When the bowler is coming around the wicket angling it into the body at modest pace with a third man, deep backward point and little legside protection it's pretty safe. The strategy worked because they know Rudds has zero legside game hence they can rely on him trying to slice everything away.Pulling the ball outside off stump isn't a winning strategy in test cricket.
It was always going to be that way to be honest. And judging on Taylor's first ball, he could go early - either from being run out stupidly by Williamson (again) or by feathering a driveSigh. I really didn't want it to be all on Williamson/Taylor/McCullum to give us something defendable, but once again it is.
Taylor always looks rubbish early on. He and McCullum are about the worst batsmen in the world at the beginning of their innings.It was always going to be that way to be honest. And judging on Taylor's first ball, he could go early - either from being run out stupidly by Williamson (again) or by feathering a drive
Definitely felt this was a problem with Taylor and McCullum's dismissals first innings. Taylor was clearly looking to hit everything, shuffling across, getting front on and wanting to bottom-hand every ball into a gap. Didn't want to get properly forward or get side on and defend, which I believe he would have if he gave the bowlers more respect. No surprise he couldn't adjust when a delivery outside off seamed (would just as easily have outside edged one to slip). McCullum obv just tried to smash his second ball.It's almost like NZ have less respect for the Sri Lankan quicks than I do.
nah i honestly think he was just beaten by the extra flight n bounce..Actually, did Taylor try to leave that?
Taylor really owes his high average to an amazing series against England, an amazing series against West Indies and not being "sucky" in any other series until possibly this one. That ball would've got plenty of set batsman out? In your dreams buddy, it was a ball that was well flighted and turned a little bit towards the top of off stump - most set batsman in the world would've played late and back to that delivery.Baz and Kane have been better in the past 12 months but Taylor is our third or fourth best batsman ever.
Taylor got out to that ball because it was a beautiful delivery from the best spinner in the world and to make things worse, Taylor is mud before he gets to 10.
That ball would have got plenty of set batsmen out.