| Most people who went on 'rebel' tours of South Africa during the
apartheid period were reckoned to have damaged their Test careers. In
the case of Les Taylor, the Leicestershire seam bowler, it may have
ensured he got one. Few other than fanatical Midlands supporters had put
together the words 'Les Taylor' and 'Test cricket' before he was given a
ban from the international scene for joining the unofficial England
side in the Cape in 1981-82. Selectors remembered him when they wanted a
seamer with control during the Ashes series of 1985, when more famous
names were rejoining the side after similar bans. Les was brought in for
the fifth Test at Edgbaston and although he only took one wicket in the
match - that of Simon O'Donnell - England won and he kept his place at
the Oval. He took 1-39 and then 2-34 as Australia followed on, removing
opening bat Andrew Hilditch for 9. Taylor toured West Indies in 1985-86,
but after economical bowling in the first ODI - 7 overs for 17 against
Greenidge and Haynes - he played no further part in internationals. He
was one of those tail-end batsmen whose pure incompetence made them
beloved of the crowds. His career in the unofficial Tests in South
Africa produced much better results than the official matches. In
Johannesburg he took 3-73, the victims being Jimmy Cook, Peter Kirsten
and Clive Rice. In Cape Town he took 3-49, adding Barry Richards to his
scalps. In the third match at Durban his figures were 5-51: Graeme
Pollock, Adrian Kuiper, Ray Jennings, Garth Le Roux and Vincent van der
Bijl. (Bob Harragan) |