James Taylor: Ex-cricketer who had career cut short by heart condition focuses on the future
Doctors say it is a miracle that he is still alive - but former England cricketer, James Taylor was in Shropshire proving he is still enjoying a life in cricket despite his playing career being cut short by heart problems.
Now fitted with an internal defibrillator that will kick in if his heart fails, the 27-year-old former Shrewsbury Cricket Club player can no longer play. But he is busier than ever, coaching, commentating and giving talks.
He was at Ellesmere College on Saturday as the keynote speaker at the Shropshire Cricket Coaches Association's Coaching Conference.
The talented batsman played in seven internationals for England and was about to play his first game of last year's season when his heart went into overdrive. Unable to continue he went home and then took himself to hospital in the evening.
"The doctors said I had a heartbeat of 265 beats a minute. They said it was a miracle that I has survived the day and had been able to get into hospital," he said.
He was diagnosed with Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy and told his playing career was at an end. Ten months later James says he does not look back but looks forward.
"I focus on what I can do rather than what I can't do, something that each one of use should do," he said. "I suppose I played about a third of the career I would liked to have had, but in that time I had achieved everything I wanted to achieve. Now I have a new life, a new career, which I am really enjoying."
He is involved in coaching in the north of England where he lives and tours Britain doing question and answer sessions.
The biggest surprise to him has he said, been his career in commentating.
James commentates for Sky and BT Sport and also for the BBC Test Match Special.
"I didn't think it would be something that I would be particularly good at or that I would enjoy, but I love commentating and I have had some great feedback from the public," he said.
A former Shrewsbury School student, he often returns to Shropshire where his girlfriend's family live.
James is still in touch with his former England team mates and says he is pleased that Joe Root has been given the captaincy. "He is the right man for the job," he said.
