Cricket: Taylor return could be too late for Black Caps

The good news for the Black Caps, Ross Taylor and Brendon McCullum are set to return. The bad news, the ODI series against the West Indies could be lost by the time the duo put on their pads again.

Taylor won't play in tomorrow's must-win third ODI due to a shoulder injury he picked up in the opening Twenty20 defeat but eyes an earlier return than expected after taking part in batting practice over the last two days.

"It was nice to get out there. It was a little bit better today. Still a little bit of pain there but if I can keep improving like I have every day then I'm every chance of hopefully playing a little bit earlier than first expecting when I first heard about the injury."

Unlike Taylor, regular vice-captain McCullum is at least chance to play in tomorrow's match after answering an SOS from New Zealand. Coach John Wright will gauge McCullum's recovery after his dash across the Pacific before deciding on whether he will take the field.

Taylor says McCullum's presence will be enough to lift the side.

"Brendon has played close on 200 games and you can't buy experience. Just his presence in the dressing room and out on the field and that extra experience. Coming out of a Christchurch winter will be different to him but hopefully he can acclimatise quickly and can get out there and show what a good player he is."

After losing the two Twenty20 matches in Florida and the opening two ODIs in Jamaica, the side have arrived in Basseterre, St Kitts where the final three games will take place.

Victory in the third ODI would keep the series alive and also end of run of five straight defeats and a decade long drought against the West Indies in the Caribbean.

Taylor says the change of scenary has been enough to boost the side.

"(We're) Looking forward to playing in different surroundings and hopefully our fortunes change.

"It has been a bit more relaxed place. The players have been able to get out of their room a little bit more and quite often when you're on long tours it's nice, because when you get stuck in your room you get cabin fever. Hopefully that can reenergize the batteries and the mind."

Taylor says confidence and a little bit of luck is all the Black Caps need to bounce back.

"We've just got to forget about the last two games and try and be as confident as possible. When you do lose 2-0, you start second-guessing yourselves a little bit and we need to be as positive as possible and know that performance in every game so far has been slightly better. Hopefully we play better, have a little bit of luck go our way and I'm sure we'll change the ledger a little bit.

"In the last game I thought there was areas in both bat and ball that we improved remarkably on where we were the game before and hopefully we can take some of those half chances in the field and those 50-50 catches, if we can take those a lot of momentum can go our way."

- HERALD ONLINE