Zimbabwe selectors defend decision to drop Brendan Taylor

Brendan Taylor, Zimbabwe's key batsman was dropped for the third ODI against South Africa played at Bulawayo. In the first two games of the series, Taylor, got out cheaply for scores of six and 14. However, Taylor has been a fine performer for Zimbabwe, over the years. In fact, he has amassed six ODI hundreds in 152 games.

Zimbabwe's selection convener, Givemore Makoni, though defended the decision to drop their key batsman for the final ODI against South Africa.

"Brendan Taylor is just like any other player in Zimbabwe and if you have noticed, we are in the process of exposing as many young players as possible to international cricket," Givemore Makoni was quoted as saying by News Day.

"Taylor, Hamilton Masakadza, Vusi Sibanda, Elton Chigumbura and Sean Williams have played over 150 ODIs amongst themselves, and its time for them to start winning games for Zimbabwe," Makoni added.

"It is high time they started converting those starts into match-winning scores. Having one good innings in five matches is not good enough. They're picked not to just do enough to maintain a place in the side, but to win games because they're the most experienced players in the team."

Makoni, concluded by saying, "I believe Taylor is a very good player and he is the man who can win games for us in the future, but just like all players, he is not guaranteed a place in the side. He is going to be treated just like any other player; the same applies to all the other senior players."