Devon Cricket Board - Taylor meets up with former Budleigh team-mate at Lord's

Taylor meets up with former Budleigh team-mate at Lord's

TALK about taking the shirt of someone's back! That's what Budleigh Salterton player Ian Taylor did at Lord's during the final Test between England and South Africa.
Taylor caught up with his former Budleigh team-mate Vernon Phillander at the game and bagged his shirt as a souvenir.
Phillander was just a lad of 18 back in 2004 when he came over to spend a summer playing cricket in Devon with Budleigh Salterton.
It was an eventful few months for Phillander, who helped Devon to an historic win over Leicestershire at Exmouth in the C&G Trophy during his stay.
Sadly for Budlegh, Phillander had to go home early due to shin splints trouble.
Taylor has kept in touch with Phillander since he left Ottermouth, following his career with interest.
Phillander has gone on to play for Middlesex, Cape Cobras, Western Province, Somerset and South Africa in every format of the game.
It was only last year that Phillander burst on to the Test match scene with seven wickets on his debut in South Africa's win over Australia in cape Town.
He was man of the match then - and won the same accolade in South African's win over England at Lord's with seven wickets in the match and more than 100 runs in both innings.
No wonder Taylor wanted a souvenir.
The two caught up for a chat at Lord's, during which Phillander told Taylor he would never forget his time in the Devon League.
'It was his first time away from home, which is always a shock, and he was surprised at how good the standard was,' said Taylor.
The Devon League has been a proving ground for future internationals, especially South Africans.
In the Lord's test there were two other Devon League graduates: J P Duminy, who averaged 99.33 for Exmouth in 2003 and Jacques Rudolph, who played for Paignton in 2001.

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