Somerville gets NZ call

Thirteen years after his first-class cricket debut for Otago, offspinner Will Somerville is near 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 Canterbury 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 and deciding test against England in April with a side strain.

It opened the door for Somerville after just two Plunket Shield matches for Auckland where he claimed seven wickets, 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.

Auckland coach Mark O’Donnell snapped up Somerville on Danial vettori’s recommendation. From 18 firstclass matches Somerville has 62 wickets at 26.75.

‘‘If you’re going to allow 15 degrees, how you can tell what’s 15 and what’s 15.5?’’