WORCESTERSHIRE’S destroyer-in-chief in the 10-wicket thrashing at Northamptonshire, Aussie seamer Trent Copeland, was a wicketkeeper just six years ago!

The 27-year-old, inset, who has played three Tests for the Baggy Greens, took nine wickets in the match, including 6-41 in the second innings, as the table-topping hosts underlined their promotion credentials.

Unfortunately for Worcestershire, it was Copeland’s final game for the Wantage Road outfit before returning Down Under and County seamer Alan Richardson admitted he was ‘flabbergasted’ by the Aussie’s career transformation.

“Up until he was 21, Trent was a wicketkeeper playing Grade Cricket in Australia, which absolutely flabbergasts me,” revealed Richardson, who is the spearhead of Worcestershire’s attack.

“He never even thought about bowling until he was about 21 when his pathway to the first team was blocked by two good keepers, so he tried bowling.

“Within two to three years of that moment, he was playing Test cricket for Australia as a bowler!

“He was brilliant in the game against us as he bowled really long spells and kept the pressure on all of our batsmen throughout.”

Despite not being among the pre-season favourites for promotion from Division Two, Northants have already opened up a 44-point lead on second-placed Worcestershire, while Lancashire, Hampshire and Essex are all in close pursuit.

Richardson continued: “Lancashire and Hampshire both looked like very good sides when we played them, but Northants have done well to get themselves to the top of the table.

“Hopefully, we can still be in the shake-up for promotion come the end of the season, but we need to start getting some better scores on the board as we can’t keep relying on bowling sides out.

“We have three guys who have been getting runs consistently, but we need a few others to chip in and support them.

“However, there is no reason why we can’t be up there battling for promotion at the end of the year.”

Meanwhile, the 38-year-old bowler played his first one-day game for Worcestershire in nearly three years and was delighted to rack up a rare success over his former county Warwickshire.

He added: “It was the first time I’d played in a side to beat Warwickshire since leaving Edgbaston back in 2004!

“I loved being back in the one-day side, but the pace of the game really took my breath away and I had cramp in both legs after bowling just six overs!

“We were probably 20 runs short of a decent total, but we bowled well and fielded brilliantly. I thought Brett D’Oliveira was very good and he is maturing nicely as a cricketer.

“I have chatted to Bumpy (director of cricket Steve Rhodes) and I might now play some t20 stuff too, but it depends on the make-up of our side.

“Andre Russell will definitely be bowling for us, so there might not be room in the side for me.”