Taylor extends ODI streak Scoreboard
A pattern may be emerging in how New Zealand will approach their batting at the World Cup.
Two scores of over 300 – on a batsmen-benefit surface at Mount Maunganui against Sri Lanka – has been a promising start to the new year for the top six.
Ross Taylor has continued his excellent 2018 ODI form with scores of 54 and 90 and acknowledged that setting up an opportunity to launch with big hitters in the late overs is a ploy that works well.
‘‘Both times we’ve set a platform and we’ve been able to use what has been our strength in the past – the big hitters have been able to come in and put the icing on the cake,’’ Taylor said.
‘‘Players have got to play their natural game but, at the end of the day, you get yourself in trouble in ODI cricket when you’re four or five down at the 25-30 over mark, then you’re playing catch-up and you don’t give yourself a chance to express yourself.
‘‘You’ve got to earn the right to do that and I think we’ve done so in the last two games. It’ll probably be a high-scoring game again in Nelson. Those England grounds are generally highscoring too so it’s quite good practice for the World Cup.’’
Taylor has now made five scores of more than 50 in his last five innings, and two tons and six half-centuries in his last 10 ODI appearances.
‘‘It’s just trying to make a contribution and summing up the situation as best as possible,’’ Taylor said of his recent approach.
‘‘Two totally different innings [at Bay Oval] – coming into bat at two totally different times, so I guess that’s a pleasing thing. You’re still learning in this game and can get better in different situations.’’
Taylor said his form has come at a time with a lot of game play and little training.
‘‘Five test matches in a row – I’ve never done that.
‘‘We didn’t have training in between games here but you still trust your processes that you can go out and get a 90.’’
The 34-year-old had praise for Sri Lankan all-rounder Thisara Perera after he almost stole a victory for the tourists at Bay Oval on Saturday night in a match NZ had dominated until late.
Perera blasted 13 sixes and eight fours in an incredible 140 from 74 balls as Sri Lanka went from 128-7 in pursuit of NZ’s 319-7 to 298-9 before he holed out as the hosts finally remembered how to catch.
‘‘He probably deserved to win. He batted outstandingly well and took his opportunities,’’ Taylor said. ‘‘We dropped five or six catches which was disappointing and something we need to address but you don’t want to take away from Perera’s hitting. It felt a bit like [Australia’s] Marcus Stoinis when he went nuts [146no from 117 balls v NZ at Eden Park in 2017] – he got close but not close enough.’’
Tim Southee was punished badly by Perera in his last over of the night, conceding four sixes off full tosses, but should have had him dismissed in the previous over when Martin Guptill put down a simple chance to end the game.
‘‘There’s still positives with the ball – Henners [Matt Henry] came back well,’’ Taylor said.
New Zealand finish their ODI series against Sri Lanka in Nelson tomorrow and will play five
Second one-day international at Bay Oval, Mt Maunganui:
NEW ZEALAND
M Guptill c Dickwella b Malinga ........................ 13 C Munro run out ....................................................... 87 K Williamson c Sandakan b Pradeep ................. 1 R Taylor run out ....................................................... 90 H Nicholls c Dickwella b Malinga ..................... 32 J Neesham run out .................................................. 64 T Seifert run out ........................................................ 22 T Southee not out ........................................................ 1 Extras (4b, 2lb, 3w) ..................................................... 9 Total (for 7 wickets, 50 overs) ........................ 319 Fall: 34, 39, 151, 208, 262, 302, 319. Bowling: L Malinga 10-0-45-2, N Pradeep
9-0-59-1, D Gunathilaka 1-0-10-0, T Perera
7-0-69-0 (2w), L Sandakan 10-0-56-0 (1w), S Prasanna 5-0-34-0, A Gunaratne 8-0-40-0.
N Dickwella b Southee ............................................. 9 D Gunathilaka c Seifert b Neesham ................ 71 K Perera c Boult b Henry ......................................... 4 K Mendis c Seifert b Sodhi .................................. 20 D Chandimal b Sodhi ................................................. 3 A Gunaratne run out ................................................. 6 T Perera c Boult b Henry .................................... 140 S Prasanna b Sodhi .................................................... 0 L Malinga b Boult ...................................................... 17 L Sandakan c Taylor b Neesham ........................ 6 N Pradeep not out ...................................................... 3 Extras (6lb, 13w) ......................................................... 19 Total (46.2 overs) .................................................. 298 Fall: 28, 63, 112, 116, 121, 128, 128, 203, 254,
298.
Bowling: T Boult 10-1-61-1 (3w), T Southee
8-0-68-1 (4w), M Henry 9.2-1-52-2 (2w), K Williamson 2-0-8-0, I Sodhi 10-1-55-3 (2w), J Neesham 7-0-48-2 (2w).
New Zealand won by 21 runs, lead three-match series 2-0.
Result:
SRI LANKA
ODIs against India and three versus Bangladesh as they prepare for the World Cup in England and Wales starting at the end of May. Taylor admits that tournament is in everyone’s minds.
‘‘First and foremost it’s the game in front of you,’’ he said. ‘‘Personally, I’ve been working hard on my game knowing it is World Cup year.’’
After finishing runner-up in NZ and Australia in 2015, is the current side capable of something similar?
‘‘In terms of going one better, I hope so,’’ he said.