Taylor hopes for better luck in new year

"I had the same one last year but I went into the new year not batting all that well. This year things are different."

The 33-year-old Taylor will lead Australia tomorrow in his 90th Test averaging 48.83 from the four Tests this season.

Yet for the first six months of 1997 he batted so poorly that many former Test captains were calling for his head.

Taylor said today a determination to find joy in the game, even when it treated him so cruelly, had helped his fightback.

Coming back from a unproductive short tour of India in late 1996, Taylor had a wretched season at home against West Indies and things deteriorated on the tour of South Africa where he sat out the last five One-Day Internationals.

Starting the second innings of the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston in June, Australia trailed England by a massive 360 runs and Taylor hadn’t made a 50 in 22 Test innings.

He admitted in his recently released book that he would have given the game away unless he made a decent contribution.

A fast first 50 was followed by an agonisingly slow second 50 until finally one of the Test cricket’s gutsiest centuries was attained.

Four single figure scores followed, as if the Edgbaston effort had drained him of his lifeblood, but Taylor was back in form to clinch the series at Trent Bridge.

To cap off the turnaround he was man of the series against New Zealand last month, having saved Australia from 53 for four on the opening day with a classy 112.

"It always tests you, this game," he said. "I don’t just say it because I’ve come through it but I think the test of all players is to come through the tough times whether you’re a batsman, bowler or a keeper."

Cullinan is Warne’s bunny, says Woolmer: South African cricket coach Bob Woolmer said that Australian leg spinner Shane Warne has a psychological hold over his star batsman Daryll Cullinan.

Cullinan has an average of 37 in Test matches, but less than 13 against Australia and is set to be dropped.

Paul Adams, the 20-year-old left-arm spinner with the unorthodox action, will come into the side on a pitch Woolmer expects to turn from the first day.

But that could also force the tour selectors to dump Cullinan, who has failed with 31 runs at 4.42 in four Tests in Australia.

Cullinan’s vulnerability to spin was highlighted by an average of eight in three Tests in Pakistan in October.

Two doubtful lbw decisions to New South Wales spinner Stuart MacGill followed against Australia A in Brisbane two weeks ago.

The latest blow was being bowled by Warne for a duck in the second innings at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Tuesday as the visitors fought for a draw in the first Test.

"I think there’s a verbal warfare between the two of them," said Woolmer. "It can get out of hand and I wouldn’t say either part were blameless or guilt-free. Maybe that’s something that should be looked at you play tough but you play fairly as well. One side gives it, the other side gives it and eventually it can get out of hand and go too far."

"I’m not in any way saying that’s what’s happening but maybe with Shane and Daryll it has become such a thing that both parties should cool it for a bit," he added.

Vice captain, Steve Waugh who will be playing his 100th Test, will be given the honour of leading Australia onto the field and wicket-keeper Ian Healy will do likewise in Adelaide later this month when he reaches his century of Tests.

Taylor said he was hoping for a repeat of the Test in Sydney four years ago when Warne dismissed Cullinan twice in taking 12 wickets for the match.

"I don’t think I’m convinced about anyone against spin," Taylor said. "If a spin bowler bowls well on a wicket that turns a bit you have to play well to get through it."

"Jacques Kallis played particularly well to get a very good hundred in Melbourne but if he walks out there first thing tomorrow and nicks the first ball off Warney, you never know what could happen," he added.

The likely teams (12th men to be named): Australia: Mark Taylor (captain), Matthew Elliott, Greg Blewett, Mark Waugh, Steve Waugh, Ricky Ponting, Michael Bevan, Ian Healy, Paul Reiffel, Shane Warne, Michael Kasprowicz, Glenn McGrath.

South Africa: Gary Kirsten, Adam Bacher, Jacques Kallis, Daryll Cullinan, Hansie Cronje (captain), Brian McMillan, Shaun Pollock, Lance Klusener, David Richardson, Pat Symcox, Allan Donald, Paul Adams.