New Zealand Veteran Ross Taylor Gears Up To Play His 'Farewell' Series

Batting stalwart Ross Taylor will turn out for New Zealand XI against the touring Netherlands side in Napier next week as he looks to get some game-time ahead of his farewell ODI series against the Dutch later this month.

The 38-year-old Taylor has already retired from Test cricket.

A veteran of 233 ODIs and 112 Tests, Taylor was ruled out of Friday's Plunket Shield match for the Central Stags after he was deemed a Covid-19 'household contact'. He will now turn out against the Dutch at McLean Park in Napier in the second one-day warm-up game on March 19 as well as the one off T20 on March 21.

Later, he will play in the three-match ODI series against the Dutch side.

Taylor said he was excited to join the NZ XI and "grateful" to get some game time ahead of his final series for the Blackcaps.

"I'm looking forward to getting down to Napier and playing on one of my favourite grounds in McLean Park," said Taylor. "It's a great opportunity to get some time in the middle after missing the latest round of the Plunket Shield and it will also be useful to have a look at the touring team ahead of the ODI series.

"I'm looking forward to sharing the dressing room with some new and younger faces who I hope I can help by passing on some knowledge," Taylor told New Zealand Cricket (NZC).

"The Netherlands are an ever-improving side and they'll be relishing the chance to take on a Test-playing nation. They have a few familiar players from the New Zealand domestic scene who I'm sure will be valuable to them in terms of understanding the conditions.

"We know they'll play with plenty of pride and expect them to be a good challenge," said Taylor.

"Taylor's inclusion headlines a strong mix of Blackcaps hopefuls and rising stars in the NZ XI squad which will be captained by Michael Bracewell. Bracewell, Dane Cleaver and Ben Sears are very much contenders for the Blackcaps white-ball squads to face the Netherlands later this month, in light of the unavailability of 12 Blackcaps regulars who will leave for the IPL in the coming weeks," said an NZC statement.

Paul Wiseman will lead the coaching staff and will be supported by Auckland pace bowling coach Azhar Abbas and former New Zealand wicketkeeper BJ Watling.

The New Zealand XI will face the Netherlands behind closed doors in two one-day matches at McLean Park on March 17 and 19 followed by a one-off T20 on March 21.

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They will then take on the Netherlands in a T20I on March 25 at McLean Park followed by three ODIs, at Mount Maunganui's Bay Oval on March 29 and Hamilton's Seddon Park on April 2 and 4.