A Basin-ful of memories for elder statesman

Ross Taylor was eight or nine when he strolled through the Basin Reserve’s JR Reid Gate for the first time.

The kid from Masterton who could hit a cricket ball like a rocket was hooked, immediately. He sat at the southern end and recalls Central Districts chasing down Wellington’s total of 280-odd in a one-day game, via the bats of Mark Greatbatch, Craig Spearman and Mark Douglas.

‘‘My uncle lived in Newtown and I had a free Shell voucher to get in and we sat down where the Don Neely Scoreboard is now. That’s one of my first memories. I never watched an international till I played here [a test against England in March 2008].’’

When Taylor strolls out in either his black cap or helmet today, against West Indies, it’ll be his 11th test at the Basin. He’s missed a few, too, against India (the birth of son Jonty), Australia (side strain) and South Africa in March (calf strain), and had his arm broken by Morne Morkel there in 2012.

Still he averages 55 in Basin tests (seven more than his career figure) and reckons his parents Neil and Ann have driven over the Rimutakas for every one.

‘‘I always get a nice reception here, probably with family making most of the racket. It’s definitely my favourite ground in New Zealand, especially as a test venue with the history and tradition and it’s always a good wicket.’’

He’s in demand in Wellington, Taylor, like the time he dished out 51 tickets to various relatives for a Twenty20 international at Westpac Stadium on the previous West Indies tour, four years ago.

‘‘That’s still my record. It was my sister’s wedding that weekend and all the family were in town. I got 30 from NZ Cricket, 18 from the team and three on the day.’’

A tick over 10 years since his test debut, in Johannesburg, Taylor arrives early for another pretest session feeling relaxed and confident, sitting in the Basin’s Long Room.

At 33, the Black Caps’ senior statesman knows he has a finite period of international cricket left, perhaps till the 2019 World Cup in the UK, and feels minimal pressure or burden. That includes not getting caught up in the century race, where he sits one behind the 17 scored by skipper Kane Williamson and Taylor’s late mentor, Martin Crowe. His 6030 test runs rank him third behind Stephen Fleming (7172) and Brendon Mccullum (6453).

‘‘The older I get, I just want to enjoy my cricket the next couple of years, hopefully all going well and stay fit and fresh. I haven’t put any expectation on centuries. If you bat well and get yourself in, that will take care of itself.

‘‘In past years that’s been a bit of a driver but in my last two years I want to enjoy myself and go back to the way I first played my cricket. I’ve learned a few things, good and bad, and hopefully I can show that in the next couple of years.’’

So does that mean stumps in mid-2019? ‘‘My goal is to get to the World Cup but I’m not saying that’s the be-all and end-all, or whether things happen before that.’’

Taylor has two test centuries on the Basin: 107 against India in 2009 and 129 against West Indies four years ago when he dominated the tourists, averaging 247.5 in that three-test series. Two more tons would fulfil a task the man himself set Taylor before his death in March 2016.

‘‘Hogan [Crowe] wanted me to beat his record. With four tests a year [at home], you’re not going to get that many opportunities. But he said not to stop there either. A final number? I guess I’ve got to get to 17 first and stay on the park. Last year I was batting all right and then the calf went.’’

That was in Dunedin in March, which forced Taylor out of the last two tests against South Africa.

He returned for the Champions Trophy in the UK then had a lean trot for Sussex, before returning to Hamilton to be with wife Victoria for the birth of their third child, daughter Adelaide.

Taylor then flew out of the blocks in India, scoring 95 in Mumbai to help Tom Latham chase down India’s total in one New Zealand’s best ODI victories overseas. Having struggled for momentum in his white ball innings, and undergone surgery to remove a pterygium growth from his eye, Taylor vowed to go back to the future.

‘‘I’m not getting any younger but I thought ‘I’ve got nothing to lose’ so I went out and lapped my first ball of the series and just set the tone and tried to be busy and go back to the way I used to play.

‘‘When I first came on the scene I wanted to be positive, that’s how I grew up playing. I want to finish that way as well. If it’s moving around that much sometimes playing some shots is the best way to get through it.’’

He chuckles the latter may be the best approach if New Zealand are sent in today on a hard, green pitch he expects will seam and bounce on day one.

But you get value for shots, too, at the Basin and Taylor can’t wait to strap the pads on again in a test at his cricketing home away from home. And maybe raise the bat and unleash that trademark pukana once more.

"The older I get, I just want to enjoy my cricket."

Ross Taylor, above