Batsman James Taylor has been using cricket practice nets for years, but he has now had to retire from professional sport due to a serious heart condition.
The 26-year-old who has played for both Nottinghamshire and England revealed the news on his Twitter account, shortly before his county team announced he has been diagnosed with Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Arrhythmia (ARVC).
Speaking about his decision to retire, he told his social media following: “Safe to say this has been the toughest week of my life! My world is upside down. But I’m here to stay and battling on.”
Fans first suspected Taylor was unwell when he missed Nottinghamshire’s pre-season fixture against Cambridge MCCU earlier this month.
The director of the England cricket team Andrew Strauss said: “It is both shocking and saddening to hear that James’ career has been cut short in such a sudden and unexpected manner.”
Mr Strauss added it is “immensely cruel” a player who works as hard as Taylor does will not be able to continue to play for his national team and “fulfil his great potential”.
ARVC is similar to the condition former footballer Fabrice Muamba suffers from. Sports fans will be familiar with his story, as he collapsed on the pitch during a match for Bolton Wanderers against Tottenham Hotspur in 2012.
His heart stopped beating for 78 minutes, and medical staff spent seven minutes administering CPR on the field. While Muamba survived the incident, he had to retire from his profession.
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