`Guyana is a team that is always in the top three in CPL since day one so I’m hoping that we can do it again and hopefully lift the trophy this time around, – Steven Taylor
By Royston Alkins
ICC Americas opener Steven Taylor, who will turn out for the Guyana Amazon Warriors in the 2017 Hero’s Caribbean Premier league (CPL) says that he is excited about his journey to the South American franchise for the 2017 season.
“I’m very excited, Guyana is a team that is always in the top three in CPL since day one so I’m hoping that we can do it again and hopefully lift the trophy this time around,” Taylor said during an exclusive interview with Stabroek Sports.
Taylor, when asked what the home fans can expect, said: “The home fans should lookout for a fearless top-order batsman who is not afraid of any bowler.”
He added, “The fans should also know that even though I was born in the United States, I’m a Soca junkie.”
Taylor should be at home for the tournament since the CPL promotes that aspect of the region’s culture.
The 23-year-old, burly, left-hander, expressed excitement at the reality of working with West Indian great Roger Harper who will coach the team. He noted, “I never expected to work with a West Indies legend but it’s always a privilege being around the West Indies greats.”
Taylor, who grew up in Miramar, Florida, United States of America, said that his fondest memory of the Caribbean came during his visits to Jamaica in the summer while spending time with his grandmother before she passed away.
He had a decent run in the recent Cricket West Indies Regional Super50 tournament, playing for Jamaica Scorpions where he had a few notable performance and formed a formidable opening partnership with the inform Chadwick Walton, who is also in the Warriors set up for the 2017 CPL.
It will be interesting to see if the two will stroll out together since Warriors’ Martin Guptill is also an option.
Taylor had a highest score of 88 from 71 balls versus Trinidad and Tobago Red Force in the semi-finals of the Regional Super50, on his way to scoring 264 runs from eight innings.
It was his aggressive ability, however, which caught the attention of the Warriors think-tank. He indicated that he is aware of the slow nature of the pitches in Guyana but he has already thought of ways of nullifying that threat. “I simply plan to combat the pitches by eliminating certain shots and playing as straight as possible,” he added, underscoring the importance of embracing the basics.
When asked about his ambitions of playing for the West Indies, Taylor said: “Growing up as a youth, yes even now, but it’s not something I think about every day, if it happens it happens but I want to keep doing my best every time I step on any cricket field.”
Quizzed about his previous knowledge of Guyana, Taylor said, “What I know about Guyana is that it’s in South America and not in the Caribbean.”
Taylor a professional cricketer, has played 24 Twenty20 matches to date, with 91 being his highest score. He has a strike rate of nearly 120 which will be of value to the Warriors when he makes his debut for the South Americans.
