England take look at Kieswetter

Somerset wicketkeeper Craig Kieswetter has been called into the England performance programme despite not being qualified for his adopted country.

Kieswetter was born in South Africa and represented them at youth level, but joined Somerset in 2006 and has been touted as a potential England player.

The 21-year-old will work with the EPP for eight weeks in Loughborough and South Africa before Christmas.

On qualifying in February, Kieswetter will be eligible to play for England.

He has has been named as a 'category B' squad member, designed for players with first-class experience who could graduate to the senior side with one to three years' development.

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" With age very much on his side why should we wait for another country, namely SA to steal a very good prospect? "

If he does receive international recognition, he will join the likes of Kevin Pietersen, Jonathan Trott and captain Andrew Strauss, who are all in the current England Test squad despite being born in South Africa.

Kieswetter, who played for South Africa at the Under-19 World Cup in 2005/06 alongside current Proteas pace bowler Wayne Parnell, scored 1,242 first-class runs at an average of 59.14 in the 2009 county season.

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