Under performing XI

[NZTailender]

Geeze the guy could go out there and knock off 3 ODI hundreds in a row and people would still be on his back.

Last 6 months:

614 @ 51.16 w/ SR 82.74

Last 10 oldest to newest: 8, 20, 96, 11, 59*, 102*, 14, 9, 5, 1

What an inconsistent and horrible under-performer.

 

[thierry henry]

Even his decent scores have come at generally below par strike rates especially initially and put big pressure on the rest of the batting line up. Disregard anything more than 6 months ago as it counts for very little in terms of current form.

You reckon he's been awesome do you? What do you think of his match changing knock on Saturday?

I've nit-picked at certain aspects of Taylor's batting myself, including excessively slow early strike-rate in ODIs, generally struggling to play the big shots like he used to (and a resulting major decline in his effectiveness at T20 cricket), finding strange ways to get out, a decline in his test performances, and a disturbing tendency to drop catches, as you've noted.

However, his ODI performances leading into the World Cup were outstanding. Even if you want to arbitrarily disregard consecutive centuries 12 months ago (despite the fact he scored a 3rd consecutive century many months later, suggesting his form hadn't deteriorated) he has scored 2 centuries and a 96.

Here are his performances over the suggested period of "not older than 6 months" leading into the World Cup. Note his above-career-average strike-rate as well.

Batting records | One-Day Internationals | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPN Cricinfo

If you think that you can say you are "sick of his constant poor performances" after 3 bad games on the back of that form then you are just totally and utterly and shamelessly wrong. You might be right about something to do with Taylor's game atm- I have my concerns also- but he has kept up his performances in this format and then some.

 

[Jimbo the giant]

Geeze the guy could go out there and knock off 3 ODI hundreds in a row and people would still be on his back.

Last 6 months:

614 @ 51.16 w/ SR 82.74

Last 10 oldest to newest: 8, 20, 96, 11, 59*, 102*, 14, 9, 5, 1

What an inconsistent and horrible under-performer.

Minnow bashing a poor Pakistani team (59*+102*) inflate his stats a fair bit and he ran Williamson out in that 102* game and looked very poor for most of theinnings. Elliott lapped him in that 59* that was like a test innings.

 

[NZTailender]

He's already played 12 ODIs this year, compared to 13 each for both 2013 and 2014. With so many in such a short period no wonder he's had a few bad uns.

 

[NZTailender]

Minnow bashing a poor Pakistani team makes his stats look much better than they really are

You're tailoring () the argument to suit you. Discount anything older than 6 months, discount a 'minnow' (who we narrowly beat for a series win overseas and who drew us at home) so we're talking about the series vs Sri Lanka + the WC match, game versus England and a game versus Aus. 9 matches. Which is 34, 3, 8, 20, 96, 11, 14, 5, 1. Yes how woeful your very specific restrictions are.

I left the Scotland game out because we're not including games against minnows. Tempted to leave out the game against England in that case.

 

[thierry henry]

I can't believe someone is trying to argue that Taylor has been in poor ODI form. No-one can honestly think that or argue that. It's impossible. Totally pointless conversation on every level.

 

[Jimbo the giant]

I can't believe someone is trying to argue that Taylor has been in poor ODI form. No-one can honestly think that or argue that. It's impossible. Totally pointless conversation on every level.

You say that like you think he doesn't deserve to be in the underperforming XI team?

Don't get me wrong i'm a big fan of Ross and thats why his form is so upsetting. Ross is such a gun he can still get a decent score when he's in a rut but World Cup runs count for double for me and against Aussie they count triple. This is our best chance of winning a world cup ever and with an out of form Taylor we have little chance. Even with McCullum and Williamson making up for it atm.

You can't honestly say Ross is in vintage touch with a straight face can you? or am I just overrating the poor bugger?

 

[Daemon]

I can't believe someone is trying to argue that Taylor has been in poor ODI form. No-one can honestly think that or argue that. It's impossible. Totally pointless conversation on every level.

Nah, he's definitely not in good nick at all right now. Pre World cup, sure. Won't be in a rush to drop him though of course.

 

[Dan]

He's batting like **** right now, but he's hardly been consistently poor in ODIs before this tournament. Hopefully he snaps out of it.

 

[Athlai]

Hes looked a bit off ever since he changed his stance but despite how he seems aesthetically he has still been putting on the runs. I reckon williamson and baz are making kiwi fans underrate the actual quality of our other bats.

 

[thierry henry]

Nah, he's definitely not in good nick at all right now. Pre World cup, sure. Won't be in a rush to drop him though of course.

I know I said I wouldn't even bother arguing this point anymore but...really? Poor ODI form? Based on 3 games after an extended run of freaky-good form?

