68 | NORTH & SOUTH| JUNE 2019
ROSSTAYLOR
NewZealand’sseniorplayer,
Taylorisa 13-yearinternational
veteranwho’sscoredmore
one-dayrunsthananyotherNew
Zealandbatsman(8026);atthe
bestaverage(48.34);andwith
mosthundreds(20).He’sthe
world’sthird-rankedone-day
batsman,andhistestfiguresare
inthetopechelon,too.Alongside
Williamson,Taylorishalfofone
ofthebestNo3-No4 batting
combinationsininternational
cricket.Oncehehashiseyein,
the35-year-oldiscapableof
battingwitha rarefury,most
memorablyinhittinghishighest
one-dayscore, 181 notoutagainst
EnglandinDunedinlastyear,
despitehavinganinjuredleg.He
possessesa coupleofdistinctive
strokesallofhisown– and,as
withWilliamson,hastheability
tosettlehimselfinbeforeputting
hisfootdown.Hisabilitytocash
inlateinaninningsisimpressive,
too.ThiswillbehislastWorld
Cup,soexpecthim to be up for a
grand finale.
COLINDEGRANDHOMME
Fewplayersincricketcanmatch
deGrandhommeforhitting
power.Amongtheskillsyouwant
inyourone-dayteamisa player
whocanripawaythegamefrom
theoppositionwithrapid,
damagingballstriking.The
quietlyspoken,Zimbabwe-born
all-rounderscoreshisrunsfast.
Whenaskedtoexplainhisbatting
modusoperandi,hekeepsit
succinct:“Seeball,hitball.”If
you’reaftera detailedanalysisof
aninnings,forgetit.He’sa manof
fewwords,atleastpublicly.
HavingplayedforZimbabweat
theunder-19WorldCupin2004,
deGrandhommelefthisfamilyin
Hararein 2006 tofindother
cricketopportunities.His
medium-pacebowlingistidy,but
it’sthecrunching,cleanhitting
thatmakeshima potentialmatch
winneratthisyear’sWorldCup.
Consistency,it mustbesaid,isnot
a strongsuit.Butwhenhewalks
outtobat,bestnotdriftoffto
makea cupoftea.Youcould miss
something special. +
BlackcapscaptainKaneWilliamson(left)andseniorplayerRossTaylorhead
backtothepavilionafterhelpingNewZealandbeatSriLankaina 2014 testin
Christchurch. They will be influential figures in this year’s World Cup team.Hard-hittingall-rounderColindeGrandhommecelebrateshis maiden
test century, against the West Indies in Wellington in 2017.GETTYGETTYNEWZEALANDAT
THEWORLDCUP
ThequadrennialtournamentwillbeheldinEnglandandWales
from 30 Mayto 14 July.Tennationswillcompetein a single,full
round-robinformat;thetopfouradvancetothesemi-finals,and
thefinalis atLord’sin London.Catchtheaction onSKY Sport.
THEBLACKCAPS’SCHEDULE(NZ TIME):1 JUNE(9.30PM)v SRILANKA,CARDIFF
6 JUNE(12.30AM)v BANGLADESH,THEOVAL,LONDON
9 JUNE(12.30AM)v AFGHANISTAN,TAU NTON
13 JUNE(9.30PM)v INDIA,NOTTINGHAM
19 JUNE(9.30PM)v SOUTHAFRICA,BIRMINGHAM
23 JUNE(12.30AM)v WESTINDIES,MANCHESTER
26 JUNE(9.30PM)v PAKISTAN,BIRMINGHAM
30 JUNE(12.30AM)v AUSTRALIA,LORD’S,LONDON
3 JULY(9.30PM)v ENGLAND,DURHAM
SEMI-FINALS 9 JULY(9.30PM)MANCHESTER;JULY 11 (9.30PM)BIRMINGHAM
FINAL14 JULY (9.30PM)LORD’S, LONDON