Fresh off back-to-back half centuries in the Cricket World Cup warmup series in Brisbane, Central Stags batsman George Worker has scored his maiden Carribean Premier League T20 contract with the Jamaica Tallawahs.

Following in the footsteps of fellow Stag and BLACKCAP Ross Taylor — who blasted a crucial 60 off 41 balls for the Tallawahs last year to reach the playoffs, Worker was drafted by the team alongside returning BLACKCAP Glenn Phillips for this year’s tournament, set to begin on 4 September.

The punishing 29-year-old left-hander impressed in Brisbane this month, using his experience to help blunt an top drawer Australian pace attack — that included a few fireballs from Mitchell Starc — and provide partnership support for the batting star of the unofficial ODI series, fellow Stags batsman Will Young.

Young, now undergoing medical assessment of a shoulder injury, had been on standby as cover for the BLACKCAPS at the ICC Cricket World Cup which begins next week in the United Kingdom.

Worker scored two T20 half centuries in the 2018/19 season, for New Zealand A and the Stags in their successful Burger King Super Smash campaign.

He also scored a half century on BLACKCAPS debut — 62 off 38 balls — in his maiden international appearance, man of the match against Zimbabwe in late 2015. He then punched a quick 28 in his next match, against South Africa, but hasn’t been utilised by the BLACKCAPS in the T20 format since.

In ODI cricket, Worker has three half centuries and two unbeaten knocks from his 10 scattered appearances between 2015 and 2018, including back-to-back half tons against the West Indies two years ago — many of whom he will be facing or playing alongside at the Tallawahs before returning for the 2019/20 New Zealand season, with the Stags set to go again from October.

It’s the second time Worker has been drafted into an overseas T20 league — he nudged a 62 for the Montreal Tigers in last year’s inaugural Global T20 Canada league.

Article added: Thursday 23 May 2019