898,625,869 visitors served.

Taylor, Mark Anthony (1964- )

Australian cricketer. A solid left-handed opening batsman from New South Wales, he rose to prominence on the 1989 Australian tour of England when he scored 839 Test runs at an average of 83.90. He captained Australia with great success after taking over from Allan Border in 1994. He retired from international cricket in February 1999 and from first-class cricket in May 1999. He made 17,415 first class runs (including 41 centuries) at an average of 41.96. He was a brilliant slip fielder and by the end of his career he had taken more catches in Test cricket than any other player (wicketkeepers aside). He achieved a career best 334 not out in the second Test against Pakistan in October 1998 at Peshawar, at the time the equal seventh highest individual innings score in Test match history. His effort equalled the Australian record held by Don Bradman since 1930. Australia went on to win the three-match series 1-0, and so Taylor became the first Australian to win a Test series in Pakistan since 1949. He won his third successive Ashes series as Australian captain and his sixth successive Ashes series as a player in January 1999. In the fifth Test against England at Sydney in January 1999 he broke Allan Border's world record for the most catches in Test cricket by a non-wicketkeeper: Border took 156 catches in 156 Tests between 1978 and 1994; Taylor's 157 catches came in 52 fewer Test matches.

Career highlights

Test cricket (1989-99)

appearances: 104; runs: 7,525; average: 43.49; not out: 13; 100s: 19; best: 334 not out (v. Pakistan 1998); catches: 157

One-day internationals (1989-97)

appearances: 113; runs: 3,514; average: 32.23; not out: 1; best: 105 (v. India 1996); catches: 56

All first-class cricket (1985-99)

appearances: 253; runs: 17,415; average: 41.96; not out: 20; 100s: 41; best: 334 not out (v. Pakistan 1998); catches: 350

Awards

Wisden Cricketer of the Year

1990

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