Mark TAYLOR

Mark Taylor, a solid left-handed batsman, who got his runs through accumulation rather than dashing stroke-play, brought some of the qualities of 1930s batsmanship back to Australia, particularly a voracious appetite for high scores. The accession of Taylor to the opening batting spot in 1988-89 was the major building block which moved Allan Border's Australian side from hopefuls to world beaters. In England in 1989 Taylor scored runs in Bradmanesque proportions. He started at Headingley with 136 and 60, had 62 and 27 at Lord's, 43 and 51 at Edgbaston, 85 and 37 not out at Old Trafford, 219 at Trent Bridge when he and Geoff Marsh batted all day without a wicket falling and 71 and 48 at the Oval. 'Tubby' Taylor kept on with 164 against Sri Lanka in Brisbane and 108 at Hobart in 1989-90, with centuries against Pakistan at Melbourne and Sydney.

In a 1990-91 Ashes series it looked as if England's bowlers had found the flaw in his technique, bowling round the wicket to him and dismissing him cheaply, although he did make 67 not out as he and Geoff Marsh won the first Test by 10 wickets when Australia had been expected to struggle. He worked his way through his technical troubles, making 144 in Antigua and four other half centuries in the West Indies Against England in 1993 his best score was 70 at the Oval. He made 142 not out against New Zealand in Perth in 1993-4 and 170 against South Africa in Melbourne. Throughout these years his effortless slip fielding was an important part of Australia's success. (Bob Harragan)

Mark Taylor suceeded Allan Border in the Australian captaincy in a 1994-95 season. He was already thought to have a good cricket brain, but it quickly became apparent that here was one of the great cricket thinkers of all time. He not only tapped into the most innovative ideas of captaincy, he developed cricket thinking. He was also a marvellous inspirer of men. At the start of his reign it looked as if Australia's impregnable line up was starting to crumble, but within a few years it seemed almost as if Taylor could take people off the street and inspire them to do glorious things for Australia. His batsmen took wickets, his bowlers scored runs.

He could not always score runs himself though, and while Australians will never admit this, it is clear that at times Taylor was the only Aussie who has made the Test team for his captaincy skills alone. He began his reign with two ducks against Pakistan in the match Australia lost by one wicket when Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mushtaq Ahmed added 57 for the last wicket. Then England were in Australia and the Aussie juggernaut was back on course. Taylor made 49 and 113 at Sydney and 90 at Adelaide, both big innings coming when England were on top. He also saved the match at Sydney. In West Indies in 1995 Australia finally toppled the long-time World Champions. Taylor, usually left out of ODI sides, led Australia to the World Cup final in 1996, scoring 74 as they lost to Sri Lanka.

His batting form declined against West Indies and South Africa in 1996-97, but he bounced back with 129 at Edgbaston in 1997. His carreer ended in total triumph, first he made 334 not out against Pakistan, declaring when he found he was equal to Sir Donald Bradman's highest Australian score, then demolished England for one last time. (Bob Harragan)