|
|
Australian skipper dismisses retirement talk
AFP
25 December 1998
MELBOURNE, Australia, Dec 25 (AFP) - Australian Test captain Mark
Taylor on Friday dismissed speculation that he might retire by saying
he wanted to take on the West Indian bowlers on tour early next year.
The Australian skipper had previously only committed himself to the
current Ashes series against England, prompting speculation about his
plans. But he told reporters on Christmas Day that he wanted to settle
one nagging shortcoming in his illustrious career.
``The one side I haven't played well against is the West Indies. They
have been the one bogey side,'' Taylor said on the eve of Australia's
Boxing Day Test against England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
``I'll be going over there if selected just trying to relax and play
the way I would play against any other side.''
Australia tour the West Indies for a four-Test series starting in
March.
Taylor, 34, said he had not given retirement much thought, focusing
more on Australia's fourth Test battle against England starting
Saturday.
The 102-Test veteran enters the match just two victims shy of the
world record 156 Test catches held by his predecessor as Australia
captain, Allan Border.
``Whether it's my last Boxing Day Test match I don't know. A year is
too long,'' Taylor said.
``I'll stop playing when I'm out in the middle and things aren't
happening for me with the bat, as a captain or in the field or I'm
standing out there one day thinking 'what the hell am I doing out
here','' he said. ``That will be the reason I stop playing.''
Copyright 1998-2001 AFP. All rights reserved. All information displayed on
this page (dispatches, photographs, logos), with the exception of CricInfo
logos and trademarks, are protected by intellectual property rights owned
by Agence France Presse. As a consequence you may not copy, reproduce,
modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any
of the contents of this section without prior written consent of
Agence-France-Presse.
|
|
|
