NZ won’t gamble with Taylor
Black Caps hero Ross Taylor won’t be risked in tomorrow’s series decider if there’s any threat of long-term damage to his troublesome thigh.
Taylor helped level the England ODI series at 2-2, and set up a winner-takes-all game five at Christchurch’s sold-out Hagley Oval with a courageous 181 not out in Wednesday’s five-wicket win in Dunedin.
The veteran batsman’s 19th ODI ton will long be remembered, after he battled through injury and severe cramp to guide New Zealand to a challenging target of 336, having been 2-2.
Taylor will be assessed over the next 24 hours, with coach Mike Hesson eager to see how he gets through today’s training session.
Auckland’s Mark Chapman, who played two ODIs earlier in the series when skipper Kane Williamson and Taylor were injured, has been called into the squad. He will likely bat at No 4 should Taylor be ruled out.
With the two-test series against England starting at Auckland’s Eden Park on March 22, Hesson said they wouldn’t gamble with Taylor’s long-term health if he wasn’t right.
‘‘We need to know the extent of it, and whether it’s one of those injuries that can get worse or whether you can grin and bear it. We’re just not sure yet.
‘‘Once we know that we can make an educated decision over whether it is worth the risk or whether he genuinely needs a good break before the tests.’’
Taylor was in so much pain he was largely forced to blaze boundaries after aggravating the injury while diving to complete a second run in the 37th over, on 109. He was able to trundle through for singles, but turned down twos.
He blasted 72 runs off 41 balls after hurting himself, including four sixes and six fours.
Hagley Oval’s expanse will trouble Taylor if he struggles to run between wickets, with twos and threes common there.
‘‘He’ll see the physio and just work through [the injury]. It needs a bit of time to get rid of those aches and pains and then we can make an assessment on the detail of the injury.’’
Hesson described Taylor’s batting display as the finest by a Kiwi batsman in an ODI, given their dire early batting situation and how much trouble he was in.
It was the second century of the series for Taylor, who celebrated his 34th birthday yesterday, having hit 113 in New Zealand’s three-wicket win in the opener in Hamilton.
‘‘Ross, he’s got some very, very, good hundreds for us. You don’t use the word great often, but that was a great hundred. Any side in the world, that would be considered a great hundred.
‘‘It was a high-class innings. Even put the injury to one side, 181 not out in a chase like that and a crucial game was great.’’
The idea of Taylor retiring hurt was briefly raised in the Black Caps dugout, but they were worried his thigh would ‘‘seize up’’ if he came off.
‘‘We talked about it. Kane and I talked with Tommy [Latham] as well. We thought if Ross could get us another 20-25 runs at that point quickly that will keep us in the game.
‘‘The fact Ross got more than 25 was obviously very helpful for us.’’
New Zealand have a fine ODI record at Hagley, winning all eight of their matches at the redeveloped ground since January 2015.
International matches at the ground have typically been highscoring affairs and Hesson expected another belter.
‘‘[It’s] normally a very good wicket there. It’s a bigger ground, so that will bring in some different nuances.’’