James Taylor, the Nottinghamshire and England batsman who scored his maiden one-day international century in the recent victory over Australia, is looking forward to another “must win” fixture against the old enemy, and has also set his sights on Test cricket in the UAE.
Tuesday’s victory came on a spinner friendly surface at Old Trafford, the same venue and similar conditions in which the Notts Outlaws skipper guided his side to an unlikely victory in the NatWest T20 Blast.
Taylor knows playing against spin is something he does well and - for a man who is, in his own words “desperate” to play the five day format again - England’s looming Test Series against Pakistan is far from lost on the 25-year-old.
“Like (Moeen Ali), I’m a very versatile player as well, and I’m willing to bat anywhere in the team,” said Taylor.
“I love batting at three and four and I’m glad I got my opportunity. The higher I bat in the order, the bigger runs potentially I can score.
“People have seen over the last few years I’ve got a lot to offer in one-day cricket especially, but I think that was a nice little reminder on a turning pitch, where it wasn’t easy to score off the slower bowlers, similar conditions that we’re going to have in the winter in the UAE.
“I know we’ll be playing on similar wickets against some good spin bowlers in the UAE, and I’m desperate to get back into the Test side.”
There was unfinished business in the air as Taylor edged through the nervous 90s in the north-west, the diminutive right-hander having been robbed of a maiden three figure tally in bizarre circumstances against the same opposition during the ICC Cricket World Cup.
Having originally been given out lbw for 98 at the MCG, the former Leicestershire man was in the process of calling for a review when the bails were removed to run out James Anderson.
The lbw was rightly overturned, but Anderson was given out, wrongly as it turned out as the International Cricket Council later admitted.
Taylor sported a philosophical smile as he shook hands with the Australia batsmen that night, but it's a moment that’s rankled ever since.
This time the runs were in a winning cause, and that means everything.
“I am delighted and most importantly in a match-winning situation,” he said.
“We got the side up to a total that we knew we could defend on a tricky wicket.
“The special thing about it is that we were under the pump, we knew it was a must-win game and we performed when we needed to.
“On a surface like that it sometimes wasn’t easy to get in on. When the slower bowlers came on it was tricky.
“I have had a couple of fourties in the two previous games and that person not going on has cost us in the previous games.
“I knew it was important to go on and get that match-winning total.
“It is another must-win game at Headingley,” Taylor continued, looking forward to Friday’s fourth Royal London One-Day International where England will aim to square the series.
“We have performed exceptionally well and hopefully we can take that confidence and the performance we have put in today.”
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