Ross Taylor saluted Bangladesh for a poor win in the first Test but warned on Friday that the Christchurch green wicket was more in New Zealand’s favor as it looks to pull out of Test cricket.
The hosts are desperate to save the two-Test series after two losses and a draw in their first three matches to find some momentum in defense of their World Test crown.
The second match against Bangladesh, starting Sunday, will be a farewell Test for New Zealand’s top run-scorer Taylor.
This would be his 112th Test, in which he equaled Daniel Vettori as New Zealand’s most capped Test player.
Taylor, 37, said Bangladesh’s eight-wicket loss to New Zealand at Mount Maunganui this week was “good for world cricket”.
“We were outplayed the whole time. But to keep this game of Test cricket alive, we need Bangladesh to be a thriving nation and I think that will give them a lot of confidence.”
But nothing would make Taylor happier than escaping a series loss and signing out with a win.
“We’re down a zero, we know we’ve got to play some aggressive cricket, but it’s also a ground that we know how we’re going to play and we’ve had a lot of success here,” he said with the groundsman. Checking the position of the wicket.
“I just asked if it was a normal wicket and he said ‘yes’,” said Taylor with a smile. At Hagley Oval, ‘normal’ means a lot of green and winning the toss means bowling first.
“The bowlers will be licking their lips and we batsmen need to apply ourselves better than Mt. I think these conditions will be much more favorable for us than for Mt.
“We know what to expect and it’s positive about being at home and on a ground where we’ve played a lot of cricket.”
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Of the eight Tests at Hagley Oval, only one has been drawn and New Zealand have won six, giving one result out of seven.
What they lost against Australia in 2016 was Brendon McCullum’s farewell to Test cricket and the flamboyant batsman marked the occasion with the fastest century in Test cricket.
He made his world record 100 in 54 balls and scored 145 runs in 79 balls.
Taylor acknowledged that it would be hard to emulate.
“He has set the bar very high. It would be nice to just win,” said Taylor.
“I don’t think there will be many people who will be able to do what he did in his last match.”
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