Thank goodness for that. Regardless of what happens in this test, the runs that Ross Taylor scored mean so much more than their contribution to the end result.
Some of the doubts over Taylor's captaincy came from a perceived lack of batting form. Hopefully this innings will alleviate some of that pressure. If Taylor has any doubts about his abilities as captain, the last we need is him doubting his batting skills too.
In New Zealand cricket's current state, Taylor's runs are more important than his leadership. A great captain would not inspire this team to significant improvement. I say that because he doesn't have the cattle to work with.
Taylor's most influential contribution to his team is to score more runs - and to score the way he did on Friday.
Taylor is our best test batsman. He has to be the catalyst for change by playing captain's knocks like the latest. This is how he can inspire.