Again I reiterate- I too have seen the signs that Taylor's batting is in kind of a weird place generally. But there just isn't an argument to be mounted, on any level, that he has dropped off in ODIs yet.

 

[otagoman]

Is Taylor having issues with his eyesight? He seems to be doing a lot of blinking when he gets to the crease

 

[Daemon]

I know I said I wouldn't even bother arguing this point anymore but...really? Poor ODI form? Based on 3 games after an extended run of freaky-good form?

Again I reiterate- I too have seen the signs that Taylor's batting is in kind of a weird place generally. But there just isn't an argument to be mounted, on any level, that he has dropped off in ODIs yet.

I'm sorry I didn't know there was a textbook definition where you can't be judged as being out of touch after just 3 games.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Is Taylor having issues with his eyesight? He seems to be doing a lot of blinking when he gets to the crease

Yeah, thought similarly more due to his fielding.

http://www.cricketweb.net/forum/cri...v-new-zealand-uae-2014-a-339.html#post3362581

 

[kiwiviktor81]

Is Taylor having issues with his eyesight? He seems to be doing a lot of blinking when he gets to the crease

He's always done that.

 

[thierry henry]

I'm sorry I didn't know there was a textbook definition where you can't be judged as being out of touch after just 3 games.

I thought it was just sort of common sense.

 

[Zinzan]

I've said this before, & it wasn't very popular (not that that's ever stopped me before) & I'll say it again... I'm convinced Taylor's hand-eye is not quite as sharp as it used to be. And before people start freaking out that I'm saying he has a bad eye, I'm not. He still obviously has exceptionally good hand-eye coordination, but these things are relative & some players deteriorate slightly earlier than others.

Taylor's biggest asset when he first burst on the scene against the Windies in '06 was the kids incredibly good eye & fast-hands, I remember his 1st or 2nd innings when he scored 30 odd at better than a run a ball, and distinctly remember him pulling fast bowlers effortlessly off the front foot, with those incredibly quick hands.

I think the fact that he was arguably the best slipper going around between 2008-2012, yet in the last couple of years he's dropped more than his fair share also adds a little to this argument.

FTR, I do think if there has been a slight deterioration, is it absolutely microscopic, but that's enough sometimes to make a slight difference with someone who used to rely almost entirely on his quick hands/eye.

To compensate for this, he's really improved the technical & mental side of his game hence why he's a much better test bat nowadays, but in terms of pure hand-eye/bat-speed, I think he's declined slightly.

Now runs away...

 

[Bahnz]

Yeah, I think in general people are freaking out over what really only amounts to one poor innings against Sri Lanka. His dismissal v Scotland was clearly a part of a team strategy to up the net run rate, and I tend to doubt that Taylor would've played a full-blooded cover drive first ball to Mitch Starc if New Zealand had been chasing substantially more than 150 to win. He's still averaging 40+ this summer, which hardly raises alarm bells.

 

[Zinzan]

Yeah, I think in general people are freaking out over what really only amounts to one poor innings against Sri Lanka. His dismissal v Scotland was clearly a part of a team strategy to up the net run rate, and I tend to doubt that Taylor would've played a full-blooded cover drive first ball to Mitch Starc if New Zealand had been chasing substantially more than 150 to win. He's still averaging 40+ this summer, which hardly raises alarm bells.

Agree with that. I'm not overly concerned about Taylor, in spite going off on that tangent about his hand/eye. One only need to look at his ODI numbers in the last 12-18 months to realise he's still our 2nd best bat after KW.

 

[Bahnz]

I've said this before, & it wasn't very popular (not that that's ever stopped me before) & I'll say it again... I'm convinced Taylor's hand-eye is not quite as sharp as it used to be. And before people start freaking out that I'm saying he has a bad eye, I'm not. He still obviously has exceptionally good hand-eye coordination, but these things are relative & some players deteriorate slightly earlier than others.

Taylor's biggest asset when he first burst on the scene against the Windies in '06 was the kids incredibly good eye & fast-hands, I remember his 1st or 2nd innings when he scored 30 odd at better than a run a ball, and distinctly remember him pulling fast bowlers effortlessly off the front foot, with those incredibly quick hands.

I think the fact that he was arguably the best slipper going around between 2008-2012, yet in the last couple of years he's dropped more than his fair share also adds a little to this argument.

FTR, I do think if there has been a slight deterioration, is it absolutely microscopic, but that's enough sometimes to make a slight difference with someone who used to rely almost entirely on his quick hands/eye.

To compensate for this, he's really improved the technical & mental side of his game hence why he's a much better test bat nowadays, but in terms of pure hand-eye/bat-speed, I think he's declined slightly.

Now runs away...