Ross Taylor's 290 against Australia at Perth in November brimmed with agony and ecstasy for New Zealand sports fans.
The ecstasy? He surpassed England batsman Tip Foster's 287, a 112-year-old record for the highest test score by a visitor to Australia.
The agony? He fell nine runs short of mentorMartin Crowe's 299, 10 runs short of becoming the second New Zealander to score a test triple century, and 13 runs short of surpassing Brendon McCullum's record.
Players often get only one chance in a career to achieve 300 but, as always, the value of cricket feats are in their context. Did the team win, lose or draw? How did the innings contribute to the wider cause? Taylor's effort, eked out over nine hours, 27 minutes and 374 balls, took New Zealand to a draw. He gave one sharp chance to gully on 138.
His strike rate of 78 (McCullum's was 54 and Crowe's 57) would have given the Black Caps a sniff of victory if more than two quick Australian second innings wickets were gathered on the fourth afternoon.
The pitch was benign - referred to in The Australian newspaper as "batting in a nanny state" - and the bowlers slaved in the heat. However, to concentrate in an oven for that period while staring down 559-9 declared was akin to SAS training, but with more water.
Taylor forced Australia to yield, surpassing a New Zealand cricketing landmark in the process - Crowe's 188 against Australia at the Gabba in 1985.
There was a hoo-ha about no Australian handshakes when Taylor, the last wicket, holed out to Jon Wells at deep mid-wicket after sweeping Nathan Lyon. In fairness, he made a beeline for the dressing room, and had effectively reached his destination once the host players stopped celebrating.
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