Taylor stars in Twenty20 World Cup

Posted by brmtaylor.com admin on September 14, 2007

Despite being knocked out after the first round, fully deserving to proceed after an important victory over Australia and a respectable performance against England, the Zimbabwean team can hold their heads high.

Taylor emerged from the tournament as Zimbabwe's leading run-scorer, and their new go-to man with the experienced hands such as Heath Streak and Grant Flower unlikely to return to the international scene.

Scoring 107 runs at an average of 107 in the World Championship, Taylor set up the victory against Australia starting in the first over of the match, catching Hayden behind the stumps off the bowling of Elton Chigumbura. His match got better, executing a fantastic stumping to remove Andrew Symonds, and running out Mitchell Johnson with the gloves on, with only a single stump to aim at.

Opening the batting, Taylor played a calm and calculated innings, attacking only when necessary. After a 31 run stand with Vusi Sibanda and an important partnership with Masakadza, Taylor ended on 60* from 45 balls, the winning runs coming with a ball to spare - 4 leg-byes to fine leg. For his efforts, he won the man of the match award.

Against England, in reply to a massive 188, Vusi Sibanda and Brendan Taylor made an important 77 run stand. After Sibanda departed, Taylor went on to make 47, cleaned bowled 3 runs shy of his second Twenty20 International half-century. After Taylor departed, the middle order collapsed, but Hamilton Masakadza and Prosper Utseya managed to give the score some respectability. Zimbabwe fell 50 runs short.

Unfortunately for Zimbabwe, Australia got home over England in the final group match, and Zimbabwe lost out on a place in the next stage due to a low net run-rate. However, they leave the tournament having achieved what nobody would have dared to bet on; a win over world champions, Australia.