Picture by Dan Istitene/Getty Images. James Taylor in action for Surrey during the ongoing Metro Bank One-Day Cup.
Yorkshire fans got a brief look at one Taylor at York last week and next season will get a much more prolonged look at another. Tom Taylor lined up against the White Rose for Worcestershire on Wednesday, while his younger brother James has just signed on at Headingley from Surrey.
So who better to give us an idea of what to expect from the 25-year-old than his seam-bowling sibling.
Fast bowler James is heading North ahead of 2027 after six years at the Kia Oval, where he has played his part in County Championship success.
He’s currently a central cog in Surrey’s team in the ongoing Metro Bank One-Day Cup, the same competition in which older brother Tom play against Yorkshire.
“James is a very good bowler who will come in and give some energy, extra pace,” said Tom, a highly-thought-of seam-bowling all-rounder himself and six years James’s senior.
“He’ll hit the pitch hard.
Picture by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images. Tom Taylor, the older brother of Yorkshire’s new signing James, played against the White Rose for Worcestershire in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup at York last Wednesday.
“He comes from a very good environment at Surrey – a very competitive one there – and into one which I expect will be very similar here given the expectations.
“Having spoken to him, he’s looking forward to playing at Headingley in front of the Yorkshire fans.”
James is just short of 50 senior career appearances across the formats, starting out at Derbyshire in 2017. To be precise, he has taken 64 wickets in 42 appearances, including a County Championship best of 6-52 whilst on loan at Kent earlier this summer.
Tom added: “He would have liked to have played a lot more for Surrey. He’s been a bit in and out. They’ve got a great seam attack, and it’s difficult to break into.
“He will be coming up here for more opportunity, but that’s not to say the competition at Yorkshire isn’t fierce.
“He hits the pitch hard, back-of-a-length hard and asks for a bit of movement off the seam.
Picture by Ben Hoskins/Getty Images. Seamer James Taylor will join Yorkshire from Surrey this winter.
“He’s not a swing bowler. When he bowls at his best, he nicks people off and gets them trapped on the crease.”
Surrey wanted to keep James, with director of cricket Alec Stewart saying recently: “Despite numerous conversations over the last 12 months, which included a contract offer, we fully appreciate James’s decision to move to Yorkshire.”
Former England Under 19s quick James has signed a three-year contract at Yorkshire.
