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MELBOURNE - New Zealand cricket batting kingpin Ross Taylor admits he's fighting his natural instincts but taking pride in a new, responsible role as a senior pro.
Taylor's 2009 runfest continued when his measured knock of 64 off 97 deliveries helped New Zealand stagger over the line against Australia in Perth and take a 1-0 lead into the second game of the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy one-day series here on Friday.
For a batsman who made his name flaying hapless bowling attacks all over Masterton, Palmerston North or Napier, and built a strike rate of 83.74 in his previous 53 one-day internationals with an average of 39.57, it's quite a metamorphosis.
"With the likes of Martin Guptill and Neil Broom being the junior partners, I suppose I have to take a little more responsibility and rein myself in," Taylor said.
"But I'm enjoying the role that I've got. I've had a few good innings now but there's still a lot to learn and hopefully it can continue."
New Zealand desperately needed Taylor's level head in Perth on Sunday as they slumped to 25 for three chasing 182, and a big series from him will go a long way to reclaiming transtasman one-day international supremacy.
At the WACA ground he largely kept the ball on the carpet and reached his ninth one-day half-century off a sedate 83 balls.
His only blemish was a wild drive at James Hopes on 15 which flew to third man and through a diving Mitchell Johnson's hands.
The only other real shot in anger was the huge six off speedster Shaun Tait over wide mid on to bring up his 50 in the 44th over and leave New Zealand requiring 35 off 40 balls.
The Central Districts batsman crossed the Tasman in rich form, having scored 228 runs at 93.50 in the narrow series win against the West Indies. He scored 13 in Christchurch, 51 not out in Wellington, 75 in Auckland and 48 not out in the series-clincher in Napier.
Still, he does not rate himself in career-best form.
"I think I'm batting the most maturely I have. I have probably batted better in the past but the game awareness has improved a little."
So there isn't the temptation to hurl the willow a bit more?
"I might have to leave that until the Twenty20, I think."
He can finally unleash at the Sydney Cricket Ground on February 14, before he returns home for the end of the domestic Twenty20 series then the tour opener against India, also in the abbreviated form.
Taylor, 25 next month, will quickly climb the world one-day batting rankings and join the world's leading runscorers for the calendar year if his hot streak continues.
Before the current series he was the highest ranked New Zealand batsman at 23rd on the one-day list.
He has not set any major goals for 2009, other than to plunder more runs and lead New Zealand to more victories.
He said the Perth win had given the side a nice boost, but they were hardly turning cartwheels over the way they achieved it.
"I wouldn't call it (confidence) sky high, leaving it down to the last ball was a bit nerve-wracking, but we're very happy with the win."
Taylor said the only disappointment was not being there to celebrate victory, as he was caught by Michael Clarke at backward point off Nathan Bracken with 12 required off 15.
"I would have liked to have seen it through to the end and not leave it down to Dan (Vettori) off the last ball. That was the disappointing thing."
- NZPA
