BACK in 1995 Andrew Symonds opted to surrender his England Test qualification by marching out for Australia A at the Sydney Cricket Ground against the West Indies.

The Birmingham-born all-rounder was playing for Gloucestershire back then, but was famously quoted, saying “I’m a fair dinkum Aussie” by way of handing-off the overtures of England’s selectors.

A similar quandary may yet face 22-year-old Antigua-born fast bowler Robbie Joseph, but it would seem Kent’s rookie paceman is unlikely to follow Symonds’ lead.

“It’s a question I was first asked five years ago and I still give the same answer to this day,” said Joseph during a break in his third championship appearance in Birmingham last week.

“After all this time in England I feel English now, in fact, when I do go back to Antigua I get too hot!

“I’d consider it a great honour to be selected for England, whereas if I were to be picked by the West Indies there’d be plenty of umming and aahing on my part. I see my future in England, that’s all there is to say really.

Earlier this year Joseph graduated from St Mary’s College, Twickenham with a joint honours degree in business management and sports science. Rightly proud of his achievements to date, he is keen to extend himself in studies and on the pitch.

“For a small island kid that no one knew about I’m pretty happy with a second-class honours degree, especially as I only found out that I was severely dyslexic after my A levels.

“I’m hoping now to go on to a masters degree course in sporting performance at St Mary’s, it’s close to home and I’ve had great support from them throughout all my struggles.

“The next course may take two years, but I hope to fit that in around playing cricket and making my mark for Kent.”

Yet Joseph is honest enough to concede that a university degree and career in county cricket seemed little more than a pipe dream during a humble childhood in the Caribbean.

He arrived in England in 1997 as a wide-eyed teenager, not knowing where his future lay.

“It was seven year’s ago last Saturday (August 7) when I first came to England. It was a special day for me to see all the things in England you never thought really existed like big red buses and black cabs.

“It was the first time I’d seen a motorway with four lanes and at first it used to take me hours to find any destination. It was a real eye opener.”

Though his future lies with England, Joseph is not about to forget his roots of the selfless friendship of fellow Antiguans who helped him achieve his dreams.

“I’ve always known cricket and started playing cricket in Antigua when I was about five. I started getting interested in hard-ball cricket aged seven with my friend, a neighbour called Shaun Edwards who played age-group cricket for the island.

“As a swap I’d bowl to him in their back yard most nights after school so he got extra practice, and in return he’d help me with my homework.

“At the age of nine I joined the Antigua juvenile cricket programme and played for the Antigua Under-13 side as a nine year-old.

“It kick-started from there with the help a guy called Lesroy Skepple, he picked me up, prepared our wickets and was always happy to give back to the local community.

“I still speak to him every week to let him know how well things are going and it was through Lesroy that I got to hear that the scholarship at Sutton Valence was up for grabs.

“They wanted an all-rounder to boost their side and five of us were in the running, but it depended on grades and cricket ability.

“It came down to me and a lad called Loy West. His father asked the selectors to give me the chance because my family would never have afforded to send me to public school or university, whereas they did have the finances, so I got the opportunity to come over here.”

Eternally grateful at being afforded such opportunities, Joseph is clearly determined to repay his debt of gratitude with excellent performances for Kent.

So far he has revealed a cool head with bat and ball and shown steady improvement at a time when the county side was under the microscope and the cosh.

“It’s gone alright so far,” he added modestly.

“It’s a little like swan syndrome. I have looked cool on the top, but deep down my emotions have been paddling away there under the surface. I’m just trying to enjoy myself really.

“I’ve waited a long time to get here and, now that I am, there’s no point in me getting too up tight because that only leads to failure.

“I’m just trying to relax, play cricket, and love it.”