James Taylor

James Taylor is an incredible batsman whose career will be fondly remembered by fans of both Leicestershire and England. He holds the honour of being Leicestershire’s youngest one-day centurion and youngest player to score more than 1,000 runs in one season for the county, two achievements which he discusses in-depth during his after-dinner speeches. Starting out at local side Loughborough Town, James’ talents were clear to see from an early age when he became only the second batsman to score a double century in the topflight of the Everards League. 

He made his breakthrough for Leicestershire in 2009, debuting in the county’s test series against West Indies during their tour of England. From there he proved his capabilities, regularly earning man of the match and scoring hundreds of runs. His good form was noticed by England, and he was offered a place in the squad for the first time in 2011 for the ODI against Ireland. In one of his first appearances for his country, he shared a 147-run partnership with Kevin Pietersen. In 2012 James was selected for the England Test squad for the first time, making his debut in England's second Test against South Africa in August of that year. During this game, he made 34 runs and it was in this match that he made his star partnership with Kevin Pietersen. 

His impressive form continued and he moved to Nottinghamshire in 2012, where he put in a great performance at a number of events for the team. He was given the opportunity to play in the limited-overs tour against Sri Lanka, playing in the third One Day International. He also delivered an impressive performance at the 2015 Cricket World Cup, scoring an unbeaten 98. Also in 2015, James played five ODIs against Australia and four ODIs against Pakistan. His final games of cricket came in 2016, getting the opportunity to play in all four of the tests in England's historic victory against South Africa.

Unfortunately, James retired at the age of just 26 in 2016, when he was diagnosed with the serious heart condition arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy. This was a devastating blow for James, as many people regarded him as one of the best up and coming players in the game. However, his excellence lies in how he has been able to overcome an adversity, such as this one, with suave and resilience. Since his retirement, James has served as a selector and head scout for England, currently serving as Assistant Coach for the Foxes. 

As a sports speaker, he is able to discuss this experience and offer strategies on how he has coped with it. James has an inspiring, impactful story to tell. His experiences on and off the field have shaped him as a person, teaching him the value of adapting to overcome challenges. Highly skilled at engaging with an audience, James will take your event to the next level.