FORMER Worcestershire academy player James Taylor has had to retire from professional cricket at the age of 26 due to a serious heart condition.

The England and Nottinghamshire batsman withdrew from last week’s fixture against Cambridge MCCU with what was believed to be a viral condition.

However, specialist scans revealed yesterday that Taylor has the very serious heart condition, ARVC (Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Arrhythmia).




Taylor played the first of his seven Tests against South Africa in 2012 and was part of the England team that won famously against the same opposition last winter.

The middle-order batsman also played 27 ODIs and was captain for England’s trip to Ireland last May.

Taylor spent three years as part of the County's academy and often played in the Seconds under the captaincy of Daryl Mitchell.

The England and Nottinghamshire player also played for five years at Shrewsbury School in the same cricket team as current Worcestershire vice-captain Joe Leach.

Mitchell said: "He came through our Academy and we played quite a lot of second team cricket together and I played against him in more recent times for Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire.

"I know him pretty well and it is devastating news. He is a fine player but more importantly a great bloke as well.

"It is certainly a quiet dressing room at the moment.

"I was the senior player in the second team and did a lot of the second team captaincy when 'Titch' first came on the scene.

"He was a good prospect back then and has gone onto do some great things.

"He has played at the highest level and would have had a long England career ahead of him judging on his performances in the last couple of years.

"It is a devastating blow for the whole cricket family."

Leach said: "I am gutted. I was at Shrewsbury School with him. He was a year above me. I knew him really well. We used to travel to academy sessions together.

"He was and still is a close mate. I am struggling to put things into words but I am gutted for him knowing how much hard work he has put in.

"He has been like a role model really and dragged me on through my teens to become better and better.

"We played five years together in the same team at Shrewsbury School, batted a hell of a lot together and grew up together in may respects from 13 to 18-19 so I am absolutely devastated for him.

"He is as genuine, hard-working and as honest bloke as you could find."