Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor joined the top 100 batsmen in the world in Test cricket after storming to number 58th on the Reliance ICC Test Rankings which were released early this week.
Taylor who was previously not included in the top 100 due to Zimbabwe’s absence from the longer version of the game had a dream debut as Zimbabwe skipper in the just-ended lone Castle Lager Test match against Bangladesh.
With the 25-year-old batsman leading from the front, Zimbabwe comfortably won the historic match at Harare Sports Club by 130 runs in their comeback Test, after an almost six-year exile from the format.
Taylor was named man-of-the-match after scoring his maiden Test century (105 not out) in the second innings of the match to add to the 71 runs he had scored in the first innings.
By scoring a century on debut as captain, Taylor in the process, added his name alongside the legendary David Houghton, Zimbabwe’s first Test skipper who also scored a century on his debut.
However, according to the Reliance ICC Test Championship batting rankings, Taylor’s 430 ratting points he secured from the one-off Test match were enough to take him to number 58 — the highest position occupied by a Zimbabwean on the rankings.
Rejuvenated opening batsman Vusimuzi Sibanda, who had knocks of 78 and 38 in the first and second innings respectively is on number 90 with 305 ratting points while Hamilton Masakadza is three places further down on 93.
Experienced South African opener Jacques Kallis occupies first position on the rankings with Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara in second position, while the great Sachin Tendulkar is in third place.
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Zimbabwe has its largest representation in the bowling rankings with no less than five bowlers storming into the Reliance ICC Test Championship top-100 bowling rankings.
Tall right-arm fast-medium bowler Christopher Mpofu, who took five wickets in the Bangladesh Test match is the highest ranked Zimbabwean bowler on number 70 with 167 rating points.
Promising left-arm seamer Brian Vitori who took five wickets on his Test debut is two places further down on number 72 with 166 rating points while another debutant right-arm fast-medium bowler Kyle Jarvis who also took five wickets is on number 82.
All-rounder Elton Chigumbura who took three wickets, is on number 96 while veteran spinner Raymond Price who is ranked third in one-dayers anchors the top 100 bowling rankings.
