England have added Scotland fast bowler Scott Currie to their squad to play Ireland in a T20 series next week.
Hampshire quick Currie was born in Poole but played three ODIs in 2024 for Scotland, where his father was born.
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Currie told ESPNcricinfo last week that he remained in contact with Scotland, but their failure to qualify for next year’s T20 World Cup meant he had refocused his attempts to play for England. Currie’s brother, Brad, also plays for Scotland.
As Scotland are an associate member of the International Cricket Council, there is no qualification period for Currie to serve before representing England.
However, if he is capped by England, there would be a three-year stand-down period before he could represent Scotland again.
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Currie has enjoyed a successful summer, impressing in the Hundred and T20 Blast – Reuters/Craig Brough
“I’ve obviously got [the possibility] that you can flip between the two, and if an England cap ever came then that would be a massive honour,” he said.
“But certainly, the pride of representing Scotland in those three games that I did, taking the field with my brother [Brad], knowing what it means to my old man and his side of the family, is something that always puts a smile on my face.”
The 24-year-old has been called up to replace Saqib Mahmood, the Lancashire quick who has been ruled out with a knee injury that requires “minor surgery”. Mahmood will also miss next month’s tour of New Zealand, which features three T20s and three ODIs.
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“I haven’t seen a huge amount, to be honest,” said head coach Brendon McCullum. “But another player who’s got unique skills and the guys wanted to get him in the squad once Saqib Mahmood was ruled out. Another good opportunity and we’ll see how he goes. It’s great to get these guys into the squads and work out how they fit within the group and wait for their opportunities. It’s exciting.”
Currie has had an excellent summer in white-ball cricket. He played in Vitality Blast finals day for losing finalists Hampshire on Saturday, finishing the tournament with 27 wickets (only Somerset’s Riley Meredith, with 29, took more). He also took nine wickets at an average under 20 for Manchester Originals in the Hundred.
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Currie relishes doing the “dirty work at the end of the innings” as a tall, awkward seamer relying on variations.
“I might not be the most talented or have the express pace of, say, Sonny [Baker, his Hampshire seamer who is also in the squad to tour Ireland], but I’ve got my own skill set I try to stick to,” he told ESPNcricinfo.
With the Ashes looming, England are not taking any of their Test first-team to Ireland. Harry Brook will sit out, with Jacob Bethell captaining the team.
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McCullum will also head home to New Zealand on Monday, the day after the T20 series against South Africa concludes.
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