Taylor ruled out with shoulder injury

England batsman Claire Taylor has been ruled out of the rest of England women's Australia tour due to a shoulder injury. Taylor sustained damage to ligaments in her left shoulder when diving during England's second warm-up match against Western Australia on January 3.

Taylor, 35, will take no further part in either the Twenty20 series or the Ashes Test and will return to the United Kingdom in the next few days to commence a rehabilitation programme.

"Representing England on an Australian tour is the ultimate goal for many players," she said. "I've been lucky enough to play in Australia several times before and I was really looking to performing for England out here. To have that cut short by injury is devastating.

"My preparation at home, in Sri Lanka and out here has all gone to plan and I felt in form in our two warm-up matches so knowing I'll take no further part in the tour is tough.

After their 2-1 defeat in the one-day series, Taylor's absence will be a big blow for England. A fixture in the top order for a decade, she averages 41.75 in Twenty20s against Australia, with a high score of 76 not out, and also has an Ashes hundred against them.

"Injuries happen. It was one of those freak occurrences. I landed awkwardly and there's nothing I could have done to prevent it happening. I will get stuck in to rehabilitation and come back in time for the domestic season and England women's quad series in the summer."

With 12 international hundreds to her name, Taylor is the highest century-maker in women's cricket, and in 2008 her prolific form launched her to No. 1 in the ICC women's batting rankings that were released for the first time that year. In April 2009 she was the first woman to be named one of Wisden's Five Cricketers of the Year.