Herbert Wilfred Taylor (5 May 1889 – 8 February 1973) was a South African cricketer who played 42 Test matches for his country including 18 as captain of the side. Specifically a batsman, he was an expert on the matting pitches which were prevalent in South Africa at the time and scored six of his seven centuries at home. His batting was also noted for quick footwork and exceptional 'backplay'. He became the first South African to pass 2,500 Test runs and was selected one of Wisden's Cricketers of the Year in 1925. In domestic cricket, he played for Natal, Transvaal and Western Province. Taylor's greatest achievement is generally reckoned to be scoring 508 runs at an average of 50.80 in the 1913–14 Test series against England, in spite of English bowler Sydney Barnes taking a record 49 wickets in the series at 10.93. The cricket historian H.S. Altham wrote: "The English cricketers were unanimous that finer batting than his against Barnes at his best they never hoped to see." Neville Cardus noted it was "perhaps the most skilful of all Test performances by a batsman." It also led Cardus to count Taylor as "one of the six greatest batsmen of the post-Grace period". Cricket career Early career Born in Durban, Taylor attended Michaelhouse School from 1903 to 1907, during which period he was coached by Sussex bowler George Cox. Taylor made his first-class debut for Natal in January 1910 against the touring MCC team, he opened the batting in both innings, scoring 55 and 30. After finishing the 1910/11 season as second highest run scorer in the Currie Cup, he was selected for South Africa's touring party to England in 1912. Triangular tournament In the final warm-up match before the Triangular Tournament began, Taylor scored 83 in an innings victory over Worcestershire. He shared in a 146-run opening partnership with Gerald Hartigan after the home side had been dismissed for 50. In the first match of the tournament between South Africa and Australia at Old Trafford, Taylor was selected to make his Test debut. Opening South Africa's innings, in response to Australia's total of 448, Taylor was dismissed for a duck. South Africa followed on and were dismissed for 98 to lose by an innings, Taylor top-scored in the second innings with 21, having moved down the order. In the next two Tests against England he struggled for runs