Cricket: Taylor dismissed by boring tactics

Ross Taylor. Photo / Getty Images

Ross Taylor admitted boredom played a role in his dismissal for 78 yesterday as he struggled to switch between Twenty20 and test formats.

Taylor formed the cornerstone of a New Zealand innings that staggered to a respectable 246-6 by stumps. In the meantime, at 98-4 and 180-6 the Black Caps looked as shaky as the scaffolding at the Scoreboard End against the blustery north-west gale.

Yesterday's innings proved a chance for Taylor to exercise his professional pedigree. He got past 29 for the first time in seven test innings. The last time he scored a 50 was in the first test innings of the recent Indian tour, when he made 56 in Ahmedabad.

Taylor ground out his runs yesterday from 168 balls, a far cry from the tempo he will be expected to produce on US$1 million a year at the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League - but gritty and effective nonetheless. He was eventually dismissed slashing at a ball outside off from the start of a new Wahab Riaz spell into the wind.

"At times we were almost bored out, like myself and Martin Guptill. We did all the hard work and got ourselves out. I wouldn't say they [Pakistan] were negative but they did try to bore us out. The odd ball does something but it is still a good wicket.

"I tried to play as straight as possible. When you're searching for form, you look for all sorts of things [to fix it] and forget the basics. Playing straight still gives you the best chance of succeeding. I haven't felt out of nick, I just haven't scored the runs. Today I should have gone on to get three figures."

Taylor showed plenty of new coach John Wright's much-vaunted patience. Only once has he faced more balls and not got a century - that came with 94 off 174 balls against Pakistan last summer.

He refused to tempt himself with slog sweeps into the wind against spinner Abdur Rehman with a fielder constantly placed at cow corner. He did launch one six - off Rehman - over long-on.

"The spinner [Rehman] bowls quite flat and doesn't give you much, especially when the sweeper was out there. I tried to be as aggressive as possible without being reckless. I got to 15 quite quickly and settled in from there."

Taylor played straighter for the most part but still swept well and cut with panache. Only a French cut to take him to three and throwing a bat at a Wahab delivery which rifled over the slip cordon in the 23rd over could be termed rash.

The vice-captain says he had no input on the decision to bat the inexperienced Kane Williamson at three in just his fifth test.

"I turned up and the team was already announced. I didn't know until an hour before the start that was the line-up. It was taken out of my hands with Dan deciding Kane was batting at three."