Meet the Aussie who could play for England in the Ashes ...Middle East

In my experience, you don’t get too many self-effacing Australian cricketers, so perhaps Dan Worrall has what it takes to play for England after all?

The Melbourne-born seamer was keen to play down chat of turning out for his adopted country when he spoke at Surrey’s pre-season media day at The Oval on Friday, at one stage amid a barrage of questions over the topic joking: “I might just announce my international retirement. You can all go home.”

But the noise around Worrall, who has a British passport thanks to a father from Nottingham and who completes his three-year qualification period for England next month, will not die down because he is an Australian who has a live chance of taking on the country of his birth in this winter’s Ashes.

square CRICKET Interview

Darren Lehmann: It could get ugly for England in Australia

There are two reasons why the 33-year-old has generated so much interest and why many are tipping him for an England call-up at some point this summer.

Firstly, he has been the outstanding bowler in county cricket since he moved his family to London in 2022 to play for Surrey, with that UK passport allowing him to turn out as a “local player”.

In the past three summers, Worrall, who has a distinctive angled run-up because when he was learning to bowl as a kid there was a tree in his back garden that meant he was unable to take a straight approach to the crease, has taken 139 County Championship wickets at an average of 21.50.

Secondly, this form has seen him generate significant praise from those that matter, with England’s director of cricket Rob Key admitting last September: “You can’t not notice Dan Worrall. He’s highly skilled, and he looks like someone who is completely in control of his game.

“He probably could make the jump. He’s got brilliant attributes to be an international bowler.”

This was backed up by Stuart Broad the following month, with the second-most prolific bowler in England’s Test history saying: “I’m a huge fan of Dan’s bowling. I like what he does with that wide angle on the crease, he can swing the ball away and nip it back.

“He has a lot of weapons in his armoury. There is no doubt he will be in the selectors thoughts. He is a bowler that could help you get 20 wickets for a couple of seasons.”

Even David Warner, Worrall’s team-mate when he played three one-day internationals for Australia in 2016 before injury curtailed his career Down Under, has backed the former South Australia bowler to play for the old enemy in the Ashes.

Speaking last week, Warner, who retired from international cricket last year, said: “If he does put on that jersey I’ll still be supporting Dan himself.

“Besides Jimmy Anderson swinging that pink ball around at the Adelaide Oval, there hasn’t been a guy who can get the ball to talk off the wicket like Dan Worrall. I think if he got that opportunity it would be fantastic for him.”

It has been interesting how the Australian media have treated this story so far. There has been much talk of his “defection” to England – language that evokes images of Cold War spies being spirited across the Berlin Wall rather than a seam bowler perhaps playing for another country.

An incident back in 2014, when a 22-year-old Worrall was banned for scratching an image of a penis and testicles into a pitch at a ground in Melbourne following a second XI game between Victoria and South Australia, has also been liberally referenced when bringing up his possible England call-up.

Expect more of the same from the Australian media if he does end up on the Ashes tour.

The reason all this is so interesting is because Worrall really could be a historical anomaly.

square CRICKET Sport Analysis

Six England captaincy contenders - ranked by how likely they are to get the job

Opener Sam Robson was the 10th and last Australian-born player to represent England in 2014. Yet Worrall would be the first since the late 19th century to have played senior international cricket for both countries.

Yet what are the realistic chances of him actually crossing the divide? Surrey seem to think it’s a possibility, with head coach Gareth Batty saying: “We want him to fly and if that is the route that comes and the door opens, go for it my friend. We’re always here and we’ll get you to the other side.”

Surrey and England wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith added: “He is a fantastic bowler. He has been so key for us and not only in seam-friendly conditions. He does it on flat wickets as well.”

Worrall’s record in Australia – 195 first-class domestic wickets at 29.43 – is good. He admits England’s tactics of trying to pack their bowling stocks with fast bowlers for this winter’s Ashes is the way to go.

Sounding every inch an Australian, he said: “I think the way English cricket are setting up their fast-bowling cartel is the way forward to win in Australia. There is the necessity for pace and bounce going there.”

But what about a shorter man who bowls at around 85 miles per hour and can swing the ball?

It has certainly worked for Australia’s Scott Boland, who has taken 49 wickets at 12.63 in nine home Tests since making his debut against England during the 2021-22 Ashes.

“There is a role,” Worrall says. “There are opportunities we’ve seen in the last couple of years in Test matches in Australia where it has been a bit more seamer friendly.

“Whether that happens again in an Ashes series that’s yet to be seen. Maybe there’s a job to do as a sweatband swinger but we’ll wait and see.”

And if the call did come from England?

“Everyone else seems to be keen but we’ll wait and see,” Worrall says. “It’s a great opportunity if it was to arise but I’m not going to think too far ahead.

“I’ll do my best and if it comes I’ll be happy to take the call. England cricket’s been so good to me and if the opportunity was there I’d definitely give it my best shot.”

Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Meet the Aussie who could play for England in the Ashes )

Also on site :

• Brynn Whitfield Announces Exit From 'RHONY' After Two Seasons
• Pop Princess Covers Classic ‘70s Rock Hit: ‘This Is So Good’
• 'He knows where to find me,' Newsom responds to Trump administration arrest threat