James Taylor: England and Nottinghamshire batsman forced to retire.

James Taylor: England and Nottinghamshire batsman forced to retire.

England and Nottinghamshire batsman James Taylor has been forced to retire because of a serious heart condition.

Scans have shown that Taylor, 26, has a condition similar to the one which affected footballer Fabrice Muamba.

Taylor, who has played seven Tests and 27 one-day internationals, posted on Twitter: "Safe to say this has been the toughest week of my life!

"My world is upside down. But I'm here to stay and I'm battling on!"

Taylor missed his county's pre-season fixture against Cambridge MCCU with what was thought to be a viral condition.

However, his county revealed the diagnosis in a statement in which England team director Andrew Strauss spoke about his "shock" and "sadness".

"Throughout his career, he has constantly impressed with his determination to make the absolute most of his ability," said Strauss.

"It is immensely cruel that such a hard working player will be unable to fulfil his great potential in the international arena."

Footballer Muamba's heart stopped for 78 minutes while playing for Bolton Wanderers against Tottenham Hotspur in 2012.

He has since retired from the game.