Williamson: Taylor good to go for first Test

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson has confirmed that senior batsman Ross Taylor has been passed fit to take his place in the middle-order for the first Test against England that starts in Auckland on Thursday.
Taylor had been struggling with a niggling groin injury and the Kiwis called up Martin Guptill as cover ahead of the two-match series.
The 34-year-old Taylor, who has scored more than 6000 runs in the longest format after 83 games, has been in scintillating form with the willow recently, hitting two hundreds in three games in the ODI series against England.
ALSO READ: Wagner will put friendships aside on the field
When asked about Taylor’s fitness, Williamson said: “He’s good to go so that’s great news for us.
“Roscoe has played beautifully every time he’s walked out to the crease, the calmness at the crease, the confidence.
“It’s reflected in how much success he’s had this year. It’s important for us as a team that he’s there.”
The Test at Eden Park will be the first that will be under lights with a pink ball in New Zealand, although it will be the ninth overall in world cricket.
Williamson admitted that there will be some “unknowns” regarding conditions and the ball but that they should not over complicate things in the middle.
The Black Caps skipper explained: “There is probably a danger of over complicating some of the finer parts of the pink-ball game.
“There’s definitely some unknowns. There’s a lot of talk about the evening session and the condition of the ball in that time.
“There’s heaps of different stats but there’s still unknowns. The sample size of pink-ball cricket is fairly small but it’s important that you adapt as a change of conditions may happen coming into different stages of the day.”
Latest
-
News
Brave decision looks familiar for David Warner in The Hundred
The Australia opener rejoins Southern Brave for the inaugural competition.
-
News
Chris Gayle could make dramatic West Indies return
Former captain Chris Gayle is set to be included in the West Indies squad for the first time in two years when they take on Sri Lanka.
-
News
What can we expect from the day-night third Test between India and England?
The penultimate contest of the series gets under way in Ahmedabad on Wednesday.
-
News
Virat Kohli confident India have the answers to pink ball questions
The third Test at Ahmedabad will be a day-night contest.
-
News
Joe Root pondering unleashing James Anderson and Stuart Broad in third Test
England’s all-time top two Test wicket-takers have only taken to the field together seven times in the last two years.
-
News
Tammy Beaumont and Heather Knight lead England to victory over NZ in first ODI
The triumph puts England 1-0 up in the three-match series.
-
News
Nicholas Pooran and Kagiso Rabada among 10 new arrivals at Manchester Originals
The likes of Jamie Overton, Harry Gurney, and Steven Finn were also snapped up by the Originals for The Hundred.
-
News
Bouncer law changes among hot topics on MCC agenda
The bouncer as we know it could soon cease to exist in top-level, following a virtual MCC meeting on Monday.
-
News
Kate Cross says it’s ‘amazing’ to break another boundary with The Hundred opener
The England international will be part of the Manchester Originals line-up.
-
News
Today in 2010: Brett Lee announces retirement from Test cricket
The Australia fast bowler ended his Test career with 310 wickets from 76 matches.