A tale of two Taylors

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New Zealand skipper Ross Taylor flays one of two sixes in his unbeaten 111, which punished his namesake Brendan's decision to bowl first

Of the captain Taylors, Ross had much the better opening day of the one-off Test between New Zealand and Zimbabwe at Napier.

He punished the decision made by Brendan, who dropped Dean Brownlie in the slips, to bowl first by making an unbeaten 111 of 331 for five.

Ross also capitalised on a three-figure opening stand between Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill, himself sharing fifty partnerships with McCullum and Daniel Vettori.

An inexperienced attack, featuring Test debutant Shingi Masakadza alongside his brother Hamilton and missing injured left-arm spinner Ray Price, offered little threat.

McCullum survived an early lbw review from paceman Kyle Jarvis, but he and Guptill were otherwise untroubled in reaching lunch two shy of three figures.

Soon after the interval McCullum pulled a Shingi Masakadza full-toss for six, but another poor delivery from the seamer broke the alliance. Guptill edged a short ball outside off stump through to wicketkeeper Tatenda Taibu.

Leg-spinner Graeme Cremer’s introduction immediately brought a second wicket, albeit via a farcical run-out. Kane Williamson drove into the covers and set off for an easy single only for McCullum to send him back too late.

McCullum responded by smashing Brian Vitori over the rope and Ross Taylor was soon into his stride, picking up consecutive fours off Cremer.

Zimbabwe again broke through soon after an interval, McCullum trapped in front by Jarvis for 83 while playing across the line.

Two balls later Brownlie was reprieved when first Brendan Taylor and then Taibu could not hold an edge off Jarvis. But Brownlie wasted his let-off in the next over, edging a waft off Hamilton Masakadza to Taibu.

Vettori struck a flurry of early boundaries and Ross Taylor followed suit with two sixes and a four in one Cremer over.

However, Vettori departed for a smooth 38 when he advanced beyond Cremer’s arm-ball to be stumped.

Ross Taylor reached a sixth Test ton by punching Vitori down the ground for his 12th four. He and BJ Watling were in situ at stumps.