Ross Taylor was elated to have finished his Test career on a high for New Zealand on January 11 as the hosts defeated Bangladesh in the second Test to level the two-match series 1-1.
Taylor managed only 28 runs in New Zealand’s only innings of a three-day finish but what he would remember the most about his final tryst with the Test match game is adding another scalp to his kitty as a part-timer.
He finished off the proceedings at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch, dismissing No.11 Ebadot Hossain after almost being pleaded to be introduced into the attack by the crowd that was present at the stadium.
As the shadows lengthened and the natural light began to fade, the two standing umpires told Kiwi skipper Tom Latham that bowling pace was no longer an option for him. Recognising the mood of the setting, he handed the ball to Taylor, who didn’t disappoint his skipper and took the final wicket with his gentle off-spin.
“I was getting pressure from the crowd and also the boys, to bowl (Taylor). But the umpires played their part as well. It was very dark out there,”
Latham said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
Taylor was himself delighted to have added the third Test wicket to his tally and amusingly finish with a bowling average of 16.
“It got quite flat there towards the end. I chucked it up, and Tom said it was the most pressure has felt in a game! It was a great way to finish.
It was an emotional game for me, my family and friends, as well as the team.”
said Taylor.
Taylor had put a timer on his record-breaking Test career heading into the Bangladesh series. The 37-year-old finishes with 7,683 runs from 112 Tests at an average of 44.66, including 19 hundreds and a career-best score of 290 in Perth against Australia. Taylor is New Zealand’s most-capped Test cricketer and their highest-ever run-getter in the format.
