a one-day century, taking the record from former England and Leicestershire player David Gower. Leicestershire missed qualification for the second round of the 2009 Twenty20 Cup by one point. In ten matches, Taylor scored 205 runs with a highest score of 41 not out. On 1 August Taylor scored an unbeaten double-century against Surrey, scoring 207 not out, spending seven hours at the crease, whilst sharing an unbeaten partnership of 230 runs with Jacques Du Toit who also made a century as Leicestershire declared on 593/5. In the process Taylor became the youngest Leicestershire player to score a double-century. In a match against Essex at Chelmsford, Taylor scored his third first-class century of his career with a knock of 112 not out in the first innings, as well as scoring a further 62 in the second to earn a draw for Leicestershire. The knock was praised in particular for his play and survival against the spin of Pakistan international bowler Danish Kaneria who claimed eight wickets in Leicestershire's first innings and twelve in the match on a spinning pitch. In the second innings of the match Taylor surpassed 1,000 runs for the season making him the youngest player to achieve this feat for Leicestershire. In 17 first-class matches for Leicestershire in 2009 Taylor scored 1,207 runs, hitting three centuries and six half-centuries at an average of 57.47, making him the sixth-highest run-scorer in Division Two that season. Despite, Taylor's efforts Leicestershire still finished at the bottom of the Division, making it a disappointing season where eleven of the sixteen games were drawn. In September he was named the Cricket Writers' Club Young Cricketer of the Year, ahead of international all-rounder Stuart Broad, and the following month he was named the Professional Cricketers' Association Young Player of the Year. Taylor's breakthrough season helped him gain inclusion in the winter England Performance Programme (EPP), and he was named in the England Lions squad to travel to the UAE in January 2010. While part of the EPP Taylor received coaching from Dene Hills and Graham Gooch. In November 2009, he signed a three-year contract extension with Leicestershire keeping him at the club until 2012. 2010 Leicestershire began the 2010 County Championship with a six-wicket win against Northamptonshire, Taylor contributing 88 in the first innings. He then went through a poor run, not scoring above 50 in the County Championship for six games. In