England's Taylor says 'anxiety' behind career-break

England women's wicket-keeper Sarah Taylor said Wednesday that anxiety was the reason behind her already announced decision to take an indefinite break from all cricket.

The 27-year-old, widely regarded as one of the best keepers in the women's game and, on her day, a dynamic batsman, struggled during the World Twenty20 in India in March, where she made 49 runs at 9.80 in five matches.

Taylor, who had previously ruled herself out of this year's home series against Pakistan, said she was "99 per cent certain" she would return to cricket but could no say when that would happen.

"For the past four years, I have been suffering from anxiety," Taylor told the BBC in an interview on Wednesday.

"My health is my first priority, and it was starting to affect my performance in cricket.

"Taking time out is trying to fix me as a person and to prolong my career."

Taylor added: "It happened mainly when I was waiting to bat - the nerves and expectation of scoring runs would hit me.

"It would be nerves, plus something else - and now I know it is genuine panic.

"The heart races, you feel faint ... there have been times when I would run off into the changing rooms and be sick ... sometimes through sheer panic."

Taylor, who revealed she was receiving cognitive behavioural therapy for her condition, also said: "I would like to say I am 99 per cent sure I will play again.

"I absolutely want to play cricket, put an England shirt on, train with the girls. I miss them terribly."

Heart operation

Former England batsman James Taylor has had an operation to fit a defribillator as he continues treatment for the heart condition that dramatically cut short his cricket career.

In April, Taylor was forced into retirement at the age of just 26 after being diagnosed with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC).

The condition means he can no longer take part in strenuous exercise, and following an initial course of treatment he has been fitted with a 'life vest' or external defibrillator - to prevent any recurrence of the problem.

Taylor tweeted a picture of himself in hospital on Wednesday after surgery.

"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, and was preparing for the new season with Nottinghamshire when he began to feel unwell in the Midlands county's opening first-class fixture against a Cambridge student team at Fenner's.

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