Push to name Masterton Cricket ground after retiring great Ross Taylor

With Wairarapa’s favorite cricketing son just a few months from retirement, the Masterton Councillor is pushing for the town’s main Oval to be Renamed in his honor.

Gary Caffell spent 40 years as Wairarapa’s main sports journalist and well understood the significance of Ross Taylor’s feats.

The picturesque Queen Elizabeth II Park cricketing Oval was where the young batsman cut his cricketing teeth playing for local Clubs, Wairarapa rep teams and Central Districts.

“I want to see this Oval named after Ross Taylor, who has achieved such marvelous feats in Cricket and had his early Cricket education here in Masterton,” Caffell said.

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He rates Taylor up there with other greats such as Martin Crowe, Glenn Turner and Kane Williamson, and thought it only fitting his name should be celebrated in his home town.

“The other thing about Ross is that he is just so Humble. He’s always pushed Masterton as the place they learned his Cricket, ”Caffell said.

“He played a lot of Cricket on this Oval as a youngster and I know the Sporting community would be right behind it.”

Wairarapa Cricket general manager Simon Rosiengrave acknowledged Taylor’s contribution to Cricket in the region, but stopped short of endorsing any renaming proposals until the board had been reviewed.

“I know Ross still reflects well on his time in the Wairarapa. Still considers himself a Wairarapa born-and-bred player and that for us is something that we Hang our hat on.

“For somebody of his caliber to have originated from here and to still have close ties to the Wairarapa is just fantastic.”

Masterton’s Queen Elizabeth II Park is owned and managed by the Masterton District Council.

Caffell intended to Garner support around the council table and put a proposal forward to have the Oval Renamed.

He was a key figure in pushing for renaming the Masterton’s main rugby grandstand at Memorial Park after local rugby Legend Brian Lochore.

Taylor is New Zealand’s leading run scorer in test and one-day Cricket and the country’s most-capped player in international Cricket across all formats.

He was educated at Wairarapa College and Palmerston North Boys’ High School.

Taylor will finish the summer in the 50-over format against the Netherlands, with his last outing set to be at Hamilton’s Seddon Park on April 4.