Somerville’s Black Caps callup ‘a long time coming’
HOW long would you persevere?
Would you spend a couple of years chasing your dreams?
Three or four perhaps? What about a decade?
Former Otago cricketer Will Somerville has redefined what it means to be tenacious. Thirteen years after making his firstclass debut for the province the 34yearold has been called into the Black Caps test squad.
The towering offspinner replaces the desperately unlucky Todd Astle, who has been ruled out for the remainder of the Black Caps tour of the United Arab Emirates with a knee injury.
‘‘It has been a long time coming,’’ Somerville told the Otago Daily Times shortly after a net session with his new team, the Auckland Aces.
‘‘Now I’ve got this opportunity I’m extremely excited and just can’t wait to meet my new teammates and play against Pakistan, hopefully.’’
Somerville was born in Wellington but moved to Australia with his family when he was 9. But he returned to New Zealand to attend the University of Otago and showed great promise at the bowling crease.
He got bounce and spin and took three for 26 in his debut spell.
But he left Dunedin in 2009 having made just four firstclass appearances in four years. He followed his then girlfriend and now wife, Eleanor, to Sydney.
He had failed to crack the Otago Champions League team and decided to move on.
He put his accountancy degree to good work over there but never gave up on his cricket ambitions. He slugged it out each weekend playing grade cricket in Sydney or ‘‘Sydney test cricket’’ as it has been dubbed.
Then he got a second opportunity when he was called into the New South Wales Sheffield Shield side in 2014.
He impressed but, just like in Otago, there were others ahead of him.
But his breakthrough came during the 201617 Sheffield Shield season. He was the Blues’ leading wicket taker with 35 wickets at an average of 23.14 in seven matches.
There was even talk the dualnational might be in line for a Baggy Green.
But that opportunity did not materialise and he decided to return to New Zealand and signed with Auckland this year.
He had dreamed of playing for the Black Caps as a child and that dream is closer than ever.
‘‘My dad has always told me my career really started when I was 30. It is a great lesson in persistence, that’s for sure.’’
The couple have two young children — Hugo (2) and Zoe (10 months) — so it has been a ‘‘huge move for the family’’.
‘‘It is a little bit easier at their age. They are fairly adaptable, but it has been tough for my wife.
‘‘But she has been hugely supportive and we are lucky to have supportive family here.
‘‘We’re just starting to feel settled and now I’m heading overseas.’’
Somerville’s parents live in Wanaka and he considered returning to play for Otago rather than Auckland. But he felt with former international Mark Craig ensconced in the Volts team, Auckland was a better fit.
But Somerville has found memories of his stint in Dunedin. He has kept in touch with many of his former teammates.
‘‘I’ve had a lot of support from the guys from Dunedin. I was stoked when UniversityGrange got back into Dunedin prem cricket this year.’’
Former Otago players Anthony Bullick and Matt Harvey were groomsmen at his wedding and he still has some close friendships from his ‘‘Dunedin days’’.
Somerville will compete for a spot in the test lineup with legspinner Ish Sodhi and a leftarm spinner in Ajaz Patel. The first test against Pakistan gets under way on November 16.
BLAINE Clancy’s job is to get the Volts into the best shape he can and he has drafted in some help from a different species.
The Otago strength and conditioning coach recently adopted a pet. Maley is a gorgeous Labrador SharPei cross who spent a good part of Wednesday lounging on the couch in the players’ area watching the Volts record a comfortable 62run win against Canterbury.
She has quickly become the unofficial mascot at home games and is pretty handy at chasing balls down — but there is no talk of slotting her in the slips just yet.
Actually, the Volts do not need any help in that department this season. One of the team’s strengths has been its fielding.
The catching behind the wicket has been outstanding and the work in the outfield cannot be faulted as well.
That is where Clancy comes in. The Northern Irishman has got the team in good shape since taking over the role in August last year. And that conditioning is paying off in the field.
But there have been challenges. He is used to working with players who are contracted for 12 months of the year.
‘‘The challenge is during the winter period to get the players to buy into the training processes while they have work or study commitments,’’ he said.
‘‘That is where your people skills come in,’’ the affable 31yearold said.
If you look closely, he is well matched with Maley, who appears to have the same easy smile which she produced on cue for the Otago Daily Times photographer.
Clancy hails from Limavady, a market town in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. He has a master’s degree in sports and exercise biomechanics and various other qualifications.
But his real education started at Yorkshire County Cricket Club. He worked as an intern at the club and ended up securing
a fulltime role and was there four years.
But he was working in Hong Kong when he spotted the Volts’ job advertised online and thought ‘why not?’.
‘‘It was something I fancied doing and somewhere I fancied living, so I put my name in the hat and it came through,’’ he said.
Clancy was pleased with the overall fitness of the squad.
‘‘They are going well. I think you’ve seen from our last few fielding performances that they are ready to go.
‘‘We’ve performed quite well in the field and I think that is the measure of a truly fit team.
‘‘We’ve been quite fast to the ball and we’ve been competing for the whole 50 overs. I think there is more to come on that front.’’
Hot tip: allrounder Nathan Smith is the quickest of the bunch over a short distance. Seamer Christi Viljoen would win a 5km race, while Neil Broom can bench more than anyone else in the team.
But each athlete is working on something different.
‘‘They are all different heights, different sizes, different playing positions and have different previous injury histories.
‘‘And they all have different strengths and weaknesses, so all the programmes are moulded differently to the guys.’’
Otago has an important game against competition leader Wellington at the University of Otago Oval today.
Cocaptain and offspinner Mark Craig has been ruled out with a back complaint.
Veteran top order batsman Brad Wilson joins the 13, while Wellington has stuck with the same side which overpowered Auckland by 120 runs earlier this week.
Former international Hamish Bennett shapes as the main threat with the ball for the visitor, while Devon Conway and Andrew Fletcher have been in fine form with the bat.
Keep an eye out for former Otago players Michael Bracewell and Jimmy Neesham as well. They have both been hitting the ball well this season.