[citation needed] He also represented Tynemouth Cricket Club, as their Durham contract player for the 2009 season, with his performances safeguarding them from relegation.

[citation needed] In May 2009 Borthwick took two catches while fielding as substitute for England in the second Test against the West Indies at the Riverside Ground.

[citation needed] In 2013 Borthwick was promoted up the order and finished Durham's top scorer as they won the County Championship, scoring 1022 runs and also taking 28 wickets (fewer than only Graham Onions, Chris Rushworth and Ben Stokes),[1] though he still described himself as "a legspinner who bats".

[3][4] Borthwick was announced as a member of the England One Day International (ODI) squad for their match against Ireland in August 2011.

Borthwick took four wickets, including 3-33 in the second innings, but England lost heavily to complete a 5-0 Ashes series defeat.