An emotional Ross Taylor was given a standing ovation as the New Zealand great bid an emotional farewell to international cricket on Monday after 16 years at the top.
The visiting Netherlands team gave the 38-year-old a guard of honour as he came out to bat at number four in the third one-day international at Seddon Park in Hamilton.
He was dismissed for 14, but the day belonged to Taylor, who announced in December that the series against the Netherlands would be his last hurrah.
With his children on one side and teammates on the other, Taylor was in tears before the match as the players lined up for the national anthems.
Ross Taylor gets emotional as he takes the field for New Zealand one last time in international cricket. ♥️
— The Field (@thefield_in) April 4, 2022
🎥 Spark Sportpic.twitter.com/rxYUdCtVof
The Seddon Park spectators rose to their feet and applauded generously as he came to the crease for the final time.
Taylor bowed out of Test cricket in style in January, taking the last Bangladesh wicket to ensure New Zealand won the second Test in Christchurch and drew the series.
Taylor has been a mainstay in the New Zealand batting order since making his debut in 2006, amassing a plethora of records and achievements.
Among them are a New Zealand record 7,683 Test runs and he also scored the most runs for the country in ODIs.
He also made the highest Test score in Australia by a visiting player – 290 at Perth in 2015.
#CricketTwitter
— The Field (@thefield_in) April 4, 2022
A guard of honour as Ross Taylor walks out to bat in international cricket for one final time!
📽 Spark Sport pic.twitter.com/9tGoR7s4at
As the New Zealand great stepped on to the field for the last time, the cricketing world reminisced their favourite memories of him, moments from his final match and more. Have a look:
Ross Taylor sticks out his tongue one last time ❤️ cherish it pic.twitter.com/GcS3Rk0Y1S
— Sritama Panda (Ross Taylor’s version) (@cricketpun_duh) April 4, 2022
My earliest memory of watching Ross Taylor bat was I guess in 2010, one of the earliest players I watched playing the game. Brilliant batter as well as a great Human being, retiring as one of the best batters for New Zealand. His journey is amazing. Happy retirement Favourite🖤
— Varad (@pullseyes) April 4, 2022
You’ve been a great ambassador of the game Ross! It was wonderful playing against you. The way you reinvented yourself over the years to adapt is an inspiration for all the young kids aspiring to be cricketers.
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) April 4, 2022
Heartiest congratulations on a fabulous career. pic.twitter.com/RpB62iuuD0
Lovely. Ross Taylor's daughter Mackenzie says she wants to be a White Fern in an interview with Katey Martin. Says Martin is her favourite White Fern and then quickly adds Amelia Kerr. Good little interview. :) (And quite the work-rate from Martin, the broadcaster)
— Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) April 4, 2022
One last time over the rope for New Zealand today for @RossLTaylor at Seddon Park. Follow play from 2pm NZT with @sparknzsport and @TodayFM_nz. #NZvNED #ThanksRosco pic.twitter.com/2qVwTSQOT3
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) April 3, 2022
Ross Taylor has been one of world’s best ODI bats in 2nd half of career.
— Michael Appleton (@michelappleton) April 4, 2022
In 102 ODIs since 2014 - when middle order bats averaged 38 - he averaged 59.
Batters to play 55+ ODIs & average 55+ since 2014:
Kohli 63.9
ABDV 63.6
Rohit 59.3
Babar 59.2
🏏 Taylor 59.2
Du Plessis 58.0
A fitting end to Ross Taylor's international career in Hamilton. He takes the catch to seal New Zealand's 12th consecutive win in ODIs at home and fourth successive series win by a margin of 3-0. NZ are the only unbeaten team in the ICC Cricket World Cup Super League.
— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) April 4, 2022
Thank you for all the memories, @RossLTaylor 🙌
— ICC (@ICC) April 4, 2022
We wish you a happy retirement. pic.twitter.com/NB8vwWiZnY
Kane Williamson should’ve been there with Ross Taylor, this isn’t fair
— Sritama Panda (Ross Taylor’s version) (@cricketpun_duh) April 4, 2022
Ross Taylor's swansong 🇳🇿
— ICC (@ICC) April 4, 2022
New Zealand win the toss and elect to bat in the last of three Super League ODIs against the Netherlands.
Stephan Myburgh is also calling time on his ODI career today.
Watch Taylor's final international match on https://t.co/CPDKNxoJ9v 📺 pic.twitter.com/9pGuAdFQw5
University can bugger off for the day, it’s Ross Taylor’s last international cricket match.
— Lily Franklin (@lilyffranklin13) April 4, 2022
Messages from around the cricketing world for @RossLTaylor ahead of his final match for New Zealand tomorrow at Seddon Park. #ThanksRosco #NZvNED pic.twitter.com/krmI1aUY2l
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) April 3, 2022
Thank you Ross Taylor! A sign of champion players are ones who find ways to evolve and keep getting runs however they can. Many great memories, the Pallekele ton, home exploits, the time at RCB and various leagues, was good watching him play! pic.twitter.com/cQdbrERu0p
— Nikhil 🏏 (@CricCrazyNIKS) April 4, 2022
Announcing Ross Taylor to the crease for the final time in his 450th match across all formats for the @BLACKCAPS. A New Zealand sporting icon and cricketing immortal. pic.twitter.com/93FL8Mm7QO
— Jake O'Flaherty (@jakoboflaherty) April 4, 2022
Ross Taylor owned the No.4 spot in both Tests and ODIs. One of the finest to have batted at that position and that spot has some of the biggest names of all time - SRT, Lara, Kallis, Miandad to name a few. 5th Highest in Tests and most runs in ODIs at No.4. Farewell @RossLTaylor
— Rahul Rawat (@rawatrahul9) April 4, 2022
Not gonna lie, this got me emotional. Ross Taylor's farewell outing today
— Sivy Kanefied 🇳🇿 (@Sivy62) April 4, 2022
It's been an absolute pleasure watching him since 2011 (that epic 131* vs PAK was the first knock of his I ever watched). What a player he's become, an absolute legend of NZC ❤️ Thank you @RossLTaylor https://t.co/HntES5Qd2q
#CricketTwitter
— The Field (@thefield_in) April 4, 2022
...and with a catch at midwicket, Ross Taylor's fine international career comes to a close!
Thanks for the memories, @RossLTaylor. 👏🏽
📽 BLACKCAPSpic.twitter.com/SxLPnV187W
Thank you for the memories, Rosco! You are, you were and you will ALWAYS be cherished. Happy retirement 🤍 pic.twitter.com/qz5auFc2E4
— Siddhi (@_sectumsempra18) April 4, 2022
Speaking about his mate’s farewell, Martin Guptill was quoted as saying: “It’ll be even more emotional when we wake up tomorrow morning and Ross is no longer going to be there. It will be tough, but we will have a good night tonight celebrating the Netherlands vs New Zealand series. Rosco (Ross Taylor) is an absolute legend and all of us are going to miss him around the group. He has been phenomenal and absolutely lovely and hopefully we can catch up over the coming years.”
With inputs from AFP
Highlights of the match between the BLACKCAPS and the Netherlands are available on Amazon Prime Video in India.
