Ross Taylor took the final Bangladesh wicket in his final Test innings to secure New Zealand's series-leveling victory by an innings and 117 runs in Tuesday's second and final match.
The former Black Caps skipper experienced a rollercoaster ride during the second Test match. During New Zealand's national song on the first day of the Test match, the 37-year-old veteran of 112 Tests couldn't keep back his emotions.
Taylor, who received a standing ovation from the audience. The Bangladeshi players gave him a guard of honor and presented him with the match ball.
Ross Taylor, a veteran New Zealand batsman, couldn't have asked for a more perfect send-off after a 15-year career in red-ball cricket, with his family in the stands.
It's fantastic to end your career with a victory and a wicket; I wanted to end with a win, and the lads delivered." Bangladesh put us under a lot of strain a few times, so it's only right that we split the series," an emotional Taylor told the official broadcasters following the match.
The series was fantastic. I was wondering if we needed to return the next day, but the boys were amazing. Towards the finish, it got a little crazy, and I chunked it up, and Tom (Latham) said it was the most precious thing I did all game, Taylor said of the wicket.
"I've genuinely loved representing my country, I've played a lot here (in Christchurch), I've spent a lot of time, and it's a fantastic way to go," he added.
After Bangladesh's ninth wicket fell, the Hagley Oval crowd yelled for Taylor to be handed the ball, and New Zealand skipper Tom Latham agreed. The part-time spinner bowled two dot balls before forcing a skyer from Ebadot Hossain, and Latham collected a leaping catch at midwicket to seal the former New Zealand captain's victorious farewell.
Taylor's previous two victims were Harbhajan Singh and S Sreesanth, both of whom were killed during New Zealand's 2010 tour to India.
Taylor has played 112 Test matches for New Zealand and scored 7,684 runs, including 19 hundreds and 35 half-centuries, since his debut in 2007.
He was also a member of the New Zealand team that defeated India in the maiden World Test Championship final last year.
After losing the previous match, New Zealand is in a dominant position in the second Test, having amassed a 395-run lead in the first innings.
In their first innings, the Kiwis reached 521/6 declared, with stand-in skipper Tom Latham (252) producing a magnificent double hundred and No.3 hitter Devon Conway hammering 109 runs.
Later, Trent Boult took five wickets to help the hosts bowl out Bangladesh for 126 runs in the first innings. On Monday, the bowler reached 300 wickets in the longest format.
Bangladesh leads New Zealand's two-match Test series 1-0.
Ross Taylor, a New Zealand cricket great, is playing his last Test against Bangladesh at Hagley Oval in Christchurch. Taylor, who batted at No. 4, scored only 28 runs in the first innings of the second Test against Bangladesh. When he stepped out to bat in his farewell Test, he received a standing ovation from the Hagley Oval crowd and a guard of honor from the Bangladesh squad. Before his final Test, the seasoned batter was in tears during New Zealand's national song.
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