ESSEX star Danish Kaneria has sensationally told the Echo he would consider playing for England if Pakistan continue to snub him.

The leg-spinner, who has taken 220 Test wickets, said that if he is out of favour with the Pakistan selectors and England wanted him, he would be interested.

He said: “I may consider playing for England at one stage if Pakistan are not picking me.

“I am 27 and a proper leg-spinner gets his real class when he is 32 – Shane Warne got to his 30s and was bowling out every team so I have plenty of years to go.

“I don’t know what will happen and will see how Pakistan cope with me. If England wanted me to play and do something for them I would think it over.”

Kaneria, who first played for Essex in 2004, was disciplined by the Pakistan Cricket Board in February for an outburst in the media after he was demoted to a category C centrally contracted player.

He said at the time he felt more loved at Essex than by his own country and he enjoys the opportunity Essex give him to be their main bowling asset.

He has not played a Test Match for eight months and has only played 18 One-Day Internationals since making his debut in 2001, as the Pakistan management instead picked batsmen and part-time spinners such as Mohammad Hafeez and Shahid Afridi.

And it was little surprise to see his name was absent from Pakistan’s preliminary 30-man Champions Trophy squad for September, which was announced yesterday.

He said: “I didn’t hear anything from Pakistan. I’m doing well and taking wickets and would like to play one-day cricket for Pakistan.

“I have not given up and want to get my place back in the team. I play well in each form of the game but when Pakistan don’t pick me it is up to the media to ask the Pakistan selectors ‘Why?’”

A spokesman for the England and Wales Cricket Board said for Kaneria to be eligible to play for England it would take four years.

“During that period Kaneria would have to spend at least seven months a year living in England, or 210 days during the 12 month period,” he said.

“And during that time he cannot play for Pakistan – if he plays domestically in Pakistan he would have to be classed as an overseas player. Also, he would need to gain British citizenship.”