James Taylor

JAMES TAYLOR was born in Burrough on the Hill, Leicestershire, in 1990. A sporting phenomenon from an early age, he chose to forge a life in cricket, establishing himself as one of the country's leading batsmen and an England regular. And then tragedy struck. In April 2016, a serious heart condition left Taylor fighting for his life in the changing room. Told he faced possible death if he played cricket, or exercised, ever again, James's bright and brilliant career was over at the age of 26. In Cut Short, Taylor reveals his route to the top. On the way, he describes how he encountered prejudice against his size and how his Test debut was overshadowed by the negative attentions of Kevin Pietersen. He takes us through the highs and lows of his international career, including a century against the Australians and a closeup view of the unsavoury nature of David Warner. With the world at his feet, Taylor reveals just what it was like to have sporting ambition snatched away right at the point of international breakthrough. He relives in breathless detail the horrific events of the day he thought he was going to die and his desolation at watching a fine sporting career torn from his grasp. The aftermath was a battle bigger than any he ever encountered on the pitch, a battle to rebuild his life and make sense of the personal bombshell with which he had been afflicted, and, unexpectedly, a battle for his future. At the same time, he was getting used to a body which, on several occasions, left him fearing for his existence. That James has emerged from these dark days with courage, good humour, and renewed ambition is testament to a remarkable personality. Cut Short is the story of a true never-say-die character.