08 8224 0800
Sports Card World's

Tribute to MARK TAYLOR

On February 2nd 1999, Mark Taylor announced his retirement from international cricket. Sports Card World salutes the man affectionately known as “Tubby” and acknowledges his very special contribution to cricket in Australia, and the rest of the cricket world. A veteran of 104 Tests, 50 as captain, Mark won three Ashes series against the old enemy, England, a series against South Africa, the first victory against the West Indies in 23 years and the first series triumph over Pakistan for 39 years.

The Story in Numbers

Test Match Batting Record

Vs England

M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct
Home 15 30 1 917 113 31.62 1 8 24
Away 18 31 1 1588 219 52.93 5 6 22
Total 33 61 2 2505 219 45.45 6 15 46

Vs India

Vs New Zealand

Vs Pakistan

Vs South Africa

Vs Sri Lanka

Vs West Indies

Overall Test Batting Statistics

Career Highlights

  • Born 27th October at Leeton in New South Wales
  • Debut: New South Wales 1985
  • Made a century in his first Test against England, at Headingley in 1989. Scored 839 runs for the series at an average of 83.90.
  • Made centuries in his first Test matches vs Sri Lanka, South Africa and Pakistan.
  • Carried bat in the first innings of third Test against South Africa at Adelaide in 1998, scoring 169* out of Australia’s total of 350.
  • Scored 334* against Pakistan in Peshawar in October 1998, equalling Don Bradman’s record for the highest score by an Australian in Test cricket.
  • Took over the captaincy of Australia from Allan Border in 1994. Record 26 wins, 13 defeats, 11 draws. Led Australia in 13 Test series, losing only three.
  • Holds many partnership records: first wicket against England, New Zealand, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, third wicket against South Africa and fourth wicket against Sri Lanka.
  • He is the second highest run scorer for Australia behind Allan Border (11 174 runs). He has taken more catches (157) than any other Test cricketer.
  • He has played 113 one-day internationals, scoring 3514 runs at 32.24.

 

Career Lowlight

Mark’s career has had its ups and downs. During 1996 -97, many were calling for his sacking as Australian captain. Taylor could not make a run! At one stage, he had gone for 20 consecutive innings without a half century and he was in the worst form slump of any Australian captain in history. He reached the lowest point in the first innings  of the First Test of the 1997 Ashes tour. When he was caught cheaply at first slip in that Edgbaston Test, even Tubby thought this surely must be the end. And yet, under all that pressure Mark Taylor came through. In the second innings, Mark was able to produce one of the most remarkable and dramatic centuries ever made in the history of Test cricket.

 

What Others Have Said

Mark Taylor’s announcement to retire from international cricket brought a flood of comments from fans, past and present players and journalists from all over the world.

“Mark Taylor has set a bench mark in the professional era for Australian captains to match and exceed.”
Denis Rogers (Chairman, Australian Cricket Board)

“He is the best and most tactically astute captain I have ever played against and he has helped make Australia the best team in the world.”
Alec Stewart (England captain)

“I’d like on behalf of all Australians to thank Mark Taylor for a magnificent innings as captain of Australia. He has been a very great captain.”
John Howard (Prime Minister of Australia)

“He will go down in history as one of the all-time good captains for Australia.”
Shane Warne (Australian team-mate)

“In my opinion, he is one of the great captains of all time.”
Ali Bacher (Managing Director, United Cricket Board of South Africa)

“Mark Taylor was one of the toughest opponents mentally that I have come across, but off the field he was as friendly as anyone.”
Hansie Cronje (South African Captain)

“Never heard anyone say a bad thing about him.”
Bill Brown (Former Australian Captain)

 

What Tubby Has Said

At his press conference to announce his retirement, Tubby made the following comments.

“I know that today I’ve made the right decision ….. I really feel that I’m starting to lose the edge to compete, particularly on the international stage.”

“I’ll be quite happy to have a beer with anyone who wants to buy me one.”

“I feel that my heart is not quite in it …..  and if it is not in it, I won’t do well.”

“I am leaving it happy and I am looking forward to the next few years.”

“I never thought of myself as anyone very special.”

“I am not much of a one for grandstanding.”

“I didn’t feel I would be able to give everything in the West Indies as a batsman, and I didn’t want to be there as a captain only.”

“Cricket has given me more than I’ve given it.”

Tubby Facts

Mark Taylor was named Wisden Cricketer of the Year for 1990.

During his career, Mark also played in 113 One-day Internationals, 67 as captain, scoring 3514 runs at an average of 32.24.

On 25th January 1999, Mark Taylor was announced as Australian of the Year by the Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. John Howard.

Mark was born on 27th October 1964, at Leeton, New South Wales. He began playing cricket in his home town of Wagga Wagga, about six hours drive west of Sydney.

Mark Taylor was to become the 7th player “from the bush” to be given Australia’s most prestigious sporting position since the Second World War. The others were Bradman, Brown, Hassett, Morris, Craig and Booth.

Taylor captained the Australian side for almost five years, through one of the most turbulent eras of Australian cricket, winning 26 of his 50 tests as captain, losing 13 and drawing 11.

Mark Taylor was dumped as the captain of the one-day side in 1997 and replaced by Steve Waugh, the man destined to replace him as Test captain in 1999.

During his career, Tubby only got to bowl 7 overs in Test cricket – and three of them were maidens! He did take one wicket for a total of 26 runs.

On his first tour of England, Mark Taylor scored an amazing 839 runs at an average of 83.90.

In addition to “Tubby,” Mark is also known as “Stodge” or simply “Tayls.”

In all first class matches up to early February 1999, Mark has scored a total of 17353 runs at an average of 42.01. During this time, he has scored 41 centuries, 96 half centuries and taken 350 catches.

It has often been argued that a good captain can help to make a good team. Although Tubby acknowledges this fact, he also believes that “you’ve still got to have some good cattle in the shed.”

Mark Taylor made his One-day International debut in a World Series match against Sri Lanka at the M.C.G. in 1989/90.

Mark was to play his last One-day International in a Texaco Trophy match against England at The Oval in 1997.

During his One-day International career, Mark made one century (105) and 28 half centuries. He also took a total of 56 catches in these games.

There is little doubt that Mark Taylor will be remembered as one of the best slips fieldsmen to ever play the game.

In one of his most memorable innings, Mark Taylor “carried his bat” in the first innings of the third Test against South Africa at Adelaide Oval in 1997/98.

When Mark Taylor went through his form slump during 1996/97, he went 20 consecutive innings without scoring a half-century. This was the worst form slump of any Australian captain in Test history.

However, during this slump, his team-mates backed him, the selectors backed him and the Board backed him – and his form slowly returned, beginning with a remarkable century in the first Test at Headingley against England in 1997.

Mark’s strike rate in One-day Internationals was 59.42 runs per 100 balls. Not bad for an opener who was most likely dropped for not scoring quickly enough!

Summary

Mark Taylor will be sadly missed. In the final analysis, the record will show that Taylor was one of the greatest of all Australian captains, one of the most prolific run-scorers and a man with few equals at first slip.

However, what will be missed the most is the way Mark Taylor played the game. During his career, he epitomised everything that is good about the game of cricket. He played with a fierce determination, displayed modesty, humility and good sportsmanship throughout a time of great upheaval in Australian and World cricket. He helped bring a sense of dignity back to the game that we have come to love.

For this, he will be remembered!!!