Somerset announced the signing of Will Sutherland for the 2024 season at 8.15 am this morning. At exactly the time the all-rounder was taking the field for Melbourne Renegades at the SCG in their opening BBL fixture. At 8.37 Sutherland comes on to bowl with a Steve Smith inspired Sydney Sixers on 58-0 off the first five overs. A wicket with his first ball, forcing Josh Phillipe to play on was followed by an almost carbon-copy dismissal of James Vince for one as the Sixers were pegged back. Sutherland ended on a pretty respectable 2-21 off his 4 overs, especially in the context of the other 16 going for 154.
In reply Nottinghamshire’s Joe Clarke went run out for 6, Kent’s Jordan Cox for a third ball duck to leave the Renegades at 88-5 in the 12th over when Sutherland entered the fray. He demonstrated his power, timing and eye with an unbeaten 51 off just 30 balls including four sweetly timed maximums.
It wasn’t enough for the Renegades as they ended 8 runs short of the target but there was enough in Will’s performance to encourage the Somerset faithful. Those boundaries at Taunton will not contain the Victorian if he can repeat the clean striking we saw this morning while his bowling and temperament will prove valuable if he shows more of what he did today.
All in all a nice early Christmas present.
