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Jamie Overton announces indefinite break from red-ball cricket, citing workload and injury history, to focus on white-ball formats for England.
Jamie Overton has announced an indefinite break from red-ball cricket (Picture credit: AFP)
Star England bowling all-rounder Jamie Overton has announced that he will take an indefinite break from red-ball cricket, saying that the workload of playing across formats is too much for him to bear and he would like to focus only on white-ball cricket going forward.
Overton has a history of back stress fractures which has limited him to just two Tests. His last red-ball cricket appearance was against India at the Oval last month, where he scored a duck and nine runs, besides picking two wickets.
Overton made his Test debut against New Zealand at Leeds in June 2022 and scored a brillinat 97 in England’s first innings. He has played 99 first-class games representing Surrey and Somerset.
“After a great deal of thought, I have decided to take an indefinite break from red-ball cricket. I feel very fortunate to have played 99 first-class matches, including two Test matches for England,” Overton said in a statement from the England Cricket Board.
“However, at this stage of my career, with the demands of cricket across a 12-month calendar, it’s no longer possible to commit fully to all formats at every level, both physically and mentally,” Overton added.
“Going forward, my focus will be on white-ball cricket and I will continue to give everything to play at the highest level for as long as I can,” the 31-year-old said.
While Overton will not have been the first name on Ashes team sheet, his decision is crucial as he would have been part of England’s plans for their trip Down Under.
“Jamie’s news came unexpected and it is sad to see, as he would have been part of our red-ball plans for the foreseeable future,” England’s director of cricket Rob Key said.
“That said, it serves as a reminder of the cricketing landscape we now operate in. We respect his decision and are grateful to him for informing us when he did,” Key added.
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