Tatenda Taibu

Tatenda Taibu

Personal information
Full name	Tatenda Taibu
Height	5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right arm off spin/right arm medium
Role	Wicket-keeper
International information
National side	Zimbabwe
Test debut (cap 52)	19 July 2001 v West Indies
Last Test	20 September 2005 v India
ODI debut (cap 64)	23 June 2001 v West Indies
Last ODI	7 December 2007 v West Indies
ODI shirt no.	44
Domestic team information
Years	Team
2006 – 2007	Namibia
2005 – 2006	Cape Cobras
2000 – 2005	Mashonaland
Career statistics
Competition Tests ODI FC LA Matches 24 91 85 140 Runs scored 1273 1630 4420 2745 Batting average 29.60 26.29 34.80 28.89 100s/50s 1/9 1/7 8/22 2/12 Top score 153 107* 175* 121* Balls bowled 48 84 924 487 Wickets 1 2 22 13 Bowling average 27.00 30.50 19.59 25.15 5 wickets in innings – – 1 0 10 wickets in match – n/a 0 n/a Best bowling 1/27 2/42 8/43 4/25 Catches/stumpings 48/4 83/9 227/21 136/21
Source: Cricinfo, 20 December 2007

Tatenda Taibu (born May 14, 1983, in Harare) is a Zimbabwean cricketer. He is a short, lively wicket-keeper and solid batsman, and is also capable of bowling right arm off spin.

International career

Taibu made his first-class debut aged sixteen, and his debut for the national team in 2001, aged just eighteen. In 2003, he was appointed vice-captain to Heath Streak on the team's tour of England, and he was appointed national captain in April 2004 following the departure of several 'rebel' players, who resigned from the national team in a dispute with Zimbabwe Cricket. He impressed many with his mature outlook and leading by example and was regarded as one of the few genuinely Test-standard players in a very weak side.

In November 2005, he held a press conference on behalf of 74 Zimbabwe players denouncing the management of Zimbabwe Cricket. This led to death threats against him and his family, as well as criticism of him in the Zimbabwean media. He also failed to agree a new contract with Zimbabwe Cricket. On 24 November, he ended his international career at the age of 22 and is expected to continue his professional career outside Zimbabwe. He played for the Cape Cobras in South Africa in the 2005/06 season. However, he has also said that he would be glad to play for Zimbabwe again if Peter Chingoka and Ozias Bvute resigned and "the right people" replaced them.

He made his return to the Zimbabwean side in a series against India A in July 2007, registering a century. The following month Zimbabwe hosted South Africa for a 3 games ODI series and in the final game Taibu scored a career best 107 not out. It was the first ODI century by a Zimbabwean against South Africa.

Teams

• Namibia (2006)
• Zimbabwe (current)
• Mashonaland

Career summary

Tests

Test Debut: vs West Indies, Bulawayo, 2001
Latest Test: vs South Africa, Centurion, 2004-2005

• Taibu's best Test batting score of 153 was against Bangladesh, Dhaka, 2004-2005
• His best Test bowling figures of 1 for 27 came against Sri Lanka, Harare, 2004
• He captained Zimbabwe in ten Tests: nine losses, one draw
• Taibu holds the record for most runs in an innings without conceding a bye, when Sri Lanka scored 713/3d in 2004. Incidentally all 3 wickets in that innings were caught by Taibu

One-day internationals

ODI Debut: vs West Indies, Harare, 2001
Latest ODI: vs South Africa, Harare, 2007

• Taibu's best ODI batting score of 107 not out was against South Africa, Harare, 2007
• His best ODI bowling figures of 2 for 42 came against Sri Lanka, Harare, 2004
• He captained Zimbabwe in 29 ODIs: two wins, twenty-seven losses

Indian Premier League

On February 20 2008, Taibu was successfully bid on by the Kolkata franchise of the Indian Premier League for a sum of USD 125,000 to become the first and only Zimbabwean player to be selected in the Indian Premier League.

External links

• Cricinfo profile on Tatenda Taibu
• HowSTAT! statistical profile on Tatenda Taibu
• Scorecard of one of Taibu's best games at Cricmania
• News of Taibu's resignation at Cricinfo
• Subsequent interview with Taibu at Cricinfo
• Career Profile of Tatenda Taibu