Even one of our greats couldn’t stand the politics

AS a Test leader Mark Taylor was the captain they never cracked — but cricket politics destroys the best of them.

Taylor’s measured, sunny demeanour never changed during a torturous 17-month form slump when he was leading the national side before the 1997 Ashes tour.

Even bad Test losses never pushed him into dark places.

Once in India after a horror loss, he took his side to the bar where they were joined by some Indian players including the great Rahul Dravid.

“Taylor is incredible,’’ Dravid said as he left the group. “You would not know whether he has won or lost. He’s in there telling jokes. Incredible.’’

Cricket could never exhaust Taylor’s amiable spirit — but the angry world of Australian cricket politics got him in the end. It’s a stinging indictment on the parlous, pathetic state of the Australian cricket that he leaves the CA board looking more browbeaten than he ever did after any of the 13 losses he suffered as Test captain.

Taylor was typically foursquare and logical at his farewell press conference but the cracks were there. Occasionally his voice wavered and he even admitted to losing sleep at night, a concession he never made as a captain.

In no way is Taylor’s departure from the CA board a victory for anybody — the board, the public or even the players’ union with which he was reportedly disenchanted.