Last Updated on 4 months by Charbel Coorey

Cricket News: Jimmy Neesham shares special Ross Taylor story from his debut | Ross Taylor retires: Neesham shares story about NZ legend

New Zealand will wave farewell to one of their finest ever cricketers on Monday in their third ODI against Netherlands in Hamilton. The great Ross Taylor will take the field one final time, prompting more tributes to a player that has contributed so much to cricket as a whole.

During the ODI series, all-rounder Jimmy Neesham spoke of the sheer impact that Taylor has had on New Zealand cricket as well as himself personally. In an exclusive interview with CricBlog, Neesham said that Taylor has helped shape the culture to what it is today, and also shared a story from his own debut back in 2012.

“He’s been an absolute giant of our game over the last 20 years. Early 2000s was when he debuted for New Zealand, which seems like a different era at the moment,” Neesham said.

“Yes, you’ll miss the runs and the catches and all that kind of thing, but just the sort of individual he was is what will leave a hole in our group. But, I think he can be proud of the influence he has had in shaping our culture over the last decade-and-a-half, and watch on with pride over the next few years and know that was a huge hand he had in creating that culture.”

Ross Taylor rang me before my New Zealand debut – Neesham

Before heading over to South Africa for his debut series in international cricket in 2012, Jimmy Neesham received a phone call from an anonymous number. It was Ross Taylor on the other end, wishing Neesham all the best for the tour. It is a moment that the all-rounder still holds dear.

“He’s been such a quality performer and such a great guy to know off the field. When I first got picked for the Black Caps in 2012, he [Ross Taylor] was having a series off when the captaincy change and that sort of thing was happening,” said Neesham.

“He wasn’t coming on the tour, and a couple of days after the team was announced, I got a phone call from an unsaved number on my phone. I answered and it was him saying ‘hey mate, Ross Taylor here, just wanted to wish you all the best for the tour’, and I just remember thinking we didn’t know each other at all at the time.

“He didn’t have to do that. I imagine he probably called the other four or five guys who were debuting on that tour and said the same thing. I think that’s testament to his character that he’s willing to make those phone calls and talk to the young guys, and offer his experience off the field.”

Ross Taylor will finish career as New Zealand’s highest run-scorer in Tests and ODIs

Ross Taylor will say goodbye to cricket as New Zealand’s highest-ever run-scorer in ODIs (8,593) and Tests (7,683). He was a pinnacle of consistency over a number of years, with the period between the 2015 and 2019 World Cups particularly prolific in terms of ODI cricket.

Also, his final match will be his 450th in international cricket. He has crossed 18,000 runs across formats at an average above 42, with a remarkable 40 hundreds and 93 fifties.

After a slow start to the ODI series vs Netherlands, Taylor will certainly be keen to contribute and finish his career on the best possible note.

You can watch CricBlog’s full interview with Jimmy Neesham here or below.