Ross Taylor playing for the North Island. Photo / Getty
Ross Taylor made an encouraging return to the crease in his pre-world T20 workout as the North thumped the South in the Origin clash at the Basin Reserve today.
New Zealand's senior batsman was having his first hitout since sidelined by a left side strain during a T20 international against
Pakistan in Wellington in mid-January.
Taylor made an unbeaten 26 off 16 balls as the North cruised to a six-wicket win over the South.
Students of body language would have detected a couple of uncomfortable moments at the start of his innings, one when he tried to pull a Nathan McCullum delivery to long leg and looked ginger in his movements immediately after.
However there were also solid pulls and cuts to the fence as Taylor showed some nice touches against a largely lacklustre South attack.
