Cricket World Cup: Black Caps need Taylor despite poor form over past weeks

There is stark contrast between Ross Taylor's form in the cup and his overall record. Photo / Brett Phibbs

For all the high achievements of individual New Zealand players in the World Cup, there's one senior who will be hoping he's saving his best until tomorrow.

Ross Taylor has not had a stellar campaign as New Zealand have marched unbeaten into the final against Australia. He is the senior batsman and was expected to be a key performer.

Instead it has not worked out well for him.

There is stark contrast between his form in the cup and his overall record.

His average is 11 runs lower, his strike rate 13 points off his average - only Adam Milne and Trent Boult, who have faced seven balls between them, have a lower strike rate in the squad - and he's had communication breakdowns running between the wickets.

All of which have led to calls to replace him, more particularly during the group play. Bit late for that now.

However, Taylor didn't get his record by luck, or chance.

He is a fine batsman not having a fine time of it.

But remember he scored his 12th and most recent ODI century against Pakistan in Napier a few days before the tournament began. There had also been another ton against the Pakistanis in Dubai in December, so he could hardly be called a long term form casualty.

Before playing in an ODI against Sri Lanka in Hamilton in January, Taylor talked about working on a couple of technical issues.

He works with Martin Crowe, who knows a bit about batting. He's been trying to fix the problems.

Against Sri Lanka, in the opening game of the cup in Christchurch on February 14, Taylor scored 14 singles. He was out for 14 off 28 balls.

He fired his wicket against Scotland, along with several others, in pursuit of boosting the run rate; Mitchell Starc was simply too good for him at Eden Park, but there have been encouraging signs in his past three innings that there were chinks of light.

Talkback callers decried his 56 off 97 balls against Bangladesh. But coming in at 33 for two chasing 288, he could scarcely be expected to cheerfully flog the ball to, or over, the fence from the start.

In any case, that's not Taylor's go. Not everyone is a McCullum, or an Anderson, firing way from the beginning of an innings.

There was a 42 against the West Indies, sharing a 143-run stand with double centurymaker, and good mate, Martin Guptill - to follow their stabilising 131 against the Bangladeshis.

It ended in a run out, Taylor sent back, and that in turn was followed by another cockup, a stop start with Guptill against South Africa, and this time it was the opener who kept on running.

But there were signs in that 30 against the South Africans - off 39 balls it should be noted - that Taylor is edging back.

Only Stephen Fleming (8007 runs), Nathan Astle (7090) and McCullum (5808) have scored more ODI runs for New Zealand, and all at significantly inferior averages.

Only teammate Kane Williamson (45.32) and Glenn Turner (47.0) have better averages among those batsmen with a decent career behind them.

Only Astle, with 16, has more hundreds than Taylor's 12.

There's no question a New Zealand side with the name R. Taylor coming in at No 4 looks better than one without it.

You need big players for the big games, and they don't come any bigger for New Zealand than tomorrow. How Taylor would love putting the past few weeks' form behind him.

Ross Taylor

ODI record: 158 games, 5094 runs, average 41.41, strike rate 81.72, 12 100s, 30 50s
At the World Cup: 8 innings, 181 runs, average 30.16, strike rate 63.06, 1 50

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