The Sunday Mail
Brighton Zhawi
AS Brendan Taylor waves goodbye to Zimbabwean cricket for the glamour of County cricket, the batsman highlights his international debut duck against Sri Lanka in April 2004 as his most embarrassing moment in national colours.
Reflecting on his 11 year career, Taylor last week told The Sunday Mail some of his memorable moments.
Taylor (29) described his first international cricket changing room as “overwhelming, very surreal. A totally new environment for the team’s majority.”
And it did not take long for the rookie batsman to find out just how unforgiving top level cricket can be.
Taylor was removed for a five-ball duck at Queens Sports Club by Chaminda Vaas. “That was the most embarrassing moment of my career,” said the batsman.
After that duck, Taylor picked his game and he walks away having scored 1493 Test runs and 5 258 ODI runs for his country. He also holds the distinction of being the only Zimbabwean to score back to back centuries at a World Cup.
Taylor hit 138 and 121 run knocks against India and Ireland respectively at the on-going cricket World Cup. He also holds another milestone of being the Zimbabwean batsman with the most centuries (8) in One Day Internationals.
The historic comeback Test victory against Bangladesh at Harare Sports Club in 2011 also holds a special place in the batsman’s heart. “I got my best catch in that game, at second slip, diving one-handed to get rid of their captain Mushfique Rahim,” said Taylor. The former skipper, although he could not give reasons, picked close mate Hamilton Masakadza as the best joker in the changing room. Team analyst Stanley ‘Statto’ Chioza was picked as the most annoying character, while opening batsman Tino Mawayo got the best dressed and most talkative “awards”. For the gadget freak, that nod went to Vusi Sibanda. Asked who the most dedicated player in the team was, BT boldly said: “Myself, I think I was”.
