I always thought I'd see James Taylor bat one more time again

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There was something close to a shrine to James Taylor in the pavilion at Leicestershire's Grace Road ground before he left for Nottinghamshire and made his England debut.

His international career took a while to revive after that, but by the end of last year he had played 7 tests and 27 one-day internationals.

He look set to build on that substantially, perhaps particularly in 50-over cricket. There his thoughtful approach was a counterweight to the headless, everyone thrash and get out for 15 tendency that is the flipside of England's new positivity.

So the news that a heart condition has forced him to retire from the game with immediate effect came as an awful shock to his admirers.

I wish him well for future. For, as another James Taylor almost sang,: "I always thought that I'd see you batting one more time again."