BillyTaylor celebrated three years on the Sussex staff this week, but the 25-year-old fast bowler admits he still doesn't consider himself a 'proper cricketer.'

Although he has been a regular member of the county's one-day side for the last couple of seasons, Taylor's appearance in the attack for the game against Yorkshire at Headingley last week was his first in the Championship for ten months.

"I don't want to be seen as a one-day specialist, it annoys me a lot to be honest," said Taylor.

"Other players don't seem to regard you as a proper cricketer until you play four-day cricket and are successful at it. I'm in the side now and I'm determined to establish myself in our attack. I'll be a lot happier when I have managed to do that."

Taylor played his part in the impressive innings triumph at Headingley, taking two wickets and scoring an unbeaten 18 coming in at No11 as Sussex ground the dispirited Tykes' attack into the dust.

His confidence sky-high, Taylor followed it up by claiming a hat-trick in the C&G Trophy match against Leicestershire. A lot of bowlers go through their careers without ever claiming a hat-trick, but Taylor now has two in a season. He cleaned up Surrey's nine, ten and jack in the B&H Cup at Hove in May and was celebrating again at Grace Road on Wednesday when he had Grant Flower and Devon Malcolm caught at long on and bowled Darren Maddy.

Taylor's emergence this season may have surprised a few people, but not the man himself.

He returned from three months playing club cricket in New Zealand during the winter fitter, stronger and - more importantly - a yard quicker.

Coach Peter Moores had told him before he left to improve on his core strength and to find a bit more pace, tasks Taylor was happy to undertake because he knew it would improve his chances of improving on a total of ten first-class games in three years on the staff.

He said: "I lost a bit of pace last year because I tended to bowl stump-to-stump in the one-day games and just concentrate on the basics because it suited the team which was fair enough.

"I also had a knee injury for the last two months of the season. I didn't feel anything when I bowled because I tend to be so switched on and everything else is in the background.

"It was quite uncomfortable when I fielded, but I tended to hide from the physio. It was important I stayed in the one-day side. At this stage of my career I needed to be going forward, not sitting on the sidelines."

A minor operation cleared up the injury and after working in a landscape gardening business for a few weeks Taylor headed to Rotroua after Christmas. He had no club lined-up and was paying for his trip out of his own funds, staying with his girlfriend Barbara's sister.

"No one knew who I was. I just phoned up the local club, told them I played first-class cricket in England and asked to play," he said.

"They were delighted, it gave me the opportunity to bowl quickly without any pressure on me to get loads of wickets. They played a lot of one-day cricket which was good for me after the operation and we had this six-a-side on Monday nights where they used the same balls we use in the National League which was another bonus."

Regular sessions at a local gym - where Taylor was put on a programme designed for a baseball pitcher - seemed to have done the trick.

Taylor is a bowler transformed this season. He attacks the crease more, has added a decent bouncer to his armoury and, thanks to some advice from second team coach Mark Robinson, is getting the ball to do a lot more off the seam by improving his wrist action.

The hard work must all seem worth it when he has the opportunity to unleash one of the best appeals in the county game. Knees bent, body and head rocking back and palms facing to the heavens, Taylor growls rather than shouts for confirmation from the umpire in that unmistakable Hampshire burr.

"I get a bit of stick from the lads for my appeals and celebrations," he laughed. "But it means a lot to me when I get a wicket in any form of cricket.

"I don't sledge batsmen, but I do like my body language to show that I'm in their face and being aggressive."

Taylor probably thought his chance of playing county cricket had gone when his native county rejected him. He was playing Minor Counties for Wiltshire when Sussex unearthed him at a trial match. It certainly makes him appreciate the lifestyle his now enjoying.

"I remember having a chat on the beach with Umer Rashid in Grenada the night before he died," said Taylor.

"He said you should enjoy life and make the most of every day. That was typically of Umie and he was right. Every moment I get to play in this game I'm going to enjoy."