Borthwick desperate for England Test recall

Scott Borthwick's County Championship form as a top-order batsman has forced his name back into the reckoning and the Durham player is hoping to be named in the England squad for the upcoming series against Pakistan.

England cricketer Scott Borthwick after scoring a century.

Scott Borthwick says he is "desperate" to earn a Test recall for England after the all-rounder's superb domestic form pushed him back into international contention.

The 26-year-old has only made one Test appearance for England, in the final match of the 5-0 whitewash against Australia in January 2014, when he was selected primarily as a leg-spinner. But it is Borthwick's County Championship form as a top-order batsman that has forced his name back into the reckoning and the Durham player is hoping to be named in the England squad for the upcoming series against Pakistan.

"I've spent the last three seasons at number three, so it feels natural," Borthwick, who has hit three centuries this season, told the Daily Mail. "If the chance came, I'd be really excited. Having had a sniff of Test cricket, I want another one. I'm desperate to do it again."

"The most pleasing thing is I've got a couple of big 100s. Last year my downfall was that I was getting a number of starts. I got four nineties and 11 fifties so it was pleasing to get 180-odd at Trent Bridge. It's nice to be scoring runs and to be talked about."

With Nick Compton's England future in doubt after a poor series, Borthwick insists he is more prepared for Test cricket after developing his game in the last two years.

"When I was picked for that Test, I was a number eight who bowled leg-spin," he said. "Now I'm a frontline batter. I know my game a lot better and I've matured a lot. I know my strengths and my weaknesses a lot more. Sydney feels like a long time ago."