John Hastings will become the latest in a lengthy list of talented Australian cricketers to play County Championship cricket for Worcestershire next season.
The all-rounder is set to be the 22nd player from Down Under to represent the County in the competition – a sequence which started at the turn of the last century.
In recent times the likes of Tom Moody, Glenn McGrath, Andy Bichel, current assistant-coach Matt Mason, Phil Jaques and the late Phil Hughes all made a considerable impact.
John Cuffe became the first Australian to wear Worcestershire's colours in 1903 – the 49th player to play Championship cricket for the club.
He was followed before the Second World War by Herbert Hopkins, Frank Warne and Roger Kimpton.
After 1945, Noel Hughes, Don Harkness, Greg Watson and Moody joined the Worcestershire ranks.
Then since the Championship was split into two divisions, Worcestershire have signed Australians aplenty in McGrath, Bichel, Mason, Shane Lee, Mark Harrity, Jaques, Doug Bollinger, Steve Magoffin, Ashley Noffke, Damien Wright, Michael Klinger, Hughes and Michael Johnson.
This list does NOT include players such as current Australian captain Steve Smith who played only T20 cricket for the County.
The full list in order is:
JA Cuffe – 49th player for Worcestershire in the County Championship
HO Hopkins – 116
FB Warne – 218
RCM Kimpson – 234
NK Hughes – 286
DP Harkness – 287
GD Watson – 342
TM Moody – 379
GD McGrath – 407
AJ Bichel – 411
MS Mason – 417
S Lee – 418
MA Harrity – 420
PA Jaques – 438
DE Bollinger – 440
SJ Magoffin – 448
AA Noffke – 454
DG Wright – 466
M Klinger – 473
PJ Hughes 475
MA Johnson – 481
JW Hastings – ?
*Thanks for the above information to Andrew Thomas, author of 'Pears 150' which can still be purchased during the winter (price £28 plus postage) via Andrew Thomas c-o Worcestershire CCC, County Ground, New Road, Worcester,WR2 4QQ
