AUCKLAND: Departing Zimbabwe batsman Brendan Taylor hit a fabulous century to guide Zimbabwe to an imposing 287 all out in their World Cup Pool B match against India in Auckland on Saturday.
The 29-year-old, possibly playing his last international match for Zimbabwe after signing a deal with English county Nottinghamshire, smashed 15 boundaries & towering sixes in his 110-ball 138.
Taylor's ton anchored his team, unable to qualify for the quarter-finals, after they were sent in to bat by defending champions India " already through to the last eight " on a bare Eden Park pitch.
He added an invaluable 93 for the fourth wicket with Sean Williams (50) & another 109 for the next with Craig Ervine (27) to help Zimbabwe recover from a struggling 33 for,
In the technique Taylor became the only Zimbabwe batsman to hit back-to-back hundreds at the World Cup, with this innings following his 121 against Ireland.
Taylor guided paceman Mohammad Shami's short-pitched ball over the third man boundary for a six to reach his successive hundred in the World Cup off 99 balls.
He finally out off paceman Mohit Sharma, who also ended Ervine's knock to finish with for 48 Shami & Umesh Yadav also took wickets apiece.
Taylor then smashed left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja for boundaries & sixes in over to complete his 400 runs in the event ' another Zimbabwe first at a World Cup.
Pakistan-born Sikandar Raza chipped in with a 15-ball 28, including sixes as well as a, to give the innings some much-needed impetus.
Before Taylor came in to his own, Zimbabwe had lost Hamilton Masakadza ), Chamu Chibhabha (seven) and Solomon Mire (nine) by the 11th over.
For the first time in the match, India's bowling was tested as spinners Ravichandran Ashwin went for 75 and Jadeja for 71 respectively in their0 overs apiece.
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