Like a number of players before him, Craig Kieswetter, a hard-hitting wicketkeeper-batsman, chose England ahead of South Africa. He joined Somerset when he was 18 and made his international debut four years later, little more than a week after completing qualification.

His determination to succeed is reminiscent of Kevin Pietersen, but his technique closer to Michael Clarke. However, one of his closest influences has been Marcus Trescothick, his Somerset team-mate, and many believe Kieswetter can fulfil a similar role for England. Like many his career has stalled and 2010 was a tricky year following the World Twenty20 success, but he has the ability to rise again.

He played Under-19s for South Africa before being educated at Millfield School and made his Somerset first-team debut in April 2007, scoring 69 not out off 58 balls and taking a catch his coach described as "world class". The batsmen-friendly conditions at Taunton aided his attacking instincts and in the 2009 English season, his last before he qualified, he scored 1242 runs at a fraction under 60 in the Championship as well as averaging almost 50 in one-day cricket.

The selectors, who had been watching for some time, rewarded him with a place on the Lions tour of UAE although Geoff Miller did caution that England "had to be careful about the number of South Africans in the side". Yet Kieswetter was undeterred and repeated his allegiance to England when Graeme Smith said he'd like to him to come back to South Africa.

The day after he became eligible for England in February 2010 he hit 81 against the senior side in Abu Dhabi, enough to earn a rapid elevation to the full squad for Bangladesh where his first innings of the tour was the small matter of 143. It was a promising sign of the success that was to follow. He made a century in his third ODI, against Bangladesh before playing a crucial role in delivering England's first ever global limited-overs success in the World Twenty20. Alongside Michael Lumb, Kieswetter powered England to aggressive starts, making 163 runs in the tournament including a Man-of-the-Match winning 63 in the final against Australia.

Sahil Dutta May 2011