Cricket: Ross Taylor to play for Black Caps but will need surgery

Ross Taylor will train with the Black Caps ahead of the second test against Pakistan. Photo / photosport.nz

Ross Taylor will play for New Zealand in the second test against Pakistan starting Friday after being cleared by eye specialists this week.

The 77-test veteran's left eye has a form of scarring and while it needs attention is not yet impacting on Taylor's sight.

It first came to public attention when he was not in his usual No 4 batting position as New Zealand closed in on victory in the first test in Christchurch on Monday.

Since then, Taylor has seen an optometrist and two specialists, the most recent in Hamilton today. While he has the all clear for this test, surgery is looming.

"Ross has a pterygium on his left eye, which is gradually getting bigger," New Zealand physiotherapist Tommy Simsek said tonight.

''Both the specialists he's seen in recent days have advised Ross still has 20/20 vision and Ross himself feels confident he is ready to play."

Taylor will sit out the Chappell Hadlee ODI series in Australia early next month for the surgery.

"Ross will still need to undergo a medical procedure on his eye to remove the pterygium before it gets any larger.

''He'll have surgery following the test which rule him out of cricket for approximately four to six weeks," Simsek said.

Northern Districts' former international Dean Brownlie had been called to Hamilton and will remain with the squad.

Taylor's form has been ordinary of late. The man who has scored 15 test centuries, only trailing his mentor Martin Crowe's 17 among New Zealand's leading centurymakers, is averaging 45.95 but has made just 103 runs in his last 10 test innings.

There were indications not all was right in India recently where the usually safe hands spilled two catches he would usually snap up comfortably.

Three of Taylor's test hundreds have come in eight tests at Seddon Park, so he'll be keen to capitalise on that before taking his break.

Seddon Park's test strip was very green today but some of that will disappear before the toss.

Even so one statistic gives food for thought for the captains: in the last four tests there, the team winning the toss has sent the opposition in each time, and won each time.

There is an expectation within the New Zealand squad that Pakistan will have learnt well from their three-day test in Christchurch.

They have class batsmen and bowlers but went into the test with no immediate preparation after their warmup match in Nelson was washed out.

New Zealand coach Mike Hesson wasn't sold on the underdone theory after the Christchurch match, but should world No 2 Pakistan put in a much-improved performance it will at least in part be put down to having some time in the middle in Christchurch.

''Pakistan have very good bowlers and they will have learnt from the first game and adjusted their lengths accordingly, and will have learnt a lot with the bat as well," New Zealand wicketkeeper BJ Watling said.