PAARL, South Africa, CMC – Teenaged West Indies women’s opener Stafanie Taylor says she is “on top of the world” following her maiden One-Day International century against South Africa on Friday.
The teenager carved out a splendid, unbeaten 108 to carry West Indies to an easy five-wicket win over the Proteas in the opening encounter of their four-match series at Boland Bank Park on Friday.
“I feel really good getting my first century at this level,” said the Jamaican.
“Actually, I feel on top of the world, because it helped the team to win the match and we now have a 1-0 lead in the series. I was confident throughout [the innings] and I knew once I batted all the way to the end I would get a hundred and we would win.”
Responding to South Africa’s 181 for seven, West Indies cruised to 182 for five in the 42nd over to grab the upper hand in the series.
“The coach (Sherwin Campbell) kept telling me to keep going and not to give it up. I decided to keep building and building and I played it smart, waiting for the bad ball,” she explained.
“I knew the South Africans would eventually give me a bad ball I could hit, so I cashed in when it came along.”
The right-hander, who contested both the World Cup and the World Twenty20 Championship earlier this year, said her aim was to break into the top tier of the International Cricket Council’s batting rankings.
“I’m looking to be ranked among the top batters in the world. I know once I keep getting scores I will break into the top 20 and then into the top 10,” she pointed out.
“It’s a process and I know once I concentrate hard and play well I will make progress.”
The two teams meet again in the second ODI today at the historic Newlands Ground in Cape Town.
