Cricket: Former Black Cap Corey Anderson switches allegiance to play for USA

Former Black Caps all-rounder Corey Anderson has all but completed his international allegiance switch and can represent the USA after being named to face Canada next month.

Anderson, 33, hasn’t played for New Zealand since 2018 but represented the Black Caps 93 times across all three formats.

But with this year’s Twenty20 World Cup to be held in the US and West Indies, the co-hosts have included Anderson in their 15-man squad to face Canada for five Twenty20 internationals.

The USA will also face Bangladesh in three Twenty20s later this year as their final preparation for the World Cup, which they will open against Canada on June 2 (NZ time).

Since late 2020, Anderson has lived in the US after gaining citizenship through his wife, Mary Margaret, which allows him to represent a second country at international level. In December 2023, Anderson told Newstalk ZB about his intention to play for the USA.

“I’ve done my time now in terms of trying to become eligible,” he said.

“I think just some of the paperwork needs to be filed, but if that comes up it’s something I’ll assess when it does, and it just depends on what’s in front of me at the time and the opportunities.

“I can’t lie, it’d be exciting to play in another World Cup, with US being the hosts and if I can hold on long enough and potentially try and be involved in the Olympics, that’s something I think everybody in world cricket, from a playing capacity, would have to have the opportunity to [do].”

In his prime, Anderson was a key fixture across all formats for the Black Caps under the stewardship of captain Brendon McCullum and coach Mike Hesson.

On January 1, 2014, at the age of 23, Anderson hammered a 36-ball one day international century against the West Indies – at the time a world record.

In total, Anderson played 49 ODIs for 1109 runs at an average of 27.72, and took 60 wickets at 25.03, and was part of the side that reached the 2015 World Cup final.

In test cricket, Anderson wore the black cap 13 times for 683 runs at 32.52 with one century, and 16 wickets at 41.18.

More recently, Anderson has been a Twenty20 gun for hire and enjoyed stints with the San Francisco Unicorns in American Major League Cricket last year, and the Hobart Hurricanes in Australia’s Big Bash League.