Taylor stitches New Zealand’s comeback

Captain hits quickfire century against India in 2nd Test.


Reuters August 31, 2012

BANGALORE: New Zealand captain Ross Taylor kept his promise of attacking India’s spinners by smashing an entertaining hundred as the visitors reached 328 for six at close on the first day of the second and final Test in Bangalore.

Kruger van Wyk (63*) and Doug Bracewell (30*) carried on the good work after Taylor’s dismissal, adding an unbeaten 82 runs for the sixth wicket before bad light ended play 35 minutes early. The 28-year-old Taylor had promised a positive approach at the Chinnaswamy Stadium after New Zealand lost 18 wickets to the spinners in the first Test in Hyderabad, which the hosts won by an innings and 115 runs to go 1-0 up in the two-test series.

New Zealand opted to bat first and their intent was immediately clear, as the batsmen attempted to put India on the backfoot.

“Ross is a class player and some of the shots he played were really special,” said opener Martin Guptill, who started the fireworks with a quickfire 53. “We had a meeting on how to go about it and about the positive intent. We executed our plans well.”

Taylor hit 16 boundaries and two sixes and attacked the bowlers from the onset to complete his seventh Test century, and his third against India, off just 99 balls.

Pragyan Ojha kept India in the hunt by picking up his fourth wicket shortly after the tea break, when Taylor was out leg before trying to sweep the left-arm spinner.

“It was a good first-day pitch and they were trying to be aggressive,” Ojha said. “I think that was their game plan and Ross played quite well too. I think taking six wickets on this kind of a pitch was a good effort.”


Published in The Express Tribune, September 1st, 2012.

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