-Kiwi batsman could play key role if used well 

By Clifton Ross
THE Guyana Amazon Warriors added Kiwi batting star, Ross Taylor, to their armory as part of the 2020 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) draft which ended recently; making the multiple-time finalists a strong contender for this year’s crown.

With no Shoaib Malik, Taylor’s addition to the squad is like a sigh of relief, given how the Warriors batting structure basically revolves around their local or regional players; making the New Zealand batsman’s inclusion even more important to the franchise’s campaign this year.
At 36, Taylor is one of the most capped Kiwi batsmen and is among the most prolific run-getters in Test, ODI and T20’s in his country’s rich cricket history. With more than a 100 T20 internationals under his belt, Taylor recently copped, for the third time, the coveted Richard Hadlee Medal, after recording 1389 runs across all formats: 511 in Tests, 548 in ODIs and 330 in T20Is, in which he averaged an even 30.

What makes Taylor more valuable to the side is his familiarity with the tournament and conditions, having played key roles with two former championship teams over the previous seasons: for the Trinbago Knight Riders and the Jamaica Tallawahs.
The Warriors will rely on the likes of their West Indian talents in Shimron Hetmyer, Brandon King, Nicholas Pooran, Anthony Bramble and Chandrapaul Hemraj, who are the pure batters in the side.

However, with not much experience in the Warriors batting department, Taylor will have his work cut out for him as he will need to play more of an anchor-type/attacking role when the time comes. The Warriors depth in their all-round department also allows Taylor to come in early and set up nicely for a big finish, should the Warriors encounter any early hiccups.

Another crucial aspect to having a seasoned veteran like Taylor in the team is the invaluable wealth of knowledge and tactics a player of his class and caliber possesses. Guyana have not yet named their Captain, but regardless of their choice, having a former Test captain in their ranks is always a plus when it comes to taking pressure off of inexperienced or under-pressure captains.

More of Taylor’s role will be known as time approaches, but one thing is certain, that the Amazon Warriors will be keen on building their batting department around the Kiwi legend and will more than likely lean towards his expertise when it comes to the tactical on-field aspect of coordinating a successful win.