Alec Taylor (born 6 November 1975) is a Zimbabwean

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...

er. He played nine first-class matches between 1999 and 2003.

Biography

Alec Taylor was born in Zimbabwe's

Eastern Highlands :''"Eastern Highlands" also refers to Eastern Highlands Province in Papua New Guinea, and part of the Great Dividing Range, Australia.'' The Eastern Highlands, also known as the Manica Highlands, is a mountain range on the border of Zimbabwe ...

. After early exposure to cricket through familial and neighborly influences, Taylor started structured training at Hillcrest Junior School and

Hillcrest College , established = 1985 , oversight = Hillcrest Schools (Pvt) Ltd , headmaster = Orlando Fernandez , grades_label = Forms , grades = 1–4, Sixth Form , gender ...

. Despite his efforts, he didn't make the Manicaland national primary school team. To access sports facilities, Taylor transferred to

Plumtree School Plumtree School is a boarding school for boys and girls in the Matabeleland region of Zimbabwe on the border with Botswana. Founded in 1902 by a railway mission, Plumtree School boards 500+ pupils. Recently the school announced it will start enrol ...

near

Bulawayo Bulawayo (, ; Ndebele: ''Bulawayo'') is the second largest city in Zimbabwe, and the largest city in the country's Matabeleland region. The city's population is disputed; the 2022 census listed it at 665,940, while the Bulawayo City Council cl ...

, where he made to the Matabeleland School's squad and played representative hockey. Post-school, he apprenticed with Farmec in

Harare Harare (; formerly Salisbury ) is the capital and most populous city of Zimbabwe. The city proper has an area of 940 km2 (371 mi2) and a population of 2.12 million in the 2012 census and an estimated 3.12 million in its metropolitan ...

, limiting his cricket to social games. On completing his

apprenticeship Apprenticeship is a system for training a new generation of practitioners of a Tradesman, trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study (classroom work and reading). Apprenticeships can also enable practitioners ...

in the 1996–97 season, he resumed serious cricket, playing for

Manicaland Manicaland is a Provinces of Zimbabwe, province in eastern Zimbabwe. After Harare Province, it is the country's second-most populous province, with a population of 2.037 million, as of the 2012 Zimbabwe census, 2022 census. After Harare and Bulawa ...

and receiving guidance from its captain,

Mark Burmester Mark Greville Burmester (born 24 January 1968) is a former Zimbabwean cricketer who played in three Test cricket, Test matches and eight One Day Internationals between 1992 and 1995. He played in Zimbabwe's inaugural Test, opening the bowling he ...

. His club cricket career spanned

Harare Sports Club Harare Sports Club is a sports club and the Harare Sports Club Ground is a cricket stadium in Harare, Zimbabwe. Founded in 1900 and known as Salisbury Sports Club until 1982, it is mostly used for cricket matches, and has served as the primary ...

and

Old Hararians Old Hararians Sports Club is a sports club and multi-purpose stadium in Harare, Zimbabwe. The ground is also known as Old Hararians 'B' Field, it is mostly used for cricket matches, and has served as the cricket venue in Zimbabwe since its founda ...

. A notable performance against the Western Province team led him to the Academy. Alongside cricket, Taylor managed a generator-specialist company. His cricketing strength centred on his bowling pace, ball control, and aggressive batting style. However, a stress fracture hampered his progress. He had a stint with Bangor, Northern Ireland in 2000.

References

External links

* 1975 births Living people Zimbabwean cricketers CFX Academy cricketers Manicaland cricketers Cricketers from Bulawayo {{Zimbabwe-cricket-bio-stub

Biography

See also

References

External links