Ross Taylor’s Legacy: Celebrating a New Zealand Cricket Legend

When any New Zealand cricket fan asks who their top ten all-time players are, Ross Taylor often appears on their list. 

The 40-year-old former cricketer and former New Zealand national team captain played his last international Test match against Bangladesh on January 9, 2022, and his last One Day International (ODI) against the Netherlands on April 4, 2022. 

Here is a closer look at the impressive career of one of New Zealand’s most iconic stars to grace the sport, highlighting some of his significant personal achievements and lasting legacy. 

Whenever he played, he was one of the most talked-about players on the pitch. His unique ability is why so many people tuned in to watch New Zealand play. He was also one of the most popular players to bet on. 

Even today, New Zealand international and domestic cricket matches are some of the most LuckyKoala sports bets. 

However, instead of being able to place a wager on Taylor, some of the other popular New Zealanders people like to bet on today are Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Kane Williamson, Devon Conway, Trent Boult, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, and Tom Blundell, to name a few.

Let’s discover more about one of New Zealand’s most iconic sports stars. 

Who is Ross Taylor?

Ross Taylor CNZM (the New Zealand Order of Merit) is a former men’s professional cricketer who played for several clubs in some of the world’s biggest domestic cricket leagues from 2006 until 2021. 

Although he announced his retirement from international cricket in late 2021, he continued to play in local competitions in New Zealand and franchise cricket for more than a year after ending his international career. 

One of his most remarkable achievements was becoming New Zealand’s leading all-time run-scorer in One Day International and Test cricket. 

Batting predominantly at number 4, Ross Taylor (full name, Luteru Ross Poutoa Lote Taylor, nicknamed ‘Rosco’) was a right-handed batter, right-arm off-break bowler, and middle-order batsman. 

He was born on March 8, 1984, in Lower Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand, and made his test debut for New Zealand on November 8, 2007, against South Africa. His ODI debut was on March 1, 2006, against the West Indies. During his international career, he played 243 test matches and 144 ODIs. 

He also played 22 Twenty 20 Internationals (T20Is), and his first match in this format was on December 22, 2006, against Sri Lanka. 

Which teams did Ross Taylor play for?

At the domestic level, he played in several major top-flight leagues in England, India, the Caribbean, and Australia. Some of the most notable teams he played for included the following:

• Central Districts
• Royal Challengers Bangalore
• Victoria
• Durham
• Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Daredevils
• Pune Warriors India
• Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel

He also played for St Lucia Zouks, Sussex, Nottinghamshire, Jamaica Tallawahs, Middlesex and the Guyana Amazon Warriors. 

What is Ross Taylor’s lasting legacy?

Ross Taylor will be remembered fondly for many personal achievements throughout his successful career. Let’s take a quick look at some of his most memorable moments. 

At the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup, while playing against Pakistan, Taylor became only the fourth player in the history of cricket to score a One Day International century (100 runs) on his birthday. 

Others who have achieved this quirky feat include the iconic Sachin Tendulkar, Vinod Kambli, and Sanath Jayasuriya. During this innings, he scored 131 off 124 balls, which included eight fours and seven sixes. 

He has captained his country in all major cricket formats. In March 2010, he was awarded the Man of the Match in his first game as New Zealand captain. He was the top scorer of this match with 70 runs. 

His career-best international Test innings score came against Australia in the 2015/16 season, when he scored a Test double-hundred in the Trans-Tasman Trophy competition – the first New Zealander ever to do so against Australia. 

Taylor was also the first New Zealand cricketer to reach 5,000 test runs in a career. He will long be remembered as an attacking batsman who could easily mix offence with defence. He was known for being incredibly powerful on the leg side and could handle most spinners’ deliveries. 

Final thoughts

Another highlight came in 2022, when, at the Queen’s Birthday and Platinum Jubilee Honours, he became a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM). 

Taylor received this honour for his services to the sport and continued support of Pacific communities. Many consider him one of New Zealand’s true greats, along with Martin Crowe, Brendon McCullum, Kane Williamson, Richard Hadlee, Tim Southee, and Trent Boult. 

James Franklin

Sports content writer for World in Sport

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