I'm not stuck on anything, 539 is just a good score in the second innings of a test when you're staring down 580. Like, always. Even if I was bowling to them from both ends.
In terms of today, I'm not totally behind it. But jeez, does it feel like a reassuring sign for the next few years. Taylor struggling to find the ball was still able to grind out runs, hopefully this will see him be able to get back to his 2013-2014 best in the next few years.
Blocky's one of those people whose view on cricket is that runs and wickets just come to you if the conditions are right.
At least I know the difference between a popping crease and the bowling crease, despite not undertaking umpire training, you know.
Yeah exactly. It's just an objectively good score.
Ooh nice
I never managed to play FC cricket, did you?
And in the circumstances of this game (and in most games where the team batting first have made 600-odd) by the time the team batting second have made 540 they've avoided the perils of a big first innings deficit and played themselves back into a position of relative safety, putting the onus on the team who batted first to either play out a draw or set them a target. Any runs beyond what NZ made would be almost redundant and would just be cementing the certainty of a draw. It's almost impossible to envisage a situation where 540 isn't a decent response to 600.
They also bowled well to BD in the second innings. Short and quick for the most part, found swing.
Yeah, there's always give and take with Taylor. You either get the ungainly but grinding and gutsy Taylor who can't play big shots, or you get the Taylor who looks a million bucks but plays one shot too many. Best example of the latter was that lightning fast test century he made against Australia in 2009/10.
