India v Zimbabwe, World Cup 2015, Group B, AucklandMarch 14, 2015

Emotional Taylor ton gives Zimbabwe 287

An emotional century by Brendan Taylor in his last international for Zimbabwe, and an equally impressive fifty by heir apparent as Zimbabwe's best batsman Sean Williams, helped Zimbabwe mount India's biggest challenge this World Cup. Taylor's 138 off 110 balls, only the first time a Zimbabwean has scored back-to-back hundreds in a World Cup, was the first century India conceded in this tournament, and set up the biggest total against them in this World Cup.

The recovery fashioned by Taylor and Williams - from 33 for 3 - was so good they were left disappointed with the final total, thanks mainly to Mohit Sharma's slower balls in the last few overs, which restricted Zimbabwe after they had reached 232 for 4 in 41 overs. At that moment Zimbabwe had all the momentum, with 186 for 1 coming in the preceding 25 overs. Taylor had just taken 25 off a Ravindra Jadeja over.

That was when Mohit intervened with what could be the decisive play of the match, taking out Taylor and Craig Ervine with slower balls, which meant only 52 came after Taylor's wicket. India's quicks took nine wickets for 139 runs between them, ensuring they bowled out every side they played in the league stages.

Playing for Zimbabwe is not the easiest job in international cricket. Taylor has experienced those troubles off the field, but there was a final reminder on the field as the top order had crumbled yet again - a wicket each to each of India's quicks - by the time he welcomed Williams to the middle. The runs hadn't been coming but edges had. The ball had been seaming and swinging. Yet another virtual walkover for India seemed likely. That's when MS Dhoni dropped a difficult chance low to his right, off the inside edge of Williams' bat.

Getting Williams out on two would have reduced Zimbabwe to 42 for 4. Instead Zimbabwe proceeded to rattle India, who were by now getting a little funky. Dhoni, possibly to counter short boundary right behind him, bowled Jadeja with a virtual long stop, sacrificing the third man. That's where Taylor hit two reverse-swept boundaries to kickstart the comeback, in the 17th over.

After Taylor reverse-swept India to distraction in the first 50 runs of the 93-run stand, Williams targeted R Ashwin, hitting him for three sixes over midwicket. The short Eden Park boundaries were finally hurting a fielding side, and the spinners were being singled out. Ashwin was to register his most expensive ODI figures, 1 for 75, and Jadeja would go for 71 without a wicket. However, Ashwin had a consolation victory along the way. After the Williams onslaught he changed ends to dismiss the aggressor with a difficult low return catch.

Taylor was not to be subdued, though. Classic shots over mid-off and cover, and reverse and regulation sweeps kept the pressure on. He took it up a notch in the Powerplay, going after Ashwin again. Ramping Shami over third man for a six, he brought up his final international century, in the 39th over. He celebrated it with another six over long-off in the same over. Then he took Jadeja to pieces in the 41st over, hitting him for three fours and two sixes. The sixes were orthodox shots down the ground.

Taylor had moved from 100 to 135 in no time when Mohit came on to bowl the 42nd over. A slower ball, tight in line, and short of a driving length, cramped Taylor's attacking shot and offered mid-on a catch. Soon Craig Ervine fell prey to a similar delivery. The rest of the batting again impressed upon Taylor how difficult it had been to carry Zimbabwe for so long. Apart from Sikandar Raza's 28 off 15, there was little contribution, and Taylor was looking at the prospects of another century in a losing cause.