Accolade for schools ace James

James Taylor, the batsman who blossomed in Shropshire, has enhanced his reputation as one of the golden cricketing talents of his generation by winning the top junior accolade in the sport.

The 19-year-old, who spent five years at Shrewsbury School, was today announced as the Young Wisden Schools Cricketer of the Year.

Taylor is due to receive his prize at a special awards dinner in London tonight, but faces a race against time to reach the capital because he was today playing a pre-season friendly for current county Leicestershire against his former club Worcestershire.

And the talented right-handed batsman has paid tribute to his coaches at Shrewsbury School, where he arrived as a 14-year-old before leaving last summer.

"I'm very honoured to win this award and I'm really hoping I can get to the dinner tonight," said Taylor.

"It's a great start to the year for me and a lot of it is down to my coaches at Shrewsbury School.

"The likes of Andy Barnard, Paul Pridgeon, Steve Gale and Will Hughes were all amazing and they just allowed me to play as much as I could - I can't thank them enough."

Taylor's award is no surprise after he scored 898 runs in schools cricket last year, averaging an astounding 179.60.

In a little over four years at Shrewsbury School, he scored 3,164 - excluding tour and knockout games.

His record has also been noticed on the first class and international scene.

Taylor - who also spent one season playing Birmingham League cricket for Shrewsbury - was signed by Leicestershire last year, breaking into both the championship and one-day teams at the end of the season and earning a three-year contract.

And he has just returned from a tour of South Africa with England under 19, where he played nine times.

Andy Barnard, master in charge of cricket at Shrewsbury School, admitted Taylor's talents were clear for all to see after he made his first team debut at just 14.

"His record for Shrewsbury School has been fantastic and I think only Alistair Cook has scored more runs in schools cricket than him," he added.

"Coaches all over the country in schools cricket said James was as good a young player as they have seen for a very, very long time.

"We all think he will go on and have a very good career in First Class cricket and hopefully beyond.

"I was trying four years ago to put a bet on Joe Hart to play for England at football and James Taylor to play for England at cricket and I still think that will be the case."