Afzaal agrees Surrey switch

Batsman Usman Afzaal hopes a move to Surrey will help him to reignite his England career

Usman Afzaal revealed he still harbours ambitions to play for England after agreeing a three-year deal with Surrey following his release from Northamptonshire.

The 30-year-old last appeared in England colours in 2001 when he made three Test appearances in the Ashes series against Australia.

Afzaal had been with the Wantage Road club for four seasons, having joined from Nottinghamshire in 2004, before recently having his contract cancelled by mutual consent.

The left-hander, who has scored more than 11,000 runs since making his first-class debut in 1995, hopes his move to the Brit Oval will reignite his international chances.

“My dream is to play more cricket for England,” Afzaal said.

“I see this move to Surrey, where I will be under pressure to prove myself in a quality side, as a stepping stone to being recognised by the English selectors once more.

“I want to continue to learn more about myself and my game and feel a new challenge, in a new environment, will help me achieve this.

“To learn from and play with the likes of Alan and Mark Butcher and Mark Ramprakash will be an honour and something I'm looking forward to.”