Former Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor has announced that he will not play for the Zimbabwe national team for the next three years as he signed a Kolpak agreement with County side Nottinghamshire.
The move is still subject to approval from England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). Should the move go through, Taylor, 29, could well be playing his final game in Zimbabwe colours when he takes the field in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 Pool B match against defending champions India.
The Kolpak agreement means the right-hander, who has played 166 ODIs for Zimbabwe, will not play international cricket at the end of the World Cup. Zimbabwe have won only one of the five games they have played and have no chance at going through to the next stage.
Nottinghamshire’s Director of Cricket Mick Newell expressed his delight at having acquired the services of Taylor. The club also revealed that ‘specific arrangements’ would be discussed with the player after the World Cup.
“We have found ourselves with two batsmen injured and face the potential loss of players to international commitments,” said Newell. “We have decided to strengthen our batting order with Brendan, a proven player who will be an excellent addition to the side.”
Speaking about the development, Taylor told reporters at Eden Park: “It’s been one of the toughest decisions of my career. I have been very passionate about playing for Zimbabwe, but it’s a decision I had to make. I can’t give you that answer (whether I would like to settle down there) because it’s the first time I am going there. I just want to go there and play some good competitive cricket and provide for my family. That’s the main thing behind it I will see how it goes the first year and then take a call.”
Taylor has scored 1,493 runs, including four centuries, at an average of 34.72, in 23 Tests. His ODI record currently stands at 5120 runs at an average of 34.13 from 166 matches, making him Zimbabwes sixth most capped player. He is the fourth-highest ODI run-getter for his country. In the World Cup, Taylor has scored 40, 47, 37, 50 and 121. Zimbabwe have not qualified for the quarter-finals, winning just one of five games so far.
With Zimbabwean cricketers still caught in financial instability, Taylor – the highest paid of his team-mates – decided to sign a Kolpak deal to secure his future. The current World Cup squad has still not received all their dues for past series, and their monthly salaries are estimated to be US$6,000. Taylor is reportedly paid US$10,000.
In 2013, Zimbabwe fast bowler Kyle Jarvis retired from international cricket to pursue a career in county cricket and Twenty20. Before him, Anthony Ireland bowed out at 22 on a two-year deal with Gloucestershire, citing the political stranglehold of Zimbabwe’s cricket administration as the reason for shunning his country. In May 2004, the allrounder Sean Ervine quit international cricket at the age of 21 and left the country to go to Australia, amid the deepening crisis in Zimbabwe cricket.
