Player Profile(#34)... Ross Taylor (New Zealand)

Luteru Ross Poutoa Lote Taylor (born 8 March 1984 in Lower Hutt) is a New Zealand cricketer. He has captained the New Zealand Under-19 side in youth internationals. Taylor has scored 132* in the State Shield in 2003-2004, and 184 in the State Championship in 2004-2005.

International career:
He made his debut for the New Zealand team in international cricket on 1 March 2006, in a one-day match against the West Indies. He became the second male player of Samoan heritage to play for New Zealand after Murphy Su'a.

Taylor has been a dominant batsman on the domestic scene for the past couple of seasons. He is a clean striker of the ball, and a useful off-break bowler. Taylor scored his maiden one day century in front of a delighted crowd in Napier, playing against Sri Lanka on December 28, 2006. Unluckily for him, New Zealand were comprehensively beaten in that game, his innings aside. He also suffered dehydration and required a short hospital trip during the second innings. Taylor hit 84 against Australia in their opening game in the 2007 Commonwealth Bank series.

Taylor's full name is Luteru Ross Poutua Taylor; however, some sources have inaccurately recorded his name as Ross Luteru Taylor. This is because Taylor grew up answering to both Luteru and Ross when playing cricket, and did not realise he needed to write down his full name for the official New Zealand Cricket records when he was asked to fill in a questionnaire at a first-class match early in his career.

Taylor has also played English cricket for Norwich and Coltishall wanderers in Norfolk. He was their key player and he was consistent in hitting runs.

Memorable moments:
His first ODI century came Vs Sri Lanka on 28 December 2006, scoring 128 (not out) off 133 balls. The innings included 12 fours and 6 sixes. Taylor scored his second century in his ODI career on 18 February 2007 against Australia. He scored 117, the 2nd highest score by a New Zealander against Australia.

He scored his maiden Test century on 6 March 2008 at Hamilton in the first Test of the 2007/8 series against England and went on to be the leading runs scorer in the same series.

Currently, he plays for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and for his domestic team, the Central Districts Stags.

Ross Taylor scored a test match career-best of 154* against England at Old Trafford Cricket Ground in May 2008, including 5 sixes and 17 fours.

More information about Ross Taylor can be found at these links:

Ross Taylor Career Stats @ cricketweb.net

Cricinfo.com profile on Ross Taylor






*Acknowledgements to Wikipedia.org and owners of pictures and videos used.

Player Profile(#32)...Jesse Ryder (New Zealand)

Jesse Daniel Ryder (born 6 August 1984) in Masterton is a New Zealand cricketer. A left-handed middle-order batsman and right-arm medium bowler, he plays Test and One Day International cricket for New Zealand. He has previously represented his country in the Under-19 Cricket World Cup of 2002. Ryder plays his domestic cricket with Wellington after crossing there from Central Districts in 2004 and is a member of their first-class and List A teams.

In late May 2007 announced that he was considering changing his allegiance to England due to his frustration at not getting full international honours for New Zealand. Later that month, Ryder backtracked on his earlier comments and currently remains dedicated to playing cricket for New Zealand.

Since both of Ryder's grandfathers were English and his father was originally from England, he would in fact qualify as a non-overseas player in the English County Championship.

Ryder first gained national selection in December 2007, representing the New Zealand XI against Bangladesh in a Twenty/20 charity match. The New Zealand XI contained nine Black Caps and two up-and-coming players, Ryder and Tim Southee. Unfortunately due to injury he was unable to play the match.

On January 30 2008, Ryder was chosen in the 12-man Twenty20 squad and the 13-man ODI squad to play England. New Zealand Cricket Selection Manager, Richard Hadlee said "Jesse has the potential to provide an explosive start alongside Brendon McCullum at the top of the innings in both forms of the game." Ex-cricketer Adam Parore subsequently hit out at the selector's decision to pick Ryder, claiming that he is "too fat" and "in no fit state to play for New Zealand."

In his first two Twenty20 games for NZ against England, Ryder scored 22 and 12 as New Zealand went on to lose both games heavily. In his first two ODI games Ryder scored 31 and 79* in vastly improved New Zealand performance. In the second ODI, he and Brendan McCullum set a new partnership record for any wicket against England with a combined total of 165 in 18.1 overs and New Zealand won by ten wickets. The previous record was Martin Crowe and Geoff Howarth's 160 at Eden Park in 1984. McCullum scored more runs (80*) off less balls (47) but Ryder (79* off 62) was named player of the match.

Ryder's 2007/08 season ended on 24 February 2008 when he badly cut his hand trying to break into a toilet at a Christchurch bar at 5:30am the day after NZ had won the one day series against England. NZ Cricket's general manager, Lindsay Crocker said:

"...this behaviour is unacceptable and we will have a serious discussion with him to ensure situations like this do not occur in the future. ...Ryder will pay for the damage and apologise to the bar owner. No further disciplinary action will be taken as Jesse's injuries should serve as enough of a lesson on this occasion."

It was later revealed that Ryder had been drinking until 1:30am the night before the fifth ODI against England (Ryder scored 24) and had been rude to staff at Christchurch hospital, demanding preferential treatment when he was being treated for his hand injury.





*Acknowledgements to owners of pictures and videos used.