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England Men's all-rounder Jamie Overton on Monday, September 1 confirmed that he will be taking an indefinite break from red-ball cricket. Overton has played 99 First Class matches representing Surrey and Somerset and has played two Test matches for England. The decision from the all-rounder comes at a crucial juncture with England cricket team set to travel to Australia for the highly-anticipated five-match Ashes series.
Overton said, "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. Red-ball, first-class cricket has provided the foundation for my professional career and has been the gateway to every opportunity I’ve had in the game so far. It’s where I learnt the game, and it fuelled the goals and ambitions that have driven me for so long."
My focus will be on white-ball cricket: Jamie Overton after taking break from red-ball cricket
"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. 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 Surrey all-rounder added.
England Men's Director of Cricket, Rob Key also spoke on the unexpected new, stating, “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. 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.”
(With Inputs from Press Release from England Cricket)
