Taylor wants New Zealand to be prepared for all conditions

Ross Taylor 

Ross Taylor, the New Zealand middle-order batsman, has said that being prepared for all conditions would be important for teams at the upcoming ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019.

Reflecting on the much-talked about batting-friendly conditions in England, Taylor cited the ICC Champions Trophy 2017, saying that there weren’t too many big scores then, adding that it’s the mindset that matters.

“You don’t have to go too far back to the Champions Trophy, when a lot of people talked about big scores and there weren’t a lot at that tournament,” he said. “You’ve just got to be flexible, there will be times when the bowlers dominate and the batters will dominate as well. You’ve got to be prepared for anything and adapt accordingly.”

Apart from adaptability, Taylor, who will be playing his fourth World Cup, had a simple piece of advice for the younger players in the tournament. “It’s a pretty cool event to be a part of and there’s going to be a lot of ups and downs. If you enjoy yourself to the best, you’ll probably play your best as well,” he said. Taylor brings along solid experience of the English conditions, having played for Middlesex in the County Championship. He also stressed on the importance of the official warm-up games that will take place in the week leading up to the World Cup to get acclimatised.

“The game against India on the 25th would be a great preparation,” he said. “They are one of the stronger sides and are favourites going into the tournament. It will be good for us to go out there and have a good hit out as a team.”

The 35-year-old veteran also praised the format of this year’s edition, calling it exciting and fair. “The format, with everyone playing everybody, similar to the 1992 World Cup, is pretty exciting and a pretty fair reflection, I think. If you see at World Cups going around in all major sports, it’s more of a pool-type scenario.”

New Zealand will play warm-up games against India and West Indies on 25 and 28 May respectively, before beginning their campaign against Sri Lanka in Cardiff on 1 June.