Worrall wants to profit from surprise element

9 April 2018

Hot foot from playing for South Australia in the Sheffield Shield, Gloucestershire's new overseas player Dan Worrall says he's happy to be an unknown quantity ahead of his first stint in county cricket.

The signing of the strongly built 26 year old represented a change in strategy - you have to go back to Courtney Walsh (1998) to find the last overseas bowler to spend a whole season with the club, and to Malinga Bandara (2005) for the last one with an extended run in first class matches - and Worrall believes he can catch opposition batsmen unawares.

"I wouldn't expect anyone to know what I do and it's important I use that as an advantage" said Worrall. "The running joke back home is that anyone who can stand the seam up and do a bit with the ball would be good in England. Batsmen won't be surprised by a swinging ball, but there are little things I can offer that hopefully will give me an edge."

"The plan, with Andrew Tye coming here for the T20, was always to play for three months. I hope to get the team off to a good start in the Championship and the perform well in the 50 over competition. It's a hectic schedule compared to an Australian summer so it'll be a lot of hard work but it does give a player who may have a slump in form the chance to recover, and there's a guy in every side that can win a game for you."

Worrall will potentially face three other Australians in his time with Gloucestershire as Shaun Marsh (Glamorgan), and Hilton Cartwright (Middlesex) are among a crop of his fellow countrymen spending the summer in England, and he admits the Championship game at Lord's - where he has never played before - is potentially the highlight of his trip.

"It's a time to learn with an Ashes tour next year" Worrall went on. "I've been fortunate to find my way to Gloucestershire and follow in the footsteps of Peter Handscomb and Michael Klinger, who made their debuts for Australia after playing for the club. Both had nothing but good things to say about their time here. I want to try and expand my game, test myself playing with a different ball in different conditions and try and adapt.

A great bowler is someone who can adjust to what the team needs, and my aim is to stay fit, train hard and get some wickets."

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