New Zealand will bank on Taylor’s experience

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New Zealand coach Mike Hesson said they will welcome the experience of Ross Taylor back into the middle-order for the crucial fourth ODI against England in Dunedin on Wednesday.

The Black Caps went down by four runs in the third game of the five-match series in Wellington on Saturday as they fell agonisingly short chasing a target of 235.

Captain Kane Williamson struck a fantastic unbeaten century for the hosts on a slow pitch but did not get the required support from the rest of the batting line-up.

Taylor scored a ton in New Zealand’s victory in the first game in Hamilton but missed the Wellington match because of a hamstring niggle and should be fit for the Kiwis’ must-win game as they try to win the series from two-one behind.

Hesson said: “We have some very talented players, such as Mark Chapman, but at the moment they aren’t Ross Taylor. It’s looking promising for Ross.

“That’s probably the best Kane has played in 12 months in terms of the way he stuck to his game plan form ball one.

“As the only player to pass fifty suggests it was an outstanding innings. To get us to a point where we had a chance to win was testament to his quality.”

The fifth and final ODI of the series will be played in Christchurch on Saturday.

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