Colombo: England’s latest recruit, seamer Jade Dernbach, revealed that he was a rugby player before he came to England.

Dernbach, born and raised in South Africa until he was 14, has been called up to replace bowler Ajmal Shahzad, who pulled a hamstring and has returned home. Dernbach was playing for the England Lions in the Caribbean when he was called up late last week.

The 6-foot-2 Surrey bowler, who turns 25 next month, follows Kevin Pietersen, Jonathan Trott and Craig Kieswetter as South Africans who have adopted England.

“It was a very pleasant surprise... We had heard that Ajmal was injured and there was a good chance that somebody would be called up… Thankfully it was me,” Jade said.

“My cricket career started in England… I didn’t play much cricket back in South Africa. I was born in Johannesburg, and then lived in Durban. It was a family decision to move over.

“That was when I really started playing cricket. To be honest, I was more of a rugby player before that… Cricket happened by chance. I started playing for a local side and ended up getting a chance for Surrey,” he said.

He went on to add: “South Africa’s not my home, so I don’t owe anything to South Africa. I learned my cricket in England… I want to give everything I can to England cricket, that’s the country I love.”

Speaking on his career so far, Jade said that his performance in the last three years has helped him make the national team. “The start of my first-class career wasn’t as good as I would have wished. But in the last three years, I really think I have progressed,” he said.

The bowler also revealed that he had attended bowling sessions under former Aussie great Dennis Lillie, at the MRF Pace Foundation.

He also stressed on the importance of slower bowls in modern-day cricket. “Yes… You have to have those (slower balls) nowadays, with the way one-day cricket is going. You have to have that sort of variety. Hopefully I can show my skills if I get an opportunity.”

On the quarter final against Sri Lanka, he said: “We have prepared like we do for any other game… It is a World Cup quarter final, but the preparation has been as usual. Mood in the camp is great… I only arrived here last night (Monday), but everybody has been welcoming.

“As the previous games have shown, spin has played a part but that’s just a factor... It can come down to anything. Depends on the day, as long as we prepare properly, as long as we are in the right place, and as long as we do everything, we can to win the game. You can’t concentrate on just one facet of the game,” Jade added.