Ross Taylor picked up the final wicket to sign off his Test career on a high as New Zealand leveled the series against Bangladesh with an innings win in Christchurch.
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New Zealand was on the brink of an innings win against Bangladesh on day 3 of the Christchurch Test. Kyle Jamieson had taken four wickets and he was ably supported by Neil Wagner who took three wickets. With the light deteriorating, New Zealand skipper Tom Latham turned to Ross Taylor for a bowl. Taylor had not bowled in over eight years. Thus, when he came to bowl, the crowd present at Hagley Oval cheered loudly.
Taylor raised the cheer to another level with his third ball when he got the wicket of Ebadot Hossain. The wicket gave New Zealand an innings and 117-run in Christchurch. The win ensured New Zealand leveled the two-match series 1-1 after the Bay Oval Test was lost. Speaking about his Test career, Ross Taylor acknowledged that the ending was funky. “It’s great to finish off your career with a win and a wicket, I wanted to finish off with a win and the guys did it. The series was great – I was wondering if we need to come back tomorrow, but the boys were fantastic. It became a bit funky towards the end, I chucked it up and Tom (Latham) said it was the most precious thing I did over the whole game. I have thoroughly enjoyed representing my country,” Taylor said.
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With the match won by New Zealand, players paid tribute to Ross Taylor. When he came out to bat in the first innings, Bangladesh players had a Guard of Honour for Rossco. After the match, skipper Tom Latham hailed Ross Taylor’s contribution to world cricket.
Final words from the legend, Thank you Ross Taylor. pic.twitter.com/R3S9mRpYHT
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) January 11, 2022
“I have never felt more pressure while taking a catch. He probably didn’t see waking up he will take the final wicket. It won’t be the same without him at the first slip. We put up a perfect performance and it was ideal. Just wanted to do things a little bit longer. We just passed the ideal baton to the other guys,” Latham said.
Devon Conway, who was named the Man of the Series for his two centuries, also said Taylor’s retirement will leave a big void in the New Zealand team. “The guy (on Ross Taylor) has played that amount of Tests and has so much of knowledge about the game. Just a great bloke to be around. We will miss him a lot in the change room,” Conway said.
Ross Taylor will retire from international cricket after the ODI series against Australia and the Netherlands in April.
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