Taylor, Roach up for awards

DUBAI – Barbadian fast bowler Kemar Roach and Jamaican all-rounder Stafanie Taylor are the only two players from the West Indies vying for major individual honours in the ICC Awards this year.Taylor is one of 13 women nominated for the Women’s World Cricketer Of The Year award, and Roach is one of 14 nominated for the Emerging Player Of The Year award.Both will now have to make it to the final cut for their respective awards, which will be presented at a glittering ceremony in the Indian city of Bengaluru on October 6.Taylor continues to be the standard-bearer for the West Indies women in the international game.The 19-year-old scored 332 runs at an average of 36.50 in nine One-Day Internationals (ODIs) during the period of review from last August 24 to this August 10.This included a brilliant, maiden, undefeated 108 against South Africa last October in Paarl that helped West Indies to a five-wicket victory in a low-scoring match.Taylor has also made her mark with her steady off-spin, taking 11 wickets at 22.18 apiece.During the period, West Indies women had memorable series victories over England and Sri Lanka, and Taylor was part of the supporting cast that carried Merissa Aguilleira’s side through to the semi-finals of the Twenty20 World Cup in the Caribbean.Roach has had to carry the West Indies men’s attack on his shoulders for most of the past year, following severe injuries to Fidel Edwards and Jerome Taylor.The 22-year-old fast bowler from Barbados has taken 13 wickets at 41.07 each in five Tests during the review period. He also captured 13 wickets at 24.14 apiece in eight ODIs, and seven wickets at 20.14 each in eight T20 Internationals.Taylor’s West Indies women’s teammate Deandra Dottin, as well as Roach’s teammates Sulieman Benn, Chris Gayle, and Darren Sammy are under consideration for the T20 International Performance Of The Year.Dottin slammed the fastest T20 hundred ever by either a man or a woman, when she smote seven fours and nine sixes in 112 not out from 45 balls against South Africa in the T20 Women’s World Cup in St Kitts.Benn is being recognised for his memorable figures of 4-2-6-4 against Zimbabwe in February this year in Trinidad.Gayle’s whirlwind 98 from 66 balls that included five fours and seven sixes against India in the T20 World Cup in Barbados has also been nominated.And Sammy’s five for 26 in 3.5 overs against Zimbabwe in February at Queen’s Park Oval has also made the list.Dominica and West Indies umpire Billy Doctrove has also made the list of nominees for the Umpire Of The Year award. (CMC)