Cricket: Taylor ton leads Black Caps to big total

Ross Taylor. Photo / Getty Images

Fresh campaign, different opponents and conditions, same outcome; New Zealand have as in-form a batting pair as there are in the ODI game in Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor.

The pair give New Zealand's batting a solid 3-4 punch and maintained their fine touch in the opening ODI against Zimbabwe in Harare last night, guiding New Zealand to 303 for four, having been sent in.

Taylor finished unbeaten on 112 off 122 balls; Williamson played a ball onto his stumps at 97, in touching distance of what would have been his eighth ODI ton, the pair putting on 137 for the third wicket.

Taylor's century, his third in six innings, was his 15th in ODIs, and he closed to one behind the New Zealand recordholder Nathan Astle.

When Taylor came in, New Zealand were 39 for two in 9.5 overs, hardly a hectic, McCullum-like start in its pace. But this is a tour for New Zealand to prepare for the time when the regular, and inspirational, little leader is permanently no longer around, instead of taking a temporary break.

Taylor took his time, Williamson got moving more briskly, but Taylor accelerated late on to complete his third ODI ton in the last five innings.

Indeed the pair shared a century-plus stand for the 10th time. Only 15 combinations have achieved that and only one pair - South Africa's Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers - average more, 81.96, than Williamson and Taylor's 60.91 when batting together. The South Africans have achieved their marks in 35 innings, the New Zealanders in 38.

In four of their last five ODIs, Williamson and Taylor have compiled century partnerships.

On the recent England tour, at the Oval it was 121 (Williamson 93, Taylor 119 not out), followed by 206 at Southampton (Williamson 118, Taylor 110) and 101 at Trent Bridge (Williamson 90, Taylor 42) before last night's effort.

Williamson eased past Ken Rutherford's ODI run mark to leave only 12 New Zealanders ahead of him.

As New Zealand captain, in 10 ODIs, Williamson has hit 588 runs at 65.6, dwarfing his overall average of 48.16 in 80 games.

There was a brisk contribution from Grant Elliott, 43 off 32 balls as the last 10 overs produced 115.