Taylor to help performance squad

Chris Taylor cuts during a season in which he scored over 1,000 first-class runs

Gloucestershire batsman Chris Taylor has been appointed as a fielding coach to the England Performance Programme squad in India.

Taylor, 32, is renowned as one of the best cover-point fielders in county cricket, and will work with members of the 16-man touring party.

The performance squad will shadow the full England party touring India simultaneously. They play two four-day games against yet-to-be confirmed Indian opposition.

“I was approached by the ECB to do some coaching during the winter,” Taylor said.

“Fielding is an area I'm really passionate about. I really love the coaching.

“I see this as a real opportunity to further my own coaching aspirations and offer me the chance to work with elite level players, which should also help with my game.

“I hope to add value on the EPP programme as well as to Gloucestershire in the future.”

Taylor was the standout batsman in a disappointing season for Gloucestershire, who did not win a game in the LV County Championship and finished with the wooden spoon.

He scored 1,101 first-class runs at an average of 42, which included eight fifties and two championship centuries against promoted sides Worcestershire and Warwickshire.

Taylor hit an additional five half-centuries in limited-overs cricket. He also took 15 catches in all cricket, mainly fielding close in.

Next season Taylor has been granted a benefit year after eight seasons on Gloucestershire's books. Captain of the county for two seasons, he relinquished the post in 2005 for Jon Lewis to take over.

The performance squad are captained by Kent skipper Rob Key. Prior to the two-match Test series, Monty Panesar will also work with the original 15-man squad after his planned spell with Bloomfield Cricket Club in Sri Lanka fell through.