Ross Taylor’s final Test of his career turned out to be a happy story with an extra sweet ending. Taylor, who has been one of New Zealand’s middle-order mainstays for years, did not score a century in his last game, but he did not have any complaints either after bidding goodbye with a wicket and a win, soaking in the standing ovation from the crowd at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch.

After the fall of Bangladesh’s ninth wicket, the crowd egged on stand-in captain Tom Latham to give Taylor the chance to take the last wicket. Latham obliged and Taylor gifted the crowd with the moment they desired by inducing a false shot from Ebadot Hossain with only his third ball. Latham took the catch to give the 37-year-old a memorable farewell.

While Taylor aggregates 7,683 runs, including 19 hundreds, from 112 matches at an average of 44.66 with the bat, bowling was never his forte. Hossain was only his third Test wicket in a 15-year-long career.

His previous two victims were Harbhajan Singh and Sreesanth during New Zealand’s tour of India in 2010. In fact, the last time Taylor bowled his part-time off-breaks was eight years ago.

“It’s great to finish off your career with a win and a wicket, I wanted to finish off with a win and the guys did it,” an emotional Taylor told the official broadcasters after the match.

“The series was great. It became a bit funky towards the end, I chunked it up and Tom (Latham) said it (taking the last wicket) was the most precious thing I did over the whole game.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed representing my country and it’s a great way to finish,” he added.

Latham, who was captaining the side in Kane Williamson’s absence, observed that Taylor’s farewell couldn’t be “scripted better”.

“I was getting pressure from the crowd and also the boys, to bowl (Taylor). The umpires played their part as well. It was very dark out there. They said we can’t bowl seamers and that led to my decision to bowl Ross. It couldn’t be scripted any better,” Latham said. He’s inspired generations. He’s inspired me to play cricket ... To play cricket with him and play in his final Test is pretty special.”

(Written with agency inputs)