Alec Stewart wants England to pick former Aussie quick in Tests

Dan Worrall might have played ODI cricket for Australia, but the 33-year-old can consider himself extremely unlucky to never have worn the Baggy Green. Between 2018 and 2020, the right-arm seamer averaged 23.1 with the ball for South Australia, but the presence of the ‘Big 3’ and the rise of Michael Neser and Scott Boland meant that Worrall never got a sniff.

However, at 33, Worrall’s hopes of playing Test cricket are still very much alive. Except if he goes on to make his Test debut, it will be for England. Worrall, who has a British passport, joined Surrey in 2022 as a local player and will qualify to play for England in April next year once his three-year cool-down period comes to an end. 

And so far, in his two years in England, the 33-year-old has been racking up numbers worthy of a call-up: 135 wickets at an average of 21.1. 

In the 2024 County season, Worrall was the fourth-highest wicket-taker with 52 scalps at a ridiculous average of 16.15, and he bowled Surrey to their third straight title.

It would certainly be weird for a capped Aussie quick to represent England, but former England captain Alec Stewart, the departing Director of Cricket of Surrey, believes the Three Lions will become a significantly stronger side if they pick Worrall.

Stewart reserved extremely high praise for Worrall, comparing him to the great Jimmy Anderson.

“After Jimmy Anderson, over the last two years he’s the best bowler in the country. He is as close to Jimmy Anderson skill-wise that I’ve seen, and he’s just got better and better. So would I pick him? We’re about winning so yes,” Stewart told Telegraph Cricket.

“If he gets picked there will be plenty of headlines and plenty of comments, but we have got to move with the times. Really, it’s not ideal, I just want people born and bred in England, grew up wanting to play for England. 

“But while regulations are there, he’s just going to strengthen England’s bowling because he is a serious cricketer.”

Worrall’s three appearances for Australia all came in 2016: two ODIs against South Africa and another 50-over game against Ireland.

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