Cricket: Taylor begins the season with a century

Australia's Test captain, Mark Taylor, hit an unbeaten century on the opening day of the Sheffield Shield season yesterday.

He scored 116 not out as New South Wales reached 290 for 3 at close of play against the Shield champions, Queensland, at Brisbane's Gabba Ground.

In Adelaide, visitors Tasmania laboured to 264 for 8 against South Australia, Michael Di Venuto celebrating his selection for Australia's one-day side by scoring 68.

At the Gabba, Taylor shared an unbroken 186-run partnership for the fourth wicket with fellow Test batsman Michael Bevan, who scored 104 not out.

But all-rounder Steve Waugh, whose appointment as Australia's one-day captain on Tuesday almost certainly means an end to Taylor's international limited-overs career, missed out.

Waugh was run out for 11 when he slipped in trying to recover his ground.