Craig Overton puts county form ahead of England recall

Published: 2026-10-02 00:00:00

Somerset all-rounder Craig Overton says he is focused on delivering for his county rather than chasing an England recall, though he remains eager to play for his country again.

Overton was named the men’s player of the year at the Professional Cricketers’ Association awards after a standout 2026 County Championship campaign. He took 53 wickets at an average of 19.18—the third-highest tally in Division One—and scored 734 runs, including three centuries, as Somerset finished second.

“If I'm good enough they'll pick me and at the minute they're not quite doing that,” Overton told BBC Test Match Special after receiving the award. “For me it's just putting in performances and making their decisions as hard as possible.”

The 32-year-old has played 15 times for England—eight Tests and seven one-day internationals—but has not represented the side since 2022. His strong county form has prompted discussion about whether he could return to the setup and help fill the pace-bowling all-rounder role vacated by Ben Stokes.

Overton said he was “always thinking about” England but had not been contacted about a possible comeback. “Any kid's dream is to play for England and I'm no exception,” he said. “It's something that I want to get back into but for me it's putting a performance in for my county and for every team that I'm playing for and if the call-up comes, the call-up comes.”