James Taylor could get England call for Ashes test
Shrewsbury's James Taylor looks set to play for Sussex against Australia this week – heightening rumours he is poised for an England recall.
The 23-year-old, who plays his county cricket for Nottinghamshire but is Birmingham League side Shrewsbury's professionally contracted player.
And he now appears in pole position to replace Kevin Pietersen should he not be fit for the third Ashes Test, as England want to look at the former Shropshire star.
They will need to name cover for Pietersen when the squads for the game are announced this weekend. Sussex's game against the tourists begins at Hove this Friday.
Taylor played two Tests against South Africa last summer but doubts about his technique - he scored just 48 runs in three innings - saw him overtaken during the winter by Nick Compton and Joe Root.
But, this season, he has been in excellent form for Nottinghamshire, racking up more than 800 runs at an average of almost 60 in the County Championship and scoring two centuries, including one double century.
Yorkshire's Gary Ballance is another candidate to replace Pietersen along with Ravi Bopara, Eoin Morgan and Warwickshire's Varun Chopra.
But former Shrewsbury school student Taylor would appear to be at the front of the queue and has also been mentioned by England batting coach Graham Gooch.
