×

We've got news for you.

Register on SowetanLIVE at no cost to receive newsletters, read exclusive articles & more.
Register now

Taylor in race to be fit for tests

MISSED: Ross Taylor is yet to face SA this summer
MISSED: Ross Taylor is yet to face SA this summer

ROSS Taylor is hoping to return to test cricket by next week when the first of three matches against South Africa starts at the picturesque University Oval in Dunedin.

The New Zealand skipper has not yet faced the Proteas this summer, having damaged his right calf muscle in the test match against Zimbabwe last month.

Taylor will turn out for Central Districts against Auckland in a Plunket Shield match which, in effect, will be a fitness test for the skipper.

Should his fitness be confirmed, Taylor will take back the captaincy from stand-in skipper Brendon McCullum, who has led the Black Caps in all their matches against South Africa during the current series.

Taylor took over the captaincy from Daniel Vettori last November, leading New Zealand to a dramatic seven-run win in Hobart - the Kiwis' first test win in Australia in 26 years.

Since assuming the captaincy, Taylor has thrived with the bat.

His last test innings was an unbeaten 122 against Zimbabwe. But the skipper knows that batting against Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander is very different from facing the military mediums of Kyle Jarvis, Brian Vitori and the Masakadza brothers, Shingi and Hamilton - or the Zimbabwean leg spinner Graeme Cremer, whose 46 balls to Taylor cost him 52 runs at a strike rate of 113.04.

Taylor is confident of coming through the weekend match and said he felt good and was "ready to fire".

He said he was eager to play against the Proteas next week.

Taylor's return would significantly strengthen the New Zealand batting and so would the return of Dean Brownlie, who was New Zealand's leading run scorer with 196 in the two tests in Australia earlier this summer.

Brownlie fractured a finger on his left hand during an ODI against Zimbabwe and the chances of his return by the time of the Dunedin match next week are slim.

Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.