Young cricketer's remarkable season is rewarded

Cricketer James Taylor's achievements for Leicestershire in 2009 were nothing short of remarkable.

While the season was largely one of collective on-field struggle for the county, the 19-year-old batsman's exploits shone out from the gloom.

Taylor is in the running for the Sportsman of the Year category in the Leicester Mercury Sports Awards after a sequence of innings which earned him a host of high-profile honours.

It was one thing to be voted player of the year by the Grace Road supporters and his Foxes colleagues, but quite something else to be named Young Player of the Year by both the Cricket Writers' Club and the Professional Cricketers' Association. But Taylor thoroughly deserved those acknowledgements.

During the course of the 2009 first-class season he was Leicestershire's most prolific batsman, scoring more than 1,100 runs. The highlight of his season was undoubtedly a brilliant, unbeaten 207 against Surrey at the Oval in early August.

Taylor was far from a first-choice player at the start of the summer. His chance came at the end of April when all-rounder Jim Allenby suffered a side injury and the former Shrewsbury School student stepped in against Middlesex.

That game at Southgate saw Taylor make his maiden first-class century. From there it was a tale of relentless run accumulation. By the end of the season, Taylor had emerged as the country's leading young batsman, securing his place on this winter's England Performance Programme. That is regarded as a major step towards full international recognition, Taylor having already represented England at under-19 level.

There are 11 categories in the Mercury Sports Awards. Readers can make their nominations before the closing date of December 12.

The winners will be announced on January 20.

To make your nomination fill in the form by clicking here.

The full list of awards categories is: Sportsman of the Year; Sportswoman of the Year; Coach of the Year; Team of the Year; Under-19 Team of the Year; Club of the Year; Young Sportsman (Under 18); Young Sportswoman (Under 18); Junior Sportsman (Under 14) ; Junior Sportswoman (Under 14); Active4life Award.