Always sad when a player is forced out in his prime

James Taylor forced to retire with serious heart condition

Reader: sixsmasher

Really bad news. My favourite touch player around (I'm English, so biased in that sense). A great worker of the ball , very unorthodox for an English player and a very good close range fielder. I tend to like power players and Taylor bucked the trend in that sense (although he is actually pretty powerful despite his small stature)

At least he is ok. It is more important he stays healthy, than plays cricket. He is obviously going to have to take an alternate career path now. I always felt like it seemed he had a very good cricket brain. I hope Sky Sports give him a role as a pundit or commentator if he shows interest.

Reader: jameshunt

Always sad when a player is forced out in his prime.

I doubt he'll read this but James, I had my cycling career ended by injury at 19, just as it seemed about to take off. Know that there is a beauty & richness to regular life, a variety that you cannot possibly encounter as a sportsman. You will have dark days, I'm sure. Days when you despise the world for torturing & tantalising you with hopes & dreams. It will get better. You get to live. You get the chance to be happy, the chance to do try a myriad different things. There comes a point when all players can no longer play, & inevitably a time when all people must pass away. You played this great game wonderfully, with guts, & uncommon ease. This is not the end, nor an ending. It is simply another twirl of life's incorrigible transience.

May you find love, joy, & peace in your life & in the world. No matter how you despair, there will be another day for you to try and get it right, to be happy. Which is the greatest gift of all.

A blossoming career cruelly cut short

Reader: jcolho

A moving piece. I have followed James' every move, at first because we shared a School but as time went on because he was an exceptional cricketer and a thoroughly decent and likeable man. These traits will I am sure stand him in good stead in the tough times ahead. I am proud to have seen him play the game with skill and humour and know he will forge another career on these traits. Go well young man you have much left to give.

How Carlos Brathwaite became a star

Reader: Whatsgoinoffoutthere

An England fan, I've just checked back through my texts around that final over. Just before the over starts, I texted my brother "This is still their game" while thinking of the number of times I've seen runs in the high teens taken off the last over of a game (I was thinking 18 runs, Allan Lamb v Bruce Reid 1987 (?) ODI - a batsman becalmed facing a much better bowler). Could never have predicted the way it happened for WI though! I'm beginning to like Carlos Brathwaite, it doesn't seem to be going to his head at all. Are we witnessing the arrival of the new, improved Version 2.0 Darren Sammy here? Just hope he stays this way for the rest of his career.

Why Andre Russell rocks the 20-over format

Reader: Juiceoftheapple

I watched Andre some years ago bat for Worcestershire against Somerset, I think in a T20, at the time Somerset were probably the best T20 outfit in England (we didn't quite win a trophy despite loads of final appearances), and watching Russell bat it was one of those instances when you are completely blown away, in this instance by his sheer power and aggression. It was awesome. Our bowlers literally did not want to release the ball from their hands for fear of how hard Russell would hit it. Indeed, he nearly took off Peter Trego's hand, one of the toughest cricketers in England, in a failed caught and bowled. Ever since then, in my mind, this guy has always been the real deal.

How much does the toss really matter?

Reader: SamRoy

Toss matters depending upon the conditions. E.g. In a Day Night Limited Overs Game if there is dew later on then you want to field first as it will be difficult to grip the ball later and also it will skid on off the pitch. Similarly if there is an early morning start in limited overs games fielding first is a definite advantage as there may be freshness in the pitch for seamers to exploit in the first hour. In test matches if the pitch is going to break down later batting first is an advantage. In the recent few test series in NZ fielding first was definitely an advantage as the pitches are spicier on day 1 and become flat afterwards and don't break down. In conditions where it remains the same throughout the match and that can only happen in limited overs games and absolute flat roads for test matches (which don't break up) in doesn't matter whether one bats first or fields first.

Jim Parks: 'Back then, wicketkeepers never worried about scoring hundreds'

Reader: bobletham

I saw the innings of Compton described by Parks. At the age of 7, it was the second time I had been to Lord's. Compton made his 150 out of 195 while 7 wickets fell. Sitting in the Mound Stand we could not see all the details of how the ball was behaving but I recall asking my father whether Compton was at his best, to which he replied emphatically "no, he's nowhere near it!" Given Parks' comment, this reaction may well have been due to the behaviour of the wicket.

The return of South Africa, on a tour they didn't want

Reader: ravi

I was taken back to that time and remember how excited we felt, even though we didn't have live broadcast of the match. We were madly in love with the South African freshness after the way they played in India a few months before - Donald took a fifer at Calcutta if I remember correctly. Since WIndies were still on top, did we did not show any underdog bias towards them. The athleticism of their fielders, the superb and graceful bowling action of Donald and the cricket itself played wit an apologetic elegance, all caught our imagination. This test was again an Ambrose/Walsh test and ultimately we were happy for both the teams. A beautiful memory kindled. Thank you!