Ross Taylor Leapfrogs Stephen Fleming to Become Leading Kiwis Run-Getter

Updated - 20 Feb 2019, 10:47 AM

Ross Taylor, 100 Tests, New Zealand vs India 2020

Ross Taylor will play his 100th Tests in Wellington. Photo Credit: Getty Images

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New Zealand’s middle order batsman Ross Taylor has overtaken former Kiwis skipper Stephen Fleming to become the country’s leading run-getter. Taylor needed 51 runs to surpass his first New Zealand captain, Fleming. The right-handed batsman scored 69 off just 82 balls in the final and third One Day International against Bangladesh.

The talisman batsman scored seven fours in his innings. New Zealand has posted a gargantuan score of 330 after Mashrafe Mortaza won the toss and decided to bowl first. There were three half-centurions in Blackcaps innings as Henry Nicholls, Ross Taylor and stand-in captain Tom Latham helped their team in getting to a par score.

Ross Taylor, New Zealand vs Sri Lanka 2019 — Getty Images

Taylor has done a great job.

On the other hand, New Zealand has already clinched the ODI series as they have taken an impregnable lead of 2-0 in the series. Bangladesh is currently tottering as they have lost five wickets for 94 runs.

Meanwhile, Ross Taylor scored his 47th ODI fifty. The right-hander has scored 8021 runs in 218 matches at a spectacular average of 48.32 and strike rate of 83.32. Taylor has scored 20 ODI hundreds as he is the most successful New Zealand’s ODI batter.

On the other hand, Stephen Fleming amassed 8007 ODI runs in 279 ODI matches. The southpaw batsman scored eight hundred in his career as he scored his runs at an average of 32.41. Furthermore, Nathan Astle is the third highest run-getter for New Zealand with 7090 runs in 223 matches.

Taylor said after knocking the record, “You don’t go out there to get records and things like that, but if you play long enough they come,” Taylor said.

“It’s a little bit embarrassing taking it off a Kiwi and Canterbury legend. He was one of my first captains I played under and I looked up to as a player.”

Stephen Fleming also took to his Twitter to congratulate Ross Taylor. The post read, “Congratulations @RossLTaylor amazing last 18 months and stellar career to date. Great player that I hope will set the bar high for the next. Well deserved and good luck over the next few months”.

Congratulations @RossLTaylor amazing last 18 months and stellar career to date. Great player that I hope will set the bar high for the next. Well deserved and good luck over the next few months.

— Stephen Fleming (@SPFleming7) February 20, 2019