20-year-old West Indies allrounder Stafanie Taylor has been named as the international Player of the Year by The Cricketer magazine.
Taylor took the coveted award from other strong contenders including Lydia Greenway and Charlotte Edwards from England; Shelley Nitschke, the Australian allrounder who recently retired from international cricket; and Cri-zelda Brits, of South Africa. The Cricketer sought the views of national coaches and leading observers of the game in deciding the award.
Standing second in the international batting rankings and sixth in the bowling, Jamaican-born Taylor has an outstanding record in one-day cricket over the 12 months to August 31, 2011, scoring 636 runs in 12 matches, with one hundred and five half-centuries at an average of 70.66.
In the 50-over Women’s Cricket Challenge in South Africa last October she embarked on a remarkable run of scores, starting with 147 against the Netherlands and followed by 72 against Ireland, 68 not out against Sri Lanka, 20 against the tournament winners South Africa and 83 against Pakistan. Over the year she took 17 wickets at an average of 14.23 and an economy rate of 2.6 per over in the 50-over format.
Taylor also made a big impression against India in January in a five-match ODI series. In the opening game in Mumbai she made a match-winning 85 not out – an innings she considers her best yet – and then contributed scores of 83 and 46 plus nine wickets with her off-spin in the series.
The Cricketer Awards are the major feature in the November issue of the leading UK magazine, on sale from Friday 14th October. For more details and exclusive daily reporting of the on-going Pakistan spot-fixing trial in London go to our website at www.thecricketer.com
Awards are the major feature in the November issue of the leading UK magazineon sale from Friday 14th October. For more details and exclusive daily reporting of the on-going Pakistan spot-fixing trial in London go to our website at