George Worker
FullnameGeorge Herrick Worker
Birth date23 August 1989 (age 37)
Birth placePalmerston North, New Zealand
BattingLeft-handed
BowlingSlow left-arm orthodox
RoleAll-Rounder
FamilyRupert Worker (great-uncle)
Heightft6
Heightinch2
Internationaltrue
Internationalspan2015–2018
CountryNew Zealand
Odicap188
OdidebutagainstSouth Africa
Odidebutdate23 August
Odidebutyear2015
LastodiagainstPakistan
Lastodidate11 November
Lastodiyear2018
Odishirt64
T20icap67
T20idebutagainstZimbabwe
T20idebutdate9 August
T20idebutyear2015
Lastt20iagainstSouth Africa
Lastt20idate14 August
Lastt20iyear2015
T20ishirt64
Club 1Central Districts
Year 12007/08–2010/11
Clubnumber 133
Club 2Canterbury
Year 22011/12–2013/14
Club 3Scotland
Year 32011
Club 4Central Districts
Year 42014/15–2020/21
Club 5Jamaica Tallawahs
Year 52019
Club 6Auckland
Year 62021/22–2023/24
Columns4
Column 1ODI
Column 2T20I
Column 3FC
Column 4LA
Matches 110
Matches 22
Matches 3126
Matches 4169
Runs 1272
Runs 290
Runs 36,400
Runs 46,721
Bat avg 134.00
Bat avg 245.00
Bat avg 329.49
Bat avg 443.64
100s/50s 10/3
100s/50s 20/1
100s/50s 311/33
100s/50s 418/37
Top score 158
Top score 262
Top score 3210
Top score 4194
Deliveries 16
Deliveries 212
Deliveries 36,786
Deliveries 42,484
Wickets 10
Wickets 21
Wickets 358
Wickets 460
Bowl avg 1–
Bowl avg 219.00
Bowl avg 367.32
Bowl avg 438.78
Fivefor 1–
Fivefor 20

George Herrick Worker (born 23 August 1989) is a New Zealand former international cricketer. He was named in New Zealand's squad for their tour to Zimbabwe in August 2015, after Mitchell Santner was ruled out due to injury.[1] He made his Twenty20 International debut for New Zealand on 9 August 2015.[2] He made his One Day International debut for New Zealand against South Africa on 23 August 2015.[3] On 13 August 2024, he was announced his retirement from professional cricket at the age of 34 to take up an opportunity with an investment services firm.[4]

Domestic and franchise career

He made his first class debut scoring 71 runs opening the batting for Central Districts in December 2007. He captained the Palmerston North Boys High School, the same school Jacob Oram had attended, first eleven for two years. He has represented the Central Districts Under 19 side. He skippered the New Zealand Under-19s, featured in the ICC Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia then toured England in 2008.

A genuine all-rounder who bats in the top order and bowls left-arm spin, Worker made his first-class debut for Central Districts in December 2007, hitting 71 on debut. He played over 80 matches across all three formats for the Stags, including the 2010 Champions League tournament in South Africa, before switching to the Canterbury Wizards for the 2011/12 season, where he has recently[when?] posted his maiden first-class hundred (120*) against Auckland Aces.

In 2010/11 Worker enjoyed his best season on the domestic circuit in all formats. He hit 335 runs at 30.45, with three fifties in the first-class arena, then an impressive 307 runs at 51.16 including his maiden hundred in domestic cricket. In the T20 format, 207 runs at 25.87 and 4 wickets at 10, with an economy rate of 5.71 pushed his name forward for international consideration.

Worker, has not only played Under-19 cricket for New Zealand, but featured for the national Emerging Players side against the touring England Lions in 2009. Later that year, he was part of the same side that played in the Cricket Australia Emerging Players Tournament in Brisbane.

He has also just returned from a success stint abroad, where he played league cricket in Scotland for Stewart's Melville Royal High Cricket Club which culminated in playing in the CB40 competition for Scotland.[5] He was the leading run-scorer for the team in two of his three fixtures.

In the 2016–17 Ford Trophy, Worker scored the most runs in the tournament, with 659 in ten matches.[6]

On 3 June 2018, he was selected to play for the Montreal Tigers in the players' draft for the inaugural edition of the Global T20 Canada tournament.[7][8]

In October 2020, in the second round of the 2020–21 Plunket Shield season, Worker played in his 100th first-class match.[9] In January 2021, in the 2020–21 Super Smash, Worker scored his first century in T20 cricket.[10]

International career

Worker was named in 12-men New Zealand's squad for their tour to Zimbabwe in August 2015, after Mitchell Santner was ruled out due to injury. His first international appearance came during the single Twenty20 International on 9 August 2015. He top scored in the match with 62 runs off 38 balls and was the player of the match.

In November 2017, he was added to New Zealand's Test squad for their series against the West Indies.[11]

In May 2018, he was one of twenty players to be awarded a new contract for the 2018–19 season by New Zealand Cricket.[12]

References

  1. ^ "Santner out of Africa tour with fractured thumb". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  2. ^ "New Zealand tour of Zimbabwe and South Africa, Only T20I: Zimbabwe v New Zealand at Harare, Aug 9, 2015". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  3. ^ "New Zealand tour of Zimbabwe and South Africa, 2nd ODI: South Africa v New Zealand at Potchefstroom, Aug 23, 2015". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 23 August 2015.
  4. ^ "George Worker retires from cricket to take up position with investment firm". ESPNcricinfo. 13 August 2024. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  5. ^ George Worker, CricketArchive. Retrieved 17 August 2024. (subscription required)
  6. ^ "Records: The Ford Trophy, 2016/17: Most runs". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
  7. ^ "Global T20 Canada: Complete Squads". SportsKeeda. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  8. ^ "Global T20 Canada League – Full Squads announced". CricTracker. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  9. ^ "Century Awaits George Worker". Central Districts Cricket Association. Archived from the original on 31 October 2020. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  10. ^ "Super Smash: George Worker blazes century as Central Stags beat Otago Volts". Stuff. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  11. ^ "Southee out of first Test, Worker added to squad". ESPN Cricinfo. 29 November 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  12. ^ "Todd Astle bags his first New Zealand contract". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 15 May 2018.