Taylor misty-eyed as he lauds mentor Crowe

– An emotional Ross Taylor paid tribute to his mentor the late Martin Crowe following a superb century which put New Zealand in sight of a series sweep in the second Test against the West Indies yesterday.

Taylor equalled the New Zealand record of 17 Test centuries, held by Crowe and Kane Williamson, and was unbeaten on 107 when New Zealand declared their second innings at 291/8.

The West Indies, set a daunting 444-run target, were 30/2 after eight overs at stumps and staring at a second loss after their innings defeat in the first Test.

A tearful Taylor attributed his success to Crowe, the former New Zealand captain who died last year from lymphoma at 53.

“We had some good nights with him over some red wine. Talking about my batting, and lot of it probably not positive.

“It came from a good place and I guess that’s why I’m here today,” he said.

“Martin always got me to have goals and they weren’t there to be the be-all and end-all but be just a little reminder now and then.”

Taylor had a near chanceless innings, and when he was dropped by Shai Hope on 35, he said that became a motivation to press on.

“I said ‘Let’s make it pay’. Sometimes you go through different parts of your career and you go ‘Dammit’ and you go through a bit of a lull, and that was the first thing I said to myself when it happened. Very fortunate,” he said.

“I did hit it pretty hard though. Sometimes when you get dropped you say ‘Oh no’ but I was trying to convince myself I hit that pretty hard.”

Miguel Cummins led a feisty bowling attack, at times reminiscent of an earlier era when they had bowlers with serious venom.

The only other New Zealander to pass 50 was Williamson who managed 56 before he was undone by a Cummins yorker.

But most of the New Zealand batsmen were hurried up by a salvo of short balls.

Taylor was involved in partnerships of 58 with Williamson, 50 with Mitchell Santner and 51 with Colin de Grandhomme. – AFP