Almost an Aussie, now a Black Cap
Thirteen years after his first-class cricket debut for Otago, offspinner Will Somerville is within touching distance of a Black Caps test debut at age 34.
Wellington-born Somerville, who was tipped as an Australian test contender in early 2017 after a prolific season for New South Wales, is bound for the United Arab Emirates to replace luckless legspinner Todd Astle in the test squad to face Pakistan.
Astle was ruled out of the tour yesterday with a knee injury, another cruel blow after he missed the second test against England in April with a side strain.
It opened the door for the towering figure of Somerville after just two Plunket Shield matches for Auckland, having quit NSW to chase selection for his country of birth.
Somerville moved to Sydney with his family as a youngster then crossed the Tasman again to study accounting at the University of Otago. He returned to Sydney and was in the frame for test selection after taking 35 Sheffield Shield wickets at 23 for NSW in 2016-17. But he struggled for opportunities last summer behind international spinners Nathan Lyon and Steve O’Keefe.
At former Black Caps captain Daniel Vettori’s recommendation, Auckland coach Mark O’Donnell snapped up Somerville for the Aces and he snared seven wickets in his first two shield matches last month. From 18 first-class matches Somerville has 62 wickets at 26.75.
Selector Gavin Larsen said Somerville had impressed the selectors and would complement legspinner Ish Sodhi and left-arm orthodox Ajaz Patel in the squad for the three-test series starting in Abu Dhabi on November 16. New Zealand are highly likely to pick two frontline spinners in their XI on the UAE dustbowls.
‘‘We’ve been keeping a close eye on Will and like the look of his all-round game and skill-set,’’ Larsen said.
‘‘He bowls with good control and variation, while his added
New Zealand squad for three tests against Pakistan in the UAE: Kane Williamson (captain), Jeet Raval, Tom Latham, Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, BJ Watling, Tom Blundell, Colin de Grandhomme, Will Somerville, Ish Sodhi, Ajaz Patel, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Matt Henry, Trent Boult.