James Taylor: Former England and Shrewsbury cricketer has defibrillator fitted during op
Former Shrewsbury Cricket Club player James Taylor has had his operation to fit a defibrillator as treatment continues on the heart condition which ended his professional career.
The former England batsman had to stop playing at the age of 26 after being diagnosed in April with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, or ARVC.
The condition means he can no longer undergo vigorous exercise, and, following initial treatment, he has worn what he describes as a "life vest" – an external defibrillator – to prevent any recurrence.
Taylor tweeted a picture of himself in hospital after surgery to fit an internal defibrillator yesterday.
"Well, that was the best sleep ever??" he wrote.
"At the bottom of a very steep hill, I can't wait to see the view from the top!"
Taylor played his seventh and final Test against South Africa at Centurion in January.
It was a series England won against the number one ranked team in the world.
He was preparing for the new season with Nottinghamshire when he began to feel unwell in the first-class fixture against Cambridge MCCU at Fenner's.
Doctors told him he was lucky he did not die of his heart condition.
The condition means strenuous exercise is no longer safe and, after wearing his "life vest", Taylor has now been operated on to have the internal defibrillator fitted. It means that his heart will automatically restart if it stops.
Taylor turned out in the Birmingham League for Shrewsbury before moving on to county cricket and the England squad.
Shrewsbury Cricket Club members have been among hundreds of players to send Taylor their best wishes.
