Cricket: Taylor braces for big run chase

Ross Taylor posted his fifth test century yesterday. Photo / Getty Images

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He wrote his name in the record books, now Ross Taylor is vowing to lead New Zealand home in the second cricket test against Australia - no matter what they're chasing.

Taylor blazed the fastest century in New Zealand test cricket history off 81 balls on the way to 138 in the hosts' first innings of 264 which earned them a 33-run lead.

By stumps on the second day, Australia led by just two overall at 35 without loss to set the scene for an enthralling finish after two rollicking days of test cricket at Seddon Park.

There was a feeling of a job only half done for Taylor, who bounced back from two scores in the 90s against Pakistan to notch his fifth test century with wickets falling around him.

Now he wants to go on to 150-plus scores and do the job for New Zealand as they seek a first test win against Australia since 1993.

"When I did get the two 90s, Hogan (Taylor's batting coach Martin Crowe) said `when you're in the 90s it's just another number, you're out there to score 150-200'. That was going through my mind; 100 against Australia is always good but in that situation I needed to go on and score 150 or a big hundred," Taylor said.

He'll get his chance in the second innings on a slow, deteriorating Seddon Park surface, with Australian paceman Mitchell Johnson labelling 350 as a challenging fourth innings chase for the hosts.

"With two left-armers and an offspinner in their side, there's a bit of rough out there too. But in saying that it was still a pretty good wicket against Bangladesh on that fifth day so if we need to score 350-400 we just have to do it," Taylor said.

Taylor had no idea he was poised for the record books yesterday morning after an awful net session.

He arrived at 30 for two, then added 138 of the 206 runs scored while he was at the crease. Taylor scored exactly 100 in boundaries, and his 81-ball century topped captain Daniel Vettori's 82-ball effort against Zimbabwe in 2005.

"I wanted to be aggressive but I wanted to get myself in. If you'd seen me at the training nets I couldn't hit the ball off the square.

"I wanted to be positive, whether it was a defence, a leave or attack. There were a few balls I played hard at that I shouldn't have. I had a bit of luck go my way and the rest is history."

He was dropped on 52 and 92, having edged between slips Shane Watson and Ricky Ponting on seven.

Johnson, who led the way with four for 59, was confident of victory after the rest of New Zealand's batting folded.

"When you see just one guy getting a hundred, it definitely gives us a lot of confidence. We'll be looking forward to the next innings if we get that big total up there, 350-plus," Johnson said.

"I think to Ross you need to be pretty tight. We created enough chances but I can put my hand up and say I probably went a bit too wide to him and played to his game a little bit. He came off today and batted very well."

- NZPA