Flem274*
123/5
After thirty tests, Taylor averages over forty with five test centuries to his name. So all in all, a good start you might say, especially considering he practically opens half the time because New Zealand batting is notorious for starting at number four.
The New Zealand all time test eleven as voted by the cricinfo panel was;
Glenn Turner
Stewie Dempster
Bert Suttcliffe
Martin Crowe
Martin Donnelly
John R. Reid
Richard Hadlee
Daniel Vettori
Ian Smith
Shane Bond
Jack Cowie
Some good calls there, and quality players all, but some are short on tests. The reasons vary from injury, world wars and selectorial stupidity regarding players contracted to County Cricket.
The judges decided Dempster, despite playing just ten tests and dominating, had enough runs behind him to get in ahead of Mark Richardson and John Wright. Likewise Martin Donnelly, Taranaki's finest, played seven tests and while he was excellent, he was voted in ahead of the likes of Stephen Fleming, Andrew Jones, Nathan Astle and John F. Reid. I'm assuming both made it in based on county records and contemporary accounts, because both were highly acclaimed batsmen in their time and I'm gutted I've never seen any footage of these guys at their work.
I'm not going to delve into whether the players who missed out already should have made it or not, I'm talking Rosco for the moment. Taylor has more tests and more hundreds than Dempster and Donnelly combined, and his record stacks up favourably against other New Zealand greats. He has as many hundreds and averages more than Bert Suttcliffe in twelve less tests. One more hundred to his name and he will draw equal to John R. Reid.
Of course, that's just the stats. Ross Taylor at the crease has proven himself to be a consistent contributor, though he does have a tendency to get dismissed cheaply on the rare occasion we're not staring down the barrel of a first innings demolition. Sometimes he looks like he knows the weight of the world rests on his shoulders as well, and can be pretty nervy early on. This is in contrast to Jesse Ryder, who walks out grinning whether we're 20/3 or 300/3 and proceeds to stroke the ball elegantly through the covers for four even if the entire fielding side is between point and mid off. His smile is even wider if he is facing India and the pitch is a road.
Speaking of the most acrobatic small building in Wellington, his numbers compare favourably with several players in the cricinfo eleven as well; three hundreds in sixteen tests at a tick under forty five. He could have been playing test cricket at nineteen if he didn't hit the drink.
But back to Taylor; his record, in New Zealand terms, is right up there. He's just twenty seven years old and he's only going to add hundreds to his column as he goes forward. There is no doubt in my mind Ross Taylor will command a place in the New Zealand all time side when he retires. Ryder will as well; the only obstacle in his way is himself.
But my question to you is, should Ross Taylor make the New Zealand all time test eleven right now?
The New Zealand all time test eleven as voted by the cricinfo panel was;
Glenn Turner
Stewie Dempster
Bert Suttcliffe
Martin Crowe
Martin Donnelly
John R. Reid
Richard Hadlee
Daniel Vettori
Ian Smith
Shane Bond
Jack Cowie
Some good calls there, and quality players all, but some are short on tests. The reasons vary from injury, world wars and selectorial stupidity regarding players contracted to County Cricket.
The judges decided Dempster, despite playing just ten tests and dominating, had enough runs behind him to get in ahead of Mark Richardson and John Wright. Likewise Martin Donnelly, Taranaki's finest, played seven tests and while he was excellent, he was voted in ahead of the likes of Stephen Fleming, Andrew Jones, Nathan Astle and John F. Reid. I'm assuming both made it in based on county records and contemporary accounts, because both were highly acclaimed batsmen in their time and I'm gutted I've never seen any footage of these guys at their work.
I'm not going to delve into whether the players who missed out already should have made it or not, I'm talking Rosco for the moment. Taylor has more tests and more hundreds than Dempster and Donnelly combined, and his record stacks up favourably against other New Zealand greats. He has as many hundreds and averages more than Bert Suttcliffe in twelve less tests. One more hundred to his name and he will draw equal to John R. Reid.
Of course, that's just the stats. Ross Taylor at the crease has proven himself to be a consistent contributor, though he does have a tendency to get dismissed cheaply on the rare occasion we're not staring down the barrel of a first innings demolition. Sometimes he looks like he knows the weight of the world rests on his shoulders as well, and can be pretty nervy early on. This is in contrast to Jesse Ryder, who walks out grinning whether we're 20/3 or 300/3 and proceeds to stroke the ball elegantly through the covers for four even if the entire fielding side is between point and mid off. His smile is even wider if he is facing India and the pitch is a road.
Speaking of the most acrobatic small building in Wellington, his numbers compare favourably with several players in the cricinfo eleven as well; three hundreds in sixteen tests at a tick under forty five. He could have been playing test cricket at nineteen if he didn't hit the drink.
But back to Taylor; his record, in New Zealand terms, is right up there. He's just twenty seven years old and he's only going to add hundreds to his column as he goes forward. There is no doubt in my mind Ross Taylor will command a place in the New Zealand all time side when he retires. Ryder will as well; the only obstacle in his way is himself.
But my question to you is, should Ross Taylor make the New Zealand all time test eleven right now?
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at Dempster's plate. Poor bloke.