Ross Taylor: Black & White

by Paul Thomas

When an athlete with an exceptional record of achievement and longevity comes to the end of their career, the numbers can speak for themselves. Ross Taylor has scored the most runs, made the most centuries and taken the most catches by a New Zealander in international cricket. He's the first New Zealand cricketer to play 450 international matches. He's the first player from any country to make 100 international appearances in all three formats of the test cricket, one-day internationals and Twenty20. The numbers are extraordinary but they don't tell the whole story. They don't capture the unlikely, if not unique, aspects of Ross Taylor's journey to becoming one of our true sporting * the part-Samoan youngster, brought up in humble circumstances and a loving and supportive family environment, who quickly made his mark in a predominantly white sport; * the dashing batsman who found fame and fortune amidst the glitz and glamour of the Indian Premier League, then adapted his game in order to realise his ambition of becoming a champion in the most demanding format, test cricket; * the young captain whose dream of leading his country turned into a nightmare that took a heavy toll on his well-being; * the resilient performer who overcame rejection and adversity to play a central role in New Zealand cricket's golden era. Here is the whole story - in black and white.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction

281 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 11, 2022

Reviews

[Gerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best sports biographies I've read. Whilst the media has picked up on elements of racism acknowledged and discussed in the book, that's quite a minor part of the story. But what is huge is how much cricketers are expected to fit a mould, and when they don't quite, how hard it can be for them.

The main point here is around when Taylor lost the captaincy. Mike Hesson certainly doesn't come off well (John Buchanan sympathetically which surprised me a little) but the way Ross was treated by administrators is appalling. He's still to receive an apology for some of it. And one can't help feel that quite a few of them would have been happier if he just packed it in, leaving them free to deal with the lads they understand, that their Academy system probably identified and promoted early on (a problem that seems to dog cricket in particular in many countries). Yes most of those would be white, but they also probably came from well off families, cities, good schools etc.

Taylor came from none of those, didn't give up (thank God) and went on to become one of our finest ever batsmen if not the best.

Further, whilst his form had clearly started to deteriorate, he's left a gaping hole in the line-up... His leadership sorely missed.

Recommended, and not just for obsessive NZ cricket fans like me, but for any who recognise this pattern in society.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Told with grace, dignity, humour, and warmth.

[Umbar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jumps around temporally which can be a bit confusing at times but truly what a fascinating read. If you like cricket, you'll love the insights into the last 15 years of domestic cricket.

(Changing review to the edition that has more reviews lol)

[Chris Jamieson · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 - enjoyed it.

[Evan Micheals · Rating 3 out of 5]

I heard Ross Taylor speak on the Between Two Beers Podcast and decided to read his book. It was a fairly typical sports biography of overcoming uncertainty and adversity (whilst oblivious to the privileges his talent allowed).

What was of interest was Taylor’s perception of being an outsider inside a bubble. It is easy to assume that everyone in a successful sports team is best mates. I have been around long enough to know this is seldom the truth. Taylor makes clear that he and Brendon McCullum do not exchange Christmas cards, and that he always felt an outsider to McCullum’s clique, with some inside the team waiting for him to fail so he could be dropped. Ross Taylor was given advice on coping in an elite team that contained a psychopath (? alluding to Brendon McCullum) in a leadership position. The advice was to leave or keep your head down. Taylor chose to keep his head down, concentrating on scoring runs and avoiding team politics. His mentor Martin Crowe advised him to stay focused on performance rather than addressing what he perceived as the dysfunction of the team, where loyalty was more valued than talent. Taylor did not fully enjoy his cricket until McCullum retired, Williamson became captain, and they went on to share New Zealand cricket’s greatest moment together.

Cricket is a game where statistics paint a picture. Thinking about Ross Taylor’s record versus Brendon McCullum, you would consider McCullum a good but not great cricketer, and you could argue that Taylor is amongst the greats of New Zealand cricket. McCullum has a better record in T20, a game he was temperamentally suited for, but cricket purists consider it less significant. As a batsman, Taylor could be mentioned alongside Crowe, Fleming, Williamson, and Turner. McCullum more alongside Astle—amongst the first picked in their era, but not all-time greats. McCullum may be a great wicketkeeper-batsman, but neither a great batsman nor a great wicketkeeper.

As a book this is well written and well paced. I often find cricket biographies are superior to rugby, as was the case with this one. It covers one of the great eras of New Zealand cricket (the 2010s). Recommendable to someone with an interest in New Zealand cricket.

[Abhishek Shetty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ross Taylor has had a long career as a professional cricketer for New Zealand. In this book he talks about his early years as a junior cricketer and the coaches and mentors that guided him then. He speaks openly about subtle racism he faced occasionally as a Samoan cricketer in a largely white sport. My favourite part of the book was how he spoke about the mental challenges he faced when he was removed from captaincy and asked to reintegrate into the team. I love how he spoke about the physical and mental aspects of playing all forms of the game. He is one of the only players to play 100+ games in each of the main cricket formats of T20, ODI and Tests for his country. I’d highly recommend this book for anyone interested in how a small country like New Zealand is constantly able to produce world class cricketers who compete and win consistently at the global level with much bigger teams that have more money and a larger talent pool.

[Cam Yaxley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The writing style can at times be a little confusing, especially in the first couple of chapters. It almost seems as though parts weren't fully edited by the writer before publishing. However, once you get through the childhood part, it makes a lot more sense. However, the content is incredibly interesting. Hearing Taylors side of the captaincy mess is great, but also the little annocdotes he shares make great reading

[Lachie McGregor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. The majority of Ross' journey took place before I began watching cricket so I had no idea of the drama that took place during his career. I found Ross' storytelling engaging and I loved all the little quips inside each game that he tells. I loved hearing about the big moments: WTC, 2019 World Cup etc. and his journey in the IPL. For my first autobiography read - this was extremely captivating and intriguing. Congratulations to Ross on a fantastic career.

[Jonathon McClue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting to get Ross's take on the captaincy debacle, and I certainly think less of many who were involved. Given the career he's had and people he has met, I was hoping for some more interesting yarns. Not as captivating as Baz's book for example. A true and underappreciated legend of the game and one of our finest.

[Atif Kamal · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s an ok autobiography. That slapping incident was totally sensationalised by media, nothing serious there as owner of IPL team after few drinks just had friendly reminder (slap) that he is here to perform after taking that much money

[Will Bensemann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about the story and ups and downs in Ross Taylor's childhood and cricket career. I think it is the road to becoming a cricket player

My favorite part is when he is growing up because that is what stage of life I am in

i learnt follow your dreams and they will come to you

[Carsonator Higgins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely worth reading for cricket nerds

[Gary Pointon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmm ok

[Brad Kneebone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent read, good career

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic Read