Don Taylor (cricketer)

The New Zealand Test team, Christchurch, March 1947. Don Taylor is on the right of the middle row, next to the manager.

Donald Dougald Taylor (2 March 1923 in Auckland – 5 December 1980 in Epsom) was a New Zealand cricketer who played in 3 Tests from 1947 to 1956.

A middle-order batsman, Taylor made his first-class debut in 1946-47, when he scored 205 runs at 51.25^[1] to help Auckland win the Plunket Shield. In their last match of the season Auckland needed 236 to beat Canterbury and were 76 for 4 when Taylor came to the wicket. He scored 98 not out in an unbroken match-winning partnership of 161 with Bert Sutcliffe.^[2] Later that season he made 12 batting at number five in his first Test, against England.

He was recalled nine years later in 1955-56 against the West Indies after making 254 runs at 36.28 that season in the Plunket Shield.^[3] Batting at number four in the Third Test he made 43 and 77, top-scoring for New Zealand, and he was retained for the Fourth Test, which was New Zealand's first Test victory; Taylor made 11 and 16.

He played for Auckland from 1946-47 to 1948-49, then as a professional for Warwickshire from 1950 to 1953, without establishing himself in the county side,^[4] then returned to New Zealand to play for Auckland from 1953-54 to 1960-61.

Batting for Auckland against Canterbury in 1948-49 he and his partner Bert Sutcliffe achieved a world record by taking part in two opening partnerships of over 200 runs in the one match - 220 and 286.^[5] His 143 in the second innings of this match was his only first-class century.

His nickname was "Bloke", because of his frequent use of the word.

References

External links

• Don Taylor at Cricket Archive
• Don Taylor at Cricinfo