Cricket World Cup 2019: Ross Taylor defends under-fire captain Kane Williamson
Veteran
Black Caps batsman Ross Taylor says Kane Williamson hasn't become a bad
captain overnight.
Taylor defended the New
Zealand skipper at a press conference ahead of their big World Cup
encounter against England at Chester-le-Street (9.30pm Wednesday
NZT), after Williamson had come in for criticism in the UK media for
his 'timid' approach to leading the side.
Taylor said Williamson was
a "world-class" leader.
Ross Taylor defended
the captaincy credentials of Kane Williamson as
he called on New
Zealand's batsmen to lighten their talisman's workload ahead of a
pivotal World
Cup clash against England.
Williamson has amassed
454 runs in six tournament innings at a phenomenal average of 113.5, though his
leadership has come under scrutiny for being too passive.
Williamson has amassed 454 runs in six tournament innings at a
phenomenal average of 113.5, though his leadership has come under scrutiny for
being too passive.
Unfavourable comparisons have
been made with Williamson's predecessor, Brendon McCullum, following successive
defeats to Pakistan and Australia that have left the Kiwis' World Cup hopes in
the balance.
Taylor said: "I've played under many different captains.
Brendon was the extreme and Kane has his own unique style as well. You have to
be true to yourself and be authentic and more often than not you get the
right
2019 Cricket World Cup
Group stage standings
POS
|
TEAM
|
P
|
W
|
L
|
T/NR
|
PTS
|
NRR
|
|
1
|
AUS
|
8
|
7
|
1
|
0
|
14
|
+1.00
|
|
2
|
IND
|
8
|
6
|
1
|
1
|
13
|
+0.81
|
|
3
|
NZ
|
8
|
5
|
2
|
1
|
11
|
+0.57
|
|
4
|
ENG
|
8
|
5
|
3
|
0
|
10
|
+1.00
|
|
5
|
PAK
|
8
|
4
|
3
|
1
|
9
|
-0.79
|
|
6
|
SL
|
8
|
3
|
3
|
2
|
8
|
-0.93
|
|
7
|
BAN
|
8
|
3
|
4
|
1
|
7
|
-0.19
|
|
8
|
SA
|
8
|
2
|
5
|
1
|
5
|
-0.08
|
|
9
|
WI
|
8
|
1
|
6
|
1
|
3
|
-0.33
|
|
10
|
AFG
|
8
|
0
|
8
|
0
|
0
|
-1.41
|
|
Also Read: India vs Bangladesh, ICC Cricket World Cup 2019,
Taylor said: "Archer has added a
different dimension and balance to their side. He's a fantastic bowler, but we
probably haven't seen the best of him with his batting because he's a fantastic
batsman as well."
The last time Taylor faced
England in a one-day international, the 35-year-old registered a stunning 181
not out in Dunedin last year to underpin a five-wicket victory.
He has yet to reach three
figures in this year's World Cup, but added: "I have felt good throughout
the whole tournament, a couple of strangles down the leg-side and a couple of
good balls, that is the nature of the beast and cricket.
"You know you are not too
far away from hopefully getting a few out the middle and getting that
confidence up."
By Niall Anderson in Chester-le-Street
When the Black Caps were
destroying England's Cricket World Cup hopes in 2015, little did they know the
revolution they were inspiring.
Routed for 123 by the
best figures in New Zealand ODI history – Tim Southee's 7-33 – England's
ultimate humiliation was still to come in the Black Caps' chase, where the
hosts needed a mere 12.2 overs to storm to victory behind Brendon McCullum's 77
from 25 balls.
So severe was the
thrashing that the floodlights didn't even need to be turned on for the
day-night encounter, and the manner of the defeat – the lowest point of a World
Cup campaign that saw England crash out in pool play - gave captain Eoin Morgan
an epiphany.
Is this the last "All you need to know" we're going to read?
Unfortunately, my dear
reader, you're probably stuck with me for at least another game yet. A victory
sends the Black Caps into a 2 v 3 semifinal against either Australia or India,
and a loss …. well, probably sends the Black Caps into a 1 v 4 semifinal
against either Australia or India.
The only way the Black
Caps don't end up playing Australia or India in a semifinal is if they get
hammered by a historic margin against England – say, the reverse of their 2015
encounter – and Pakistan thrash Bangladesh by a similarly ludicrous margin on
Friday. That would see them miss out on the semifinals on net run rate. The
chances of New Zealand making the semifinals? $1.01, say the bookmakers.
Ok, but beating England is still important, right?
It sure would be for
their prospects of winning the World Cup. The last two games, and in all
honesty, the World Cup as a whole, haven't shown many indications that the
Black Caps can beat the three hot favourites for the Cup – they're yet to have
a convincing win over a strong side.
But, England had a shock
loss to Sri Lanka, have struggled at times when chasing a total, and New
Zealand showed against Australia that they definitely are good enough to put
themselves in a position to win – it's just whether they can capitalise when it
counts. While they are definite underdogs, the Black Caps absolutely can beat
England – and they'll need to, for anyone to believe in their chances of
winning the World Cup.
How dangerous is this England side?
Extremely. Their batting
lineup is outrageously deep - their No 9 and 10 batsmen both average over 30 in
first-class cricket – which gives them the licence to flay the bat from ball
one.
They've passed 310 on
five occasions at the tournament, and, playing at a Chester-le-Street ground at
which Sri Lanka and the West Indies just combined for 653 runs, albeit on a
different wicket, Ross Taylor indicated he expects scores of 300+ to be
required.
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