Mumbai: As the fading sun hung above Hagley Oval, the end was in sight for Bangladesh. And it was close to finishing time for Ross Taylor. But for a career as remarkable as his has been, there had to be one final flourish. There was no chance of another bat, but what about a little bowl?
He stood around, turning his arm over, perhaps as a hint to Tom Latham. The crowd immediately got behind him, and pleaded with Latham to involve Taylor. One last time. The decision was eventually taken away from Latham. At the end of the 79th over, with New Zealand one wicket away from victory, the umpires told Latham that pace was no longer an option in the fading light.”I was getting pressure from the crowd and also the boys, to bowl (Taylor),” Latham said after the innings victory that helped New Zealand square the series.
“But the umpires played their part as well. It was very dark out there. They said we couldn’t bowl seamers, I guess that left one decision, to bowl Ross. It couldn’t be scripted any better.”Taylor rocked up, and with his third delivery, he finished things off when Ebadot Hossain top-edged a slog. Latham took the catch, a tumbling effort that made it six for him in the match, to go with the 252 he scored in New Zealand’s only innings.
