Cricket: Taylor-made to be captain

Brendan Taylor has stood out in a struggling Wellington side. Photo / Getty Images

Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor has shown wisdom coming to New Zealand as a one-man advance party to play for Wellington in the HRV Cup.

Presumably the 25-year-old came cheap, given the money the province is likely to have forked out for fellow overseas player Muttiah Muralitharan's five-game stint. Taylor has provided value too, sitting second behind Martin Guptill on the MVP table courtesy of punishing batting and sound wicketkeeping, despite Wellington sitting last.

He is craving the African dried meat delicacy biltong but otherwise the gains of touring early have been invaluable for Taylor ahead of the opening practice match against a New Zealand XI in Gisborne, starting next Saturday.

"My focus was on getting my game right for Wellington. Unfortunately we haven't progressed further in the tournament," Taylor says. "Next will be focusing on Zimbabwe. Despite being fairly new to the captaincy [since June], it's a responsibility I'm enjoying; it's a test of character. Times have been tough over the last couple of years but we've largely stuck together - the team hasn't changed much. We're just grateful to play with test status again."

England captain Andrew Strauss is the best example of a player visiting New Zealand in the hope of gaining form in local conditions. He had fallen out of favour with the selectors for the England tour of Sri Lanka in December 2007 but returned for the New Zealand tour in March after playing one-day and T20 matches for Northern Districts. He made 177 to help England win the third test and the rest is history as he continues as one of England's best test captains.

Unlike Strauss, Taylor does have form in the international game after a stellar series at home against New Zealand but faces a steep responsibility as Zimbabwe's skipper after their return to the test fold in August. It followed an absence of six years amidst a society in chaos.

Still, Taylor is up to the task ahead of the sole test in Napier, starting Thursday week. Against Bangladesh in August, his efforts of 71 and 105 not out saw them win their first test on return. They lost heavily to Pakistan (Taylor 10 and 5) in September before taking New Zealand close on the final day in Harare in November (Taylor 50 and 117). His limited overs efforts have been prodigious over the years, too, notably hitting 17 off the last over to beat Bangladesh in a one-day international in 2006 and making 60 not out to help beat Australia by five wickets at the 2007 World Twenty20.

Taylor learned more about aggressive batting when he was signed the following season by Lashings World XI, a social team of stars (generally retired) socialising their way around southern England playing festival matches.

Having West Indian greats Richie Richardson and Gordon Greenidge as team-mates (and neighbours) helped.

"Cricket-wise it wasn't ideal. Most players were in their retirement, whereas I was on my way up," Taylor says. "It was about making the most of a low standard of cricket but I could pick the brains of some of the game's greats."

Also part of the team was the former Zimbabwean pace bowler Henry Olonga, who famously donned a black armband with captain Andy Flower to protest against the 'death of democracy' in Zimbabwe at the 2003 World Cup. Taylor says Olonga was "a knowledgeable guy with good advice who follows Zimbabwe cricket closely" but he was careful to distance himself from the situation where the government banned those deemed rebel players. That saw Taylor make his test debut as an 18-year-old in 2004: "I didn't experience much of the rebel situation because I was just a kid fresh out of school. They understood my situation."

Chris Harris played for Lashings during Taylor's tenure and is now coaching the Zimbabwe under-19s. Taylor has gleaned plenty off Harris, especially with New Zealand's recent visit.

"Hopefully he'll join us on the New Zealand tour to add a new dimension to our fielding drills. You couldn't ask for anyone better."

Harris says Taylor has withstood enormous pressure leading Zimbabwe back into the test game: "The captaincy sits well with him. One example was the one-day win over New Zealand in Bulawayo where he made 75 [after making 128 not out and 107 not out in the two previous losses]. His efforts rub off on the rest of the team. He was probably only half an hour from grinding New Zealand down in the test, too, but got out the first over after tea [for 117].

"He is difficult to bowl to as an accomplished attacking batsman. If you can't get him early, you've got to frustrate him by tying him down."