George Worker Bids Farewell to Cricket for a New Professional Path

Former New Zealand cricketer George Worker has decided to retire from professional cricket at the age of 34 to pursue a "wonderful opportunity" in the investment services industry.

Reflecting on his 17-year cricket career, Worker shared that retiring marks the end of an extraordinary chapter in his life and the beginning of a fresh journey. He acknowledged the deep friendships and cherished memories he gained throughout his career, which began with Central Districts and concluded with Auckland.

Worker's international career, although brief, saw him participate in ten ODIs and two T20Is between 2015 and 2018, amassing 272 and 90 runs, respectively. His international journey kicked off during a 2015 tour of Zimbabwe and South Africa, where he impressed with a 38-ball 62 on his T20I debut in Harare, earning the Player-of-the-Match award. His outstanding performance in the 2017 Ford Trophy, where he scored 659 runs in ten innings at an average of 82.37 for Central Districts, caught the attention of selectors once again. He made his ODI debut during the same African tour and enjoyed a brief run in 2017, scoring all three of his ODI half-centuries in matches against Ireland and the West Indies.

More recently, Worker was recalled to New Zealand's ODI squad for a home series against the Netherlands in March 2022, following Mark Chapman's Covid-19 diagnosis, though he did not get a chance to add to his 12 international caps.

In his overall List A career, Worker played 169 matches, scoring 6721 runs at an average of 43.64 with a strike rate of 79.85, including 18 centuries and 37 half-centuries. His first-class statistics were more modest, with 6400 runs at an average of 29.49, and in T20s, he scored 3480 runs at a strike rate of 123.57.

Worker's cricket journey began in the 2007-08 season with Central Districts, and he soon represented New Zealand in the Under-19 World Cup. In recent years, he was instrumental in Auckland Aces' Ford Trophy victory during the 2021-22 season, where he topped the run-scoring charts with 672 runs in ten innings, averaging 84.00 and scoring four centuries.

Additionally, Worker was a part-time left-arm spinner, finishing his career with 58 first-class wickets, 60 in List A cricket, and 42 in T20s.

Auckland Cricket's head of performance and talent, Evan Jones, expressed that while Worker's leadership and experience will be greatly missed, they are excited for him as he begins this new chapter in his career. Worker will continue to be a valued member of the Auckland Cricket family, and they look forward to seeing how he will contribute in the future.

As Worker steps away from cricket, he is eager to begin his new role with Forsyth Barr, where he plans to apply the same passion and commitment that he brought to his cricket career.