NZ vs BAN: Visitors give Ross Taylor a Guard of Honour on his final Test appearance

New Zealand veteran Ross Taylor is currently taking part in the second Test against Bangladesh at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch. It also happens to be his final appearance in the longest format after he announced his retirement last month. Taylor is set to end his Test career after playing 112 games in which he scored over 7600 runs with 19 centuries and 35 half-centuries.

The Wellington-born Taylor came out to bat in the second day of the ongoing game against the Tigers. To pay respect to the legend, the Bangladesh players gave the 37-year-old right-hander a ‘Guard of Honour’. The visitors’ players were seen clapping for the batter.

Taylor came to bat with New Zealand’s score at 411 in the 106th over. He scored 28 runs off 39 balls with the help of four fours before Ebadot Hossain got rid of him.

I feel incredibly fortunate to have represented my country, says Ross Taylor

Taylor made his debut way back in 2006 and his career for the Kiwis lasted as long as 16 years. Looking back on his journey, Taylor expressed a lot of gratitude. He has also been a fulcrum of the New Zealand setup across all three formats.

“It’s been an amazing journey and I feel incredibly fortunate to have represented my country for as long as I have,” Taylor was quoted as saying in a statement.

“It’s been such a privilege to play with and against some of the greats of the game and to have created so many memories and friendships along the way. But all good things must come to an end and the timing feels right for me,” he stated.

Black Caps’ head coach Gary Stead also had words of praises for Taylor. He lauded the batter for his skills and temperament to thrive under pressure.

“Ross has always been a hugely respected member of the side and we’re thankful for his contributions to the Black Caps over an incredible career. His skills and temperament as a batsman have been world-class and his ability to perform at such a high level for so long speaks volumes of his longevity and professionalism,” Stead said.