Taylor explains cheeky celebration

The genesis of Ross Taylor's 'tongue poking' celebration may have been a cheeky dig at selectors, but its longevity is a tribute to his young family.

Taylor has made a habit of poking his tongue out whenever he scores a century for New Zealand and did so twice on Sunday to mark his 13th Test ton and then his second career double-hundred in the second Test against Australia.

Taylor, whose nine-and-a-half hour epic came to an end at 290 on Monday, first poked his tongue out in celebration when he scored his second one-day international century way back in 2007, coincidentally against Australia.

Having been left out of the Black Caps squad for the 2006 Champions Trophy, Taylor proved a point to selectors with an innings of 117 in a record-breaking run chase against the Aussies at Eden Park in February the following year.

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Taylor celebrates century against Australia in 2007 // Getty

And he says the joy his unique celebration brings to daughter Mackenzie is the reason for its continued use.

"Right back when I was at age group I got dropped a couple of times when I got hundreds," he told Wide World of Sports.

"Then I poked my tongue out - (after) I got dropped - against Australia, my second ODI hundred.

"Ever since then my daughter has been pretty happy when I poke my tongue out and that's pretty much for her as well."

And as Taylor showed last year, his son Jonty enjoys Dad's celebration too.