crowe? Are you mad? These players played in a totally different era, the 1970s\1980s one. To compare Twose to them is like comparing Victor Trumper to Graham Gooch.

And Fleming better than Twose... no way, IMO. Fleming's batted out of position for most of the last 4 years, and even in the middle-order never matched Twose's deeds.

And Twose didn't average in the mid-40s, he averaged 38.81 (or are you using one of those average systems like 1st-chance or excluding certain teams?)

I don't know how I got Twose's average wrong but I'm pretty sure his average was in the mid-40s at one point at least. I don't think he'd have played more than 2 or 3 games against substandard sides, though?

 

[Richard]

Richard, how come you don't rate Martin Crowe as one of our best ODI batsman?

I rate him as possibly the best, possibly 2nd-best, of the 1970s\1980s era. He did play in the 1990s and excelled, but IMO he was a player of the former, not the latter, era.

 

[open365]

I'm going out on a limb and saying he is New Zealand's most talented and best ever player(in the future).

His record in ODIs for a guy his age especialy against Australia is just fantastic. Sure, his technique isn't perfect but neither is Greame Smith's and he is still massively succesful. Plus i think Taylor will develop a lot more and become a complete player, he looks like he has the attitude and the ability to do so.

In comparison to other NZ players, i've only really seen Fleming and Astle and i've never been a big fan of either, both are technicaly flawed and don't have a very good mental game.

 

[Smudge]

a fair amount, when i made the thread about the future of NZ cricket thats was the basis of my argument.

I find that terribly hard to believe, considering the only domestic cricket they've shown on NZ TV this season is the List-A final and a few Twenty20 matches. And god knows how you would get hold of it.