Surrey’s Jamie Overton, a member of England’s Test squad throughout this summer’s series against India, has announced that he is taking an indefinite break from first-class cricket, saying it was “no longer possible to commit fully to all formats at every level”.
Overton’s decision means that rather than potentially being part of the squad travelling to Australia for this winter’s Ashes he will be free to honour his contract with Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League, with whom he has spent part of the last two winters. He was named the team’s MVP earlier this year after taking 11 wickets and scoring 191 runs at an average of 95.5 in the 2024-25 season, when the Strikers finished bottom of the eight-team league.
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“After a great deal of thought, I have decided to take an indefinite break from red-ball cricket,” the 31-year-old said in a statement. “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.
“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.”
Overton’s two Tests saw him score a memorable 97 on debut against New Zealand at Headingley in 2022 before returning to the side for the dramatic final game against India at the Oval in July, his fifth and final red-ball game of the last two summers. After playing 11 first-class matches in 2022 he has matched that number over the following three summers combined, with back injuries restricting his appearances in the longest format.
Overton is currently at Headingley as part of England’s squad for the ODI series against South Africa that starts on Tuesday, and has also been named in the squads for the T20 series against the same opponents and for the three-match series in Ireland that follows.
