New Zealand vs England: Ross Taylor produces amazing innings despite agonising thigh injury to level series 2-2
Taylor made a monumental 181 not out from 147 balls to help beat England by five wickets in the fourth one-day international
ROSS TAYLOR produced an astonishing innings that swept New Zealand to an unlikely win and trumped the centuries of Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root.
Taylor made a monumental 181 not out from 147 balls – and was batting virtually on one leg by the end after aggravating a thigh injury.
His knock gave the Kiwis victory by five wickets with three deliveries remaining as they ultimately surpassed England’s total of 335-9 with a bit to spare.
It means the Kiwis have levelled the series at 2-2 with one match to play in Christchurch on Saturday.
Taylor also scored a century in the opening match of the series, which New Zealand won.
When England stormed to 267-1 in just the 38th over, it looked like they would post an insurmountable total.
Baristow made 137 and Root finished with 102. The two Yorkshiremen put on 190 in 27 overs for the second wicket after Jason Roy made a quickfire 42.
It was just like old times for Bairstow and Root, who have known each other since their early teens.
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But then England’s batting fell apart. They lost a scarcely-believable eight wickets for 46 runs in 11 overs with the middle-order subsiding in a rash of overly-ambitious shots.
No.10 Tom Curran struck four fours from successive balls in the 50th and final over to elevate England to 335-9 – but it could have been so many more.
When New Zealand lost openers Colin Munro and Martin Guptill for ducks, England looked destined for a comfortable win.
But captain Kane Williamson and Taylor stabilised the ship and, after Williamson gloved a legside catch behind from the first ball that Ben Stokes bowled, wicketkeeper Tom Latham joined Taylor.
The pair plundered 187 in 25 overs for the fourth wicket and Taylor kept going until the end, hammering fours and sixes with huge power and authority despite his injury.
He twice received treatment and had his thigh strapped.
No England bowler escaped and left-hander Henry Nicholls struck the winning boundary off Tom Curran in the final over.