Sarah Taylor’s matchwinning half-century at Taunton was quietly acknowledged by the player herself, but it was a major moment in her comeback to the game
Francis Kelly02-Jul-2017Sometimes a lot changes without anything really changing at all.So it went at Taunton as Sarah Taylor, back in the England fold a little over a year on from taking a break from cricket due to mental health issues, reminded all those watching why she is regarded as one of the most naturally gifted female players in the women’s game.In front of a boisterous crowd in excess of 3,000, boosted by a jubilant helping of schoolchildren brought in for the occasion, Taylor unfurled her classic lofted drive along with a few more of her party-pleasing shots as she scored her first ODI half-century since February 2015 and led England to a convincing victory over Sri Lanka.”I’m just happy to play, I think that’s the position I’m in at the minute,” Taylor said in her first press conference since returning to international cricket.”We are well aware we have to take every game as it comes, that’s from a team perspective, but from my mental health side of things as well. But it’s just nice to contribute. I felt like I’ve got starts and now it’s nice to get a big score on the board as well.”The track here at Taunton is really nice and the outfield is quick so you get value for your shots. To bat with Heather [Knight] is always nice and getting a good partnership, but I think the performances have been getting stronger and stronger as we go on. It was nice and fun out there.”If that addition of ‘fun out there’ sounds like a throwaway comment by a cricketer attempting to fill time with fodder while being questioned by journalists, it couldn’t be further from the truth when concerning Taylor. That element of joy, or lack thereof, in her career as a cricketer was one of the factors in Taylor’s departure last year.But in Somerset, under a cloudless sky, Taylor relished the opportunity to make hay while the sun shined. At the crease within eight overs of England’s innings, with the score teetering on 50 for 2, Taylor went about the business of seeing England home with characteristic panache. There was no wild celebration upon reaching her fifty though, a simple jump and a quiet fist pump to mark the occasion. There was a job to still be done, after all.From then on, she blew through the timid Sri Lankan bowling like a tornado knocking over a house of cards. Five of her next nine deliveries went to the ropes, the final one, lifted over mid-on, to win the match.Heather Knight congratulates Sarah Taylor on her first fifty since returning to the team•Getty ImagesHer move back to No.3, having filled in up top alongside Tammy Beaumont while Lauren Winfield was out with a wrist injury for the first two games of England’s World Cup campaign, did little to deter her. If anything, those previous early opportunities to bat, especially the opening match with India, were welcomingly received.”When the team need you to move somewhere, you do it with no questions asked. The past few years batting at 3, I’m a little bit more comfortable batting there. But I had a few years opening for England a while back and I enjoyed that tremendously, so opening probably gave me a little bit more freedom. So from an anxiety point of view, I could just go out there and play, I didn’t have to sit and wait and overthink.”It was quite a nice way to enter the tournament and, if I look back at it, it’s nice to get those two games under the belt and then sink back to 3 and get back to what I’m used to.”I think it was one of those things where it is in the back of your mind and you just want to get the first one out of the way. I felt good with the bat but things happen in cricket and I walked away from that game [against India] really proud of myself for getting through the game considering the last year. To get to game three is a bonus for me. We’ll look at every game as it comes.”Cricket is all Taylor’s known during adulthood, after being thrust into the international spotlight as a precocious 17-year-old. She has taken a break before, if only for four months, which was ended after travelling to New Zealand for a holiday and being asked to represent Canterbury.The anxiety from which she suffers started in her early 20s but became more prominent in recent years. That moment before batting and the expectation of scoring would occasionally induce panic attacks and cause her to be sick.It was following last year’s disappointing World T20 campaign, a tournament in which she hit 49 runs and England were knocked out in the semi-finals by Australia, that Taylor made the brave decision to step away from cricket.There remained a “99%” chance of a return, Taylor said soon afterwards. But England ensured the most diligent and careful approach possible in bringing her back. They were aware of mistakes made previously with members of the men’s side.The team have been so vigilant with Taylor’s reintroduction that she was left off the original squad list announced to be going to Abu Dhabi for a training camp ahead of the World Cup, so as to remove the pressure of committing to the trip.”That was a really big decision at the time. Then it was to see if I could get through that and perform well and do all the right things. I think it was more a learning curve for the staff and the team at the time: ‘can we cope with it? Yes, we can. Right, so let’s sit down and work our way through this’.”To be honest, I think actually how we’ve been going through this tour so far, I don’t think there’s been too many blips. We’ve been getting on just like any normal tour and hopefully it will continue like that.”The way that Heather’s leading and how Mark Robinson [the coach] is pushing certain ideas, it’s just class. That’s the only word I can use. I’m lucky to be back in this side and with this group of players.”How long Taylor remains is down to her. England have always maintained her health comes first. However, it was for occasions like this that they wanted her back. Robinson and co. can hope there will be many more.
