Jerome Taylor is Man of the Series

BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe (CMC):

West Indies pacer Jerome Taylor was voted the Man of the Series after rain ruined the fifth and final One-Day International (ODI) match in the series against Zimbabwe yesterday.

Persistent rain forced the umpires to abandon play - at 2:15 pm local time 8:15 a.m. (East Caribbean Time) - almost five hours after the scheduled start, without a ball being bowled at Queen's Sports Club.

West Indies secured a 3-1 triumph in the series and Taylor was honoured for his superb bowling that helped propel West Indies to their come-from-behind victory.

The 23-year-old received the award from West Indies team manager Clive Lloyd during the closing ceremony after yesterday's final match.

"This was a great series for me, and I believe I am bowling very well at the moment," Taylor said.

Taylor took 11 wickets in the four matches (average 13.71; strike rate 20.6) and was also named Man-of the-Match in the third and fourth matches.

My confidence is high and the team is on a high as we move on to the series in South Africa," said Taylor, who is on his second tour to the southern African nation.

"I'm happy to play a leading role and perform at my best for the West Indies. I enjoy representing the people of the West Indies and will be striving to go from strength to strength."

In the opening match of the series Taylor had taken two for 68 when West Indies lost by 30 runs.

In the second match, he struck back with one for 17 from eight overs and in the third match at the Harare Sports Club grabbed a superb three for 18 from 9.5 overs.

Last Friday in the fourth match at Queen's Sport Club he took a career-best five for 48.

West Indies' next assignment will be a much tougher one - they travel to South Africa for three Tests, five ODIs and two Twenty20 internationals.

The tour starts with a game against a Makhaya Ntini Invitation XI in East London, Buffalo Park, on Friday, while the first Twenty20 international will be played on Sunday